again. How are you?” Tess asked.
“ Well, I’m fine as frog hair, but twice as jumpy. Although comin' in here always has a calmin' effect on me. But how ‘bout you? I heard what transpired over’t your house yesterday. I came by to see if you’re all right.” He oozed southern charm.
“ That’s really not necessary. I’m just fine.”
“ Oh, honey, you’re better ‘n fine, you’re lookin’ purty as a speckled pup.” He leaned a little too close to Tess, leering slightly at her.
Lou came to the rescue. “Mare! What in the Sam Hill are you doin’?” She rounded the counter and came at him like a mama bear protecting her cub.
“ What do you mean, Lou? I’m just jawin’ with Ms. Tremaine,” Buck said innocently, taking a few steps back.
“ Yeah, well, with all due respect, take yer jaw somewhere else. I’ll not have you makin’ inappropriate comments to my employees.” She folded her arms in front of her and glared at him.
“ Whoa, Nelly. Keep yer big hair on.” He turned to Tess with his hand over his heart. “Ms. Tremaine, I most sincerely apologize if I’ve offended you in any way. I just think if a man sees a beautiful woman, he has an obligation to tell her. Would you allow me to tell you over dinner, maybe?” His smile filled his face.
He looks respectable, and besides the leer he seems like a nice man . But his charm is a little over the top. And he’s still of the male persuasion, and I have sworn off getting mixed up with any more of his kind.
“ Thank you, Mayor . . . but I can’t. I appreciate the offer, though.”
He looked at his watch. “It’s comin’ up on lunchtime. Lou, you do give your employees time off for lunch, dontcha?”
“ A course I do, but I brought lunch for us all, and we’re gonna eat in the office today.” She gave Tess a quick wink. “Now Tess, would you mind startin’ on that new display over in the cookin’ section? Tell ya what, I’ll go with ya and getcha started. You have a good day, Mare.”
“ And you as well, ladies,” he chuckled.
The day went by quickly. Tess met more of the townspeople and continued her lesson on Southern speak. She was beginning to think if she just shoved her fingers in her mouth while she talked, she'd be halfway there.
When she got home shortly after three o’clock, she changed into her work clothes, grabbed her iPod, and started removing the rest of the wallpaper in her bedroom. Working until late into the evening, she only stopped once for a quick sandwich. Finally she came to a stopping point, cleaned up the mess, and got ready for bed, exhausted.
As she crawled into bed, she heard a dog barking outside, and a faint creak that sounded like her back door when it opened and closed. Her hand reacted on its own, reaching under the bed for the Louisville Slugger she’d stashed underneath for protection. She sat straight up and listened hard. Nothing.
She swung her feet to the floor and stopped to listen again. Still nothing. Gripping the bat until her knuckles were white, she walked out her bedroom door and stood at the top of the steps for several minutes, straining to hear the slightest sound. The house was silent.
She went back to bed but kept the bat in her hand. She lay there, looking at the shadows in the room, worrying and wondering.
The house was too quiet. She grabbed the remote to the small television that was housed in the top part of her armoire. With one click David Letterman came on. She turned over on her stomach, bat still in hand, and listened to Dave while she drifted off.
She was sound asleep within minutes, and her hand relaxed, dropping the bat with a clunk to the floor. She never heard the clunk or the creaking of the floorboards.
A Hissy Fit With A Tail On It
preshade : verb \ pree-sheyt\ appreciate
I don’t ‘preshade your innuendoes!
[ 1932 ]
The kitchen smelled like bacon and coffee.
“ I can’t believe my eyes,”
“ Well, I’m fine as frog hair, but twice as jumpy. Although comin' in here always has a calmin' effect on me. But how ‘bout you? I heard what transpired over’t your house yesterday. I came by to see if you’re all right.” He oozed southern charm.
“ That’s really not necessary. I’m just fine.”
“ Oh, honey, you’re better ‘n fine, you’re lookin’ purty as a speckled pup.” He leaned a little too close to Tess, leering slightly at her.
Lou came to the rescue. “Mare! What in the Sam Hill are you doin’?” She rounded the counter and came at him like a mama bear protecting her cub.
“ What do you mean, Lou? I’m just jawin’ with Ms. Tremaine,” Buck said innocently, taking a few steps back.
“ Yeah, well, with all due respect, take yer jaw somewhere else. I’ll not have you makin’ inappropriate comments to my employees.” She folded her arms in front of her and glared at him.
“ Whoa, Nelly. Keep yer big hair on.” He turned to Tess with his hand over his heart. “Ms. Tremaine, I most sincerely apologize if I’ve offended you in any way. I just think if a man sees a beautiful woman, he has an obligation to tell her. Would you allow me to tell you over dinner, maybe?” His smile filled his face.
He looks respectable, and besides the leer he seems like a nice man . But his charm is a little over the top. And he’s still of the male persuasion, and I have sworn off getting mixed up with any more of his kind.
“ Thank you, Mayor . . . but I can’t. I appreciate the offer, though.”
He looked at his watch. “It’s comin’ up on lunchtime. Lou, you do give your employees time off for lunch, dontcha?”
“ A course I do, but I brought lunch for us all, and we’re gonna eat in the office today.” She gave Tess a quick wink. “Now Tess, would you mind startin’ on that new display over in the cookin’ section? Tell ya what, I’ll go with ya and getcha started. You have a good day, Mare.”
“ And you as well, ladies,” he chuckled.
The day went by quickly. Tess met more of the townspeople and continued her lesson on Southern speak. She was beginning to think if she just shoved her fingers in her mouth while she talked, she'd be halfway there.
When she got home shortly after three o’clock, she changed into her work clothes, grabbed her iPod, and started removing the rest of the wallpaper in her bedroom. Working until late into the evening, she only stopped once for a quick sandwich. Finally she came to a stopping point, cleaned up the mess, and got ready for bed, exhausted.
As she crawled into bed, she heard a dog barking outside, and a faint creak that sounded like her back door when it opened and closed. Her hand reacted on its own, reaching under the bed for the Louisville Slugger she’d stashed underneath for protection. She sat straight up and listened hard. Nothing.
She swung her feet to the floor and stopped to listen again. Still nothing. Gripping the bat until her knuckles were white, she walked out her bedroom door and stood at the top of the steps for several minutes, straining to hear the slightest sound. The house was silent.
She went back to bed but kept the bat in her hand. She lay there, looking at the shadows in the room, worrying and wondering.
The house was too quiet. She grabbed the remote to the small television that was housed in the top part of her armoire. With one click David Letterman came on. She turned over on her stomach, bat still in hand, and listened to Dave while she drifted off.
She was sound asleep within minutes, and her hand relaxed, dropping the bat with a clunk to the floor. She never heard the clunk or the creaking of the floorboards.
A Hissy Fit With A Tail On It
preshade : verb \ pree-sheyt\ appreciate
I don’t ‘preshade your innuendoes!
[ 1932 ]
The kitchen smelled like bacon and coffee.
“ I can’t believe my eyes,”
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