Naked Attraction

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Sweeney was definitely a weasel. Short and slight of build, he was pale-skinned, with a face constructed entirely of points—a sharp chin, beak nose, jutting cheekbones. Everybody knew he collected bets on races, but Sheriff Kemp had never caught him red-handed. Sweeney was no stranger to Robby, either. And now he tried not to think of how, years ago, Max would corner Robby’s old man, Charlie, in the Night Rider and ply him with booze, wearing down his resistance. Once Charlie couldn’t think straight, Max would get him to bet on various sports games. Horses, cars, football, you name it.

Then, when Charlie lost, there was no way to pay Max, since Max had already encouraged Charlie to spend his paycheck on booze. So then Max would turn around and demand exorbitant interest on whatever Charlie owed.

To add insult to injury, Max, himself, had a son only a few years older than Robby on whom Max had doted. Johnny Sweeney had the good grace not to look like his father, too, and some of the stupider girls around the surrounding bayous had fallen for him. The fact that he was always flush with cash helped.

Max had given his only son everything. He’d driven late model, high-end cars since he’d gotten a license, and he’d gone to top-of-the-line schools, both prep and college. He’d experienced a life of travel and privilege, and now he was a lawyer, practicing part-time in a nearby town called Sunset Bayou.

“Damn loan shark,” Daddy Eddie spat out with displeasure, speaking of Max.

Robby merely shrugged. What he wouldn’t do to bring the guy down, though. He wasn’t defending his old man, of course. The instinct was purely selfish. Sweeney belonged behind bars, if only for the nights Robby had gone hungry after he’d gotten Charlie Robriquet to squander the rent and grocery money.

If it hadn’t been for Patricia Lee, Ellie’s mother and Daddy Eddie’s wife, Robby figured he would have starved to death. To this day, he was fairly certain Daddy Eddie had no idea how many times his wife had come calling at the shack Charlie and Robby had called home. Always, she’d drop off leftovers or an “extra” pie she’d made.

Not that Robby had minded taking her charity. He’d once heard Daddy Eddie say that Patricia Lee’s smile could take the sting out of a bumblebee and that was the truth. She was, by far, the nicest, most maternal woman Robby had ever met. Sighing, he acknowledged once again that his ex-lover had gotten Daddy Eddie’s genes, not Patricia’s.

And that’s what drove Robby so crazy. Ellie was unpredictable, fiery and determined in everything she attempted, and Robby could never quite let go of the challenge…

Suddenly, his ears pricked up. At the bar, Clancy was showing Max the article about Ellie. Just the thought of the weasel’s eyes on a picture of Ellie made Robby’s blood boil. When he heard Max’s insinuating voice, his fingers curled into a fist.

“She sure knows how to call ‘em,” Max said, his high-pitched, nasal voice traveling. “Knowledge like hers would sure come in handy at a racetrack.” He chortled. “Not that I’m a gambling man.”

“It’s a good thing my daughter uses her talents for nobler causes,” Daddy Eddie called, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the jukebox, which was now playing one of J. D. Johnson’s songs. The tune was a slow, soul-wrenching love song that only served to remind Robby of Ellie.

“Oh, Eddie,” returned Max. “Hey, there. I didn’t see you.”

“Look before you leap,” Daddy Eddie suggested.

Max arched an eyebrow. “Did I say something to offend you? Why, I figured you’d feel proud to see your daughter in a big-city newspaper like that.”

But Max had said Ellie’s talents might be useful to him. “I’m proud of my daughter,” Daddy Eddie returned, “whether she makes the papers or not.”

Fortunately, Max was only getting a six-pack to go, and as soon as Clancy bagged the brews, Robby figured he’d be out the door. No such luck. Once he’d shoved the bag under his arm, Max sauntered toward them and stopped in front of the table.

“A lot’s going on around here, eh? Ellie’s her daddy’s own competitor now?” he said conversationally. “And last time I was down at Delia’s Diner, listening to the gossip, I heard Robby’s got some exciting news, himself.”

