Jackson thought about the things Greer said to him. If she only knew what kind of person he really was, she'd never want to see him again. But it wasn't like he'd not tried to set things straight. He had. More than once. Lately, his life seemed like a bad B-movie, where he'd sit and yell at the screen when characters avoided what needed to be said or explained. Why couldn't they spit it out? Well, now he understood.

At least he didn't have to worry about her getting the truth from someone else. She didn't know anybody, so that was one less complication.

He walked around to the other side of the bed and picked a long dark strand from the pillow. How he'd love to run his fingers through those curls. Crush them in his hands. Pull her face in close... he stopped. Regardless of the attraction, he couldn't allow feelings to develop. He smoothed the cover and something dropped to the floor. An earring. Stuffing the stud in his pocket, he forced his mind on work and headed to the office.

He worked all day catching up on everything he'd been neglecting because of his two-hour lunches. If he put in weekend time, maybe Dad wouldn't consider him a slacker.

His phone rang. He looked at caller ID and his heart shifted gears. "Hey. How was the lock-in?"

"Her exact words—totally awesome. Hasn't stopped talking about it. Sounds like her vocal performance was a big hit."

"Wish I could have seen it."

"You can. I ordered a copy of the video. What are you doing?"

"Nothing as exciting as watching you dance." He chuckled.

"Are you making fun?"

"No. I thought you had some great moves, especially when you discovered your little partner. I think you invented some new ones. Certainly some I've never seen before."

"Smartass."

He laughed harder. "What are you up to?"

"I don't know if I've told you or not, but I don't cook, so I can't invite you over for a meal. But Emma and I would love to take you out."

"Sounds great, but I can't tonight."

"Oh." She didn't say anything else, so Jackson jumped back in.

"I'm meeting an old drinking buddy. The guy who owns the place where we were last night. My way of thanking him for the atmosphere."

"Some other time, then."

"Yeah. Tell Emma hello for me."

"Sure. Bye. Oh, and have fun tonight."

"Thanks." He ended the call and stared at his phone. The excitement of hearing her voice surprised him. He collapsed into his chair. What was he going to do? He couldn't let himself get interested in her. If he did, he was setting himself up for heartbreak. Shit. He turned his attention back to his computer. Work. He needed to concentrate on work.

By four o'clock, he finished the first draft for his new client, Hap Coltrane. He wanted an extreme contemporary plan, and although the style wasn't Jackson's strong point, he thought he'd come up with something the guy would approve. Storefront windows. Metal roof and siding. Concrete countertops. Douglas fir ceilings. The house featured five fireplaces, swimming pool, media room, and an attached apartment home.

The place looked like a golf course club house, but he'd given the man everything he'd asked for. At almost a million dollar budget, he didn't have to cut corners.

He typed up a quick email and attached the proposed plan. Once he got Hap's initial reaction, he could move forward.

As he walked to his truck, he wondered what kind of style Greer liked. Ava's home was traditional and Greer wasn't the conventional type. But her tastes didn't lean toward modern either. Not according to her fashion choices. He shook the notion from his head. He had to stop thinking about her.

No good would come from it.

He'd not noticed anything unusual when he arrived home, but as he left to go meet Ian, a car resembling Halley's drove away from across the street. Odd. Had she dropped by to see him? If so, why? Didn't make sense for a visit when she could call or text. Maybe he was imagining things.

                                                                                           *

Two hours later, Jackson parked in the drive at his parent's house. Ian would insist on using his van since it was wheelchair accessible. Ducking his head inside the backdoor, he yelled, "Anybody home?"

"We're in here," Mom called out.

He crossed the room to hug her.

She kissed his cheek. "Isla says y'all are taking a boy's night out."

"Yeah. We're meeting Thomas McBride. You remember him, don't you?"

"Sure. Bull rider. Married right out of high school. Big boy as I recall."

"That's him. Can you believe he has a kid just shy of Junior High?"

She tilted her head and rolled her eyes. "I'd be thankful to get a grandchild from you."

"All in good time."

"Says the man who doesn't even have a girlfriend."