Robby said nothing. All his senses were on heightened alert, and maybe if he was lucky, he would manage not to rise and throttle the man. Already, he was imagining the pleasure of contact when his fist pummeled Max Sweeney’s jaw. He could hear the crack, the ugly split of flesh, feel a trickle of blood. “What do you want, Max?”

“Just starting a conversation,” Max said innocently.

“Well, I think Robby just finished it,” said Daddy Eddie.

“I’m being neighborly,” attested Max. “And I figured he must be feeling good today. In fact, I figured maybe you two were having lunch to celebrate.”

The weasel was referring to Charlie’s homecoming next week. After eight years in jail for manslaughter, Robby’s father was finally being released. “Why do you always try to talk to me about my old man, Max?” Robby found himself challenging, his low voice controlled and scarcely audible over the sound of one of the jukeboxes. “I mean, you never did either of us any favors. So what’s it to you?”

“Just being neighborly, like I said. A man’s got to care about his community.”

What hogwash. Luckily, the door swung open again, and a slice of autumnal light cut across the linoleum floor of the bar. For a second, despite the circumstances, Robby almost smiled, since J. D. Johnson had appeared in the open doorway, backlit by the sun, which threw him into silhouette. He sported a thin white shirt, despite the day being cool for October in Mississippi, and he wore threadbare jeans, boots and a Stetson hat. “Looks like my gunslinger friend just showed up,” Robby said. “So why don’t you get lost, Sweeney.”

Taking the hint, the man turned away, passing J.D. as he came toward Robby and Daddy Eddie’s table, with his wife, Susannah, right behind him. Over his shoulder, Max called, “I’ll be wishing the best for your family, Robby.”

“Bastard,” muttered J.D., standing in front of the booth, exactly where Max had been just a moment before.

“That’s what I said,” returned Daddy Eddie. Then, “Hi, Susannah. Sorry you had to hear the rough language, sweetheart. ”

“Nothing I don’t hear from J.D. at home.”

“Hey, Suze,” said Robby.

She smiled, and when she did, it brought Robby a whole new wave of heartbreak, recalling the good times he and Ellie had hanging around J.D. and Susannah. Why, Ellie and Susannah had been inseparable from birth, and although Ellie was doing well in New York, Robby couldn’t help but imagine she wouldn’t be happier back at home in Banner. Face it, he thought now, she’d be a fish out of water in the city. Successful, but without her family and friends.

Nowadays, Susannah always made things worse for Robby—always talking about how good Ellie looked, how happy she was working for herself, and how she seemed to secretly miss him, something Robby very much doubted.

“Hey, stranger,” Susannah said, ruffling Robby’s hair.

“Careful,” he warned, catching her hand.

“Afraid I’ll make your girlfriends jealous?” she teased.

“That or your husband,” said J.D.

Robby rolled his eyes. He had no girlfriends. Everybody knew that, and most, except Patricia and Daddy Eddie, knew why, too. Ellie had left him in the dirt because he’d ascended the ranks at Lee Polls.

“Hey, there,” he said on a sigh. “Pull up a chair, you two, although I warn you, Daddy Eddie and I are headed back to work soon.”

“We’re only here for takeout,” Susannah explained. “In fact, if you two can occupy J.D., I’ll head to the bar and see if our call-in order is ready.”

Robby grinned, glancing at the friend he’d known since grade school. “Is J.D. bothering you again, Susannah? Maybe I ought to beat him up for you.”

Before she could answer, J.D. had circled his wife’s waist, hauled her against his side, angled his head down and delivered a sloppy kiss. Giggling, she said, “See how he treats me!”

“Always having his way with you,” Robby agreed. “He deserves punishment, no doubt.”

“She loves it,” protested J.D.

“Well, all your lovin’ has left me as hungry as a horse,” Susannah said, whirling and offering her backside as she headed for the bar.

“Helluvu woman,” J.D. complimented his wife, tilting back his Stetson and grinning.

“Don’t rub it in,” Robby complained.

“Yes, Robby works too damn hard,” Daddy Eddie put in. “He needs to find himself a woman.”