His dad walked into the kitchen. "Leave the boy alone, Elizabeth. If you don't watch it, he'll marry someone you can't stand, then you'll be hoping he won't have kids."

Jackson smiled. Dad always came to his rescue. "I went to the office today and worked up a plan for Coltrane's house. I emailed you a copy."

"Great. I'll take a look."

"Well, I better get going."

"If y'all get too drunk to drive, call me and I'll come get you," Mom said.

"We're not college students."

"I know. Just saying."

He gave her another hug. That rule had been in place since he and Ian had gotten their driver's licenses. She didn't encourage underage drinking, but never wanted them to be afraid to call if they made a stupid mistake. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks. See you later."

Jackson rushed across the lawn and stepped onto the porch. Ian swung the door open before Jackson knocked.

"Damn, little brother, you seem eager to go."

Ian rolled back to let him enter. "Any idea how long it's been since I've been to a bar?"

"No."

"Too damn long." He rolled backwards and hollered. "Hey, Baby. We're leaving."

Isla came into the room. "Did you tell Jackson the news?"

He looked at Isla then at Ian. "What news?"

"I'm getting the new exoskeleton robotic Rewalk."

"Okay. Not sure what that is, but by the name, I'm guessing it will help you do just that."

"Yeah."

"Man, that's great. When will it be here?"

"Ten days."

"They're making such strides in Spinal Cord Injuries; I really think he'll walk again someday." Isla ran her hand over Ian's shoulder, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I won't keep y'all. Don't drink too much. Or stay out too late. Or get into a bar fight. Or have too much fun."

"Yes, Mother." He grabbed her hand and pulled her down for another kiss.

Once on the road, Ian grinned at Jackson. "So, about last night."

"Wipe that smile off your face. I told you it wasn't a date."

"Whatever you say."

Jackson wasn't sure if he was trying to convince his brother or himself. For a woman he wasn't dating, he sure thought about her a lot. Then there was the phone call and invitation to dinner, which made things worse. Wanting to shift the conversation, he changed the subject. "Isla talked to Halley lately?"

"Why? I thought you kicked her to the curb."

"Yeah, I did, but I keep bumping into her. Yesterday at lunch. Then today, I thought I saw her driving away from my place."

"She hasn't been back to the house, but they could talk on the phone. I'll find out." He wheeled into a space next to the door at Bucky's bar.

"One good thing about coming in your van, we get the best parking spots."

Ian laughed. "Yep. Can't beat the perks of being a cripple."

*

Greer spent most of the afternoon scolding herself for calling Jackson. What was she thinking? He'd probably seen right through that flimsy invitation. Why did she want to hear his voice or be with him so much? Simple answer. Everything was easy. No pretense. No expectations. A great guy with no agenda. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been with a man like that.

Oh yeah.

Never.

That's why she found him so attractive. Most guys had one thing on their mind. Getting her into bed. She snorted. Well, he'd gotten her there but didn't even try anything. The man was a saint. That's all there was to it and she shouldn't serve as any temptation. Not that he'd be tempted. Oh, he complimented her, but not in a flirty way.

Besides, there were plenty of reasons she shouldn't be interested in him. There was the whole preacher-fortune teller separation. The baggage of a six year old. The fact she didn't live in Fairhope. Bottom line, she wasn't worthy of Jackson Bellefonte.

When the doorbell rang, her heart jumped. She wasn't expecting anyone. Maybe he'd cut his evening short. She closed her eyes, sighed, and vowed to keep him out of her head.

Putting her eye to the peep hole, she took a ragged breath, then opened the door. "Mom! What are you doing here?"

She placed her bag on the floor and pulled Greer into a hug. "I wanted to check on you and Emma Grace. Are you doing okay? The other day when we talked, you sounded depressed. As we all are. Losing Avalon has been the hardest thing I've ever dealt with." She burst into tears.

Oh Lord. As if Greer's life wasn't already difficult, now her mother had to show up. "Please don't let Emma see you cry."

Mom pulled away. "It isn't good to hold our emotions in, Evergreen. It causes ulcers, heart trouble, strokes, and a whole slew of other problems. You should encourage Emma Grace to express her feelings and fears."

"I'm sorry, Mom. We can't all be as expressive as you. Keep in mind, she's only six."

"Where is she?"

"In her room. She went to a lock-in last night, so she's napping. But I should probably get her up or she won't sleep tonight. Have a seat and I'll go get her." On the way down the hall, Greer decided she wouldn't mention the divorce papers. No need to deal with her mother on that front. At least Mom would be a distraction. With her there, Greer doubted she had time to think of Jackson.

*

Jackson kept his eyes peeled. Running into Halley all the time couldn't be a coincidence. A blonde approached and broke his concentration.

Ian held up his left hand and wiggled his ring finger in the air. The sexy woman pranced away.

Thomas shook his head. "Damn man, I don't get it. I mean you're handsome and muscled up, but you're in a wheelchair. No offense. I'm just trying to understand it."

"Pity. They're hitting on Jackson for the same reason and he's not a gimp." Ian broke into laughter.

Jackson smirked. "Very funny."

Thomas kept his eyes on the girl. "That'd be a good con. Pretend to be a paraplegic to get women. Wonder why nobody has thought of that?"

"I'm sure they have. But if chicks knew what I have to go through for sex, hell, they'd be out of the mood by time I was ready."

"That bad? None of my business, but I am curious."

"Yeah. Things to remove. Pills to take. Bodily functions to consider. Enjoy sex all you can. You end up like me, it changes."

"Damn. Sorry I brought it up."

"No problem. Didn't say it wasn't good. Just different."

Jackson stiffened. "Son of a bitch."

Ian followed his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"I saw Halley."

He wheeled around. "Where?"

"Over in the corner. Near the door."

"Are you sure it was her?"

"Yeah."

"I don't see her. You're imagining things."

"I don't think so."

Thomas held the longneck by two fingers. "So how'd the date go last night?"

Ian leaned forward. "Yeah, how did the date go, chaplain?"

"Knock it off." Jackson rotated the beer bottle in his hands.

Thomas drew his brows together. "Chaplain?" He looked back and forth between the two brothers.

Ian grinned, and then laughed out loud. "Should I tell him or you?"

"Dammit, Ian, sometimes I want to slap the shit out of you." Jackson turned to face his friend. "The woman I took out there is someone I met, and she misunderstood what I do for a living."

Ian tilted his drink to one side. "And he didn't correct her. She thinks he's a preacher."

Now Thomas broke into laughter. "You're kidding?"

"No," the two brothers answered in unison.

"Damn, I've got to get out more. My days are boring compared to you two." He nodded toward Ian. "Women trying to screw you and little bro trying to shepherd a new flock."

"It gets better. God only knows what goes on during the two hour lunches he's taking every day."

Thomas took a gulp of beer, then eyed Jackson.

"I've not slept with her."

Ian raised his brows. "Then what the hell are you doing during lunch?"

"Uh, eating? Look, her sister just died and left a six-year-old for Greer to care for. She needed someone to talk to."

Ian set his bottle down with a thud. "Holy hell. Are you counseling her? This gets better and better."

"Mostly listening. And never once have I referred to myself as clergy. I've tried to confess more than once, but when I do, something interrupts me."

"If you're not trying to get in her pants, I say don't tell her." Thomas wiped the corners of his mouth, then checked his phone, and smirked. He looked up at the guys. "Jessie. Reminding me not to drink too much. I swear sometimes she's just like my mother."

"Women. Isla gave me the same lecture."

"Mom gave me one, too," Jackson said.

Thomas put his cell back in his pocket. "I take back what I said. Since you took her to the flower field that tells me you like her. So you should tell her the truth. If you don't, you'll never get her in bed."

"Not going to happen. She's only in town for a few more weeks, then I'll never see her again."

"Hey man, a lot can happen in a few weeks. You should keep your options open."