“That so,” J.D. said with a wry grin.

Taking a deep breath, Robby met J.D.’s eyes over the head of the older man, reminding him to keep mum. Yeah, Robby figured it would be best if Daddy Eddie never guessed at his private life. Determined not to be the focus, Robby quickly introduced the hot topic around town, the budding relationship between Sheriff Kemp and Delia, which gave the men a few minutes of mileage.

Then, of course, the topic rolled around to Robby again. “Maybe he’ll go somewhere hot and steamy on his vacay,” said Daddy Eddie.

“A desert island?” queried J.D.

“Wherever he can find a woman.”

“Hmm, I could use one of those,” Robby finally offered in a noncommitted tone.

“Wait. You’re going womanizing, and you didn’t invite me?” J.D. joked.

“I heard that,” Susannah called, blowing a lock of blond hair from her eyes as she came up behind J.D. with the bag containing their food order.

“Caught in the act,” said J.D.

Susannah smirked. “You know I’m the only woman fool enough to have you.”

J.D. shot her a bad-boy grin. “So true.”

“We’d better go while the food’s hot,” she added.

“Nope,” he corrected, “we’d better go, since I’m thinking you’re so hot.”

Scoffing, she said goodbye. Then J.D. offered a few parting words. When the couple was gone, Robby realized they’d left nothing but heartache in their wake. Dammit, for a brief while, he and Ellie had shared their closeness. Oh, he’d wanted Ellie all her life, ever since he’d first seen her, but he’d also known how much Daddy Eddie and Patricia had doted on their only girl. Especially Daddy Eddie, who tried to cover up his unstoppable devotion by being hard on her. How, Robby had wondered, could he ever become a worthwhile suitor?

Ellie had deserved so much more. A good-looking college man from a loving home. By contrast, Robby was the son of a man who couldn’t put clothes on his kid’s back, or food on the table, a rowdy town drunk with a gambling problem.

That was why he’d done all he could to steer clear of Ellie. For years, he’d worked his tail off, still did. He’d taken gifts from Daddy Eddie to get through school, but since then, he’d insisted on paying the money back. Daddy Eddie hadn’t wanted to take the money, but he’d done so in the end, after Robby threatened to leave Lee Polls if he didn’t.

Now his throat felt raw and tight. He wasn’t proud of it, but emotion was getting the best of him. Maybe things were better this way, he decided. Maybe Ellie would find a man in New York who’d had all the advantages and grown up without knowing want. A guy like Johnny Sweeney. The thought came from nowhere, and now Robby pushed it away, ashamed of himself for making such comparisons, especially since the other man’s father was even worse than Charlie, in Robby’s humble opinion.

“Why so deep in thought?” Daddy Eddie prompted.

“You should have promoted Ellie, not me,” Robby abruptly said.

Daddy Eddie’s jaw dropped. “Lord, you really do need a vacation. And don’t you ever second-guess me, son,” he said. “The company’s been in my family since the eighteen hundreds, so I figure I know what’s best for it.”

But couldn’t Daddy Eddie see? Without Ellie in his bed, Robby had fallen apart. Sales and contracts were tanking. It wasn’t dire, they weren’t going to lose the business, but…Blowing out a frustrated sigh, he tried not to think about how Ellie’s desertion had thrown him off his game. Worse, she wasn’t the least bit affected.

He just couldn’t think straight. It was as if some necessary hormone inside him had been depleted. Yeah, he thought now, testosterone. “I really do need to take a couple days off,” he said again.

When he glanced up, Daddy Eddie was studying him. “I know what this is all about. Are you going to pick up your dad?”

“From prison?” Robby was stunned at the idea. He’d been thinking about Ellie and hadn’t bothered to give Charlie a second thought, but his father was being released in a few days. “Hell, no,” he exploded. “The man got himself arrested and put in prison, he can leave by himself, too.”

Daddy Eddie considered a long moment, then tilted his head, looking undecided about what he should say. “He may have changed. Eight years is a long time.”

Robby clenched his jaw. Men like his father never changed. He’d learned that a long time ago. So many nights, he’d lain in bed, wondering if he’d awaken to sirens and find Sheriff Kemp on the porch with bad news. No matter what Robby had done—acted out, yelled at Charlie, tried to reason—nothing had worked.

“You don’t know him like I do.”

“Maybe not, but I’ve seen people change,” offered Daddy Eddie.

“Who?”

There was a long pause.

“That’s what I thought,” Robby commented.

Daddy Eddie sighed. “I know you hate it when I tell you this, but your daddy was a good man. He doted on your mama. And when she died, when you were little, he was just brokenhearted. He couldn’t go on.”

Despite having a son? Robby wanted to challenge. Dammit, Charlie had had responsibilities, a boy at home. “Even if he’s changed, somehow, it’s water under the bridge to me.” Robby had grown up a long time ago.

“You can’t give him a chance?”

“What?” Robby scoffed. “Pick him up at the jail? Set him up in an apartment or something?” He shook his head adamantly. “Let the system take care of that. I pay taxes. That’s all I’m doing. I figure he’s got a parole officer to help him. Whatever.”

Even saying the words, he felt a rush of guilt, then hated himself for it, not to mention Max Sweeney, and then Daddy Eddie, for bringing up the topic. Oh, Charlie wasn’t a bad man, particularly. Robby knew what Daddy Eddie was trying to say. He was, however, a weak man, and the weak could be dangerous. Yes…what was that saying? Never underestimate the power of the blind and stupid, Robby thought. Well, that summed up his father to a T.

Recollections suddenly flooded Robby’s mind, of the night his father had killed a beautiful young teenager named Shirley Fey. For some reason that no one had ever discerned, she was out walking late one night, near the cabin Charlie and Robby had shared. She’d been found dead on the road, victim of a hit and run. Charlie hadn’t even bothered to come forward. Later, he claimed he’d been so drunk he barely remembered what he’d done.

Shirley Fey hadn’t deserved it. She’d been from a family that was almost as poor, a thin girl, almost waifish, with waist-long honey hair. It had nearly killed him, but Robby attended all the legal proceedings, not to stand by his father, but to judge him, right along with the Feys.

Now, for the umpteenth time, Robby vowed never to so much as look at his father again. Charlie could rot in hell, along with devils like Max Sweeney. Ellie, too, he suddenly thought. More than anybody, she damn well knew not to compare him to his old man. What had gotten into her that morning?

“You okay, Robby?”

“He didn’t even stop his car that night,” Robby murmured. “Maybe she was still alive after he hit her. Maybe she could have been saved.”

Daddy Eddie shook his head. “That whole series of events never sat right with me. I know you don’t like me saying so, but the trial just moved too fast, and Charlie must have changed his story ten times.”

“Quit trying to make me feel better about having a scumbag for a dad,” Robby warned. Daddy Eddie and Patricia had always insisted on smoothing the edges off Robby’s rough beginnings. By the time they were done discussing Charlie, a stranger would have assumed he was a saint. It was the Lees’ way of trying to help.

“I changed my mind,” Robby said now. “I’m going to stick around and work. No vacay.”

“Why?”

Because he’d just be left with spare time on his hands, and if the past months were any indication, he’d only use it to torture himself with how he’d lost Ellie. “Too much work to do.” And he’d prefer not to dwell on his father.

“All right…” Daddy Eddie picked up the newspaper and tapped the picture of his daughter. “Since you’ve decided to stick around, maybe it’s time we came up with a plan for showing Ellie who’s boss. We’ve got to get our clients back, at least. And it’d be nice to find a way to buy Ellie’s company…maybe make her think it’s another buyer. In fact, since you were talking about taking a trip, maybe you should pay her a visit.”

As if. Robby wasn’t about to get directly involved in Daddy Eddie’s corporate vendetta with his daughter. He was damned if he did, damned if he didn’t. If he succeeded at work, he helped himself and Eddie, but hurt Ellie, and he was starting to feel downright paralyzed.