*

Greer tried to be as diplomatic as possible, but she wanted to know how long her mother intended to stay. She'd suggested a shopping trip for later in the week only to have her mother say she needed nothing. After that failed, she mentioned the pottery and textiles exhibits at the university, but Mom wasn't interested in either of those.

Running out of ideas, she made a final attempt. "We could always go garage sale hunting. I know you love a bargain. I haven't been to any, but Fairhope is easy to get around in. I could ask someone about the best areas."

"Sorry. I plan to leave on Friday, so we won't have time."

Great. Seven days of Mom. That sounded like a book title. Greer smiled. It would be full of conflict and have more story arcs than a George RR Martin novel.

Later, after several hands of Go Fish, Greer cleaned up the kitchen taking the pizza box to the trash. As she walked back inside, a car pulling from the curb caught her attention.

It looked the same as one from earlier but she couldn't be sure. Could be a potential buyer checking out the property. Although there was no sign in the yard, the house did have an listing. So anyone could see it on the internet if they were interested in the location.

The extended visit brought up another problem. Her daily meetings with Jackson. Greer would cancel those. She didn't want to answer the million questions along with a lecture of how she should concentrate on Emma and not men. If she explained they were counseling sessions that would opened a new can of worms. Ava's divorce plans.

While Mom tucked Emma in, Greer put fresh sheets on Ava and Evan's bed. Then she went to the living room and got Mom's luggage. She only had the one bag. Typical. Her mom didn't own many clothes.

The next morning, Greer sat on the back porch and watched the sunrise. It was almost as beautiful as the sunset she'd shared with Jackson. She wanted to call and find out how his boy's night went, but she fought the impulse. No more random phone calls. And after a week of not seeing him, she could break the urge completely. If it worked, she'd have Mom to thank.

"Hey, Greer!" Mr. Mooney yelled from across the fence. "You got a visitor?"

"Yes, sir. My mom is staying a few days. You can meet her when you come to borrow your bourbon."

He nodded and disappeared into his house.

The patio door opened and Emma stepped out, rubbing her eyes and carrying a tattered stuffed cat. She climbed into Greer's lap and snuggled against her.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

She stretched and yawned. "Uh-huh. Are we going to the Wild Animal Safari today?"

"No. We won't do that until after Grandma leaves next week. You want to go to the movie this afternoon? I think the Goosebumps movie is showing now."

"Yeah. Can I get popcorn and candy?"

"I don't know about that. Right now, why don't you go get ready for church? I hung your clothes in the bathroom. When you're dressed, I'll do your hair."

Emma slid her feet to the floor and went inside. They should visit Jackson's church. No. She reminded herself of the earlier decision. However, she needed to let him know she couldn't meet him for lunch. She took her phone from her pocket and texted, careful to keep the message short with no details. If she mentioned her visitor, Jackson would insist on meeting her and Greer couldn't let that happen.

*

Jackson sat up in bed and rubbed a hand over his face. He'd had too much to drink the night before. Thankfully, Ian only had two beers early in the evening and drove him home. He glanced at the clock. Already ten. Staggering into the bathroom, he swallowed a couple of pain relievers, then went to the kitchen to start the coffeemaker.

After he got it going, he checked the drive. As promised, Isla and Ian dropped his car off on their way to church. Through the window, a flash of silver caught his eye. Dammit. Halley. Even though he didn't get a good look, it had to be her driving away. He picked up his phone and texted.

Were you at my house?

He didn't expect a quick answer. If it had been her, she'd want to avoid answering. If mistaken, then she'd be pissed he thought she was stalking him. Either way, he wanted to know and resolve the issue.

Then he noticed incoming messages. Hap Coltrane. He liked the plans and wanted to schedule a meeting. Dad. Also approved of the first draft. Greer. His heart sped up.

Sorry. Can't meet for lunch this week. Out of town visitor.

His chest tightened, and he wondered who it could be. Man or woman? He shook his head. It didn't matter. None of his business. She was just a friend. Yeah, he'd keep repeating that until he believed it.

-----------------------------

These two have it baaaaaad.

Maybe not as much drama as a Game of Thrones book, but they're both in trouble.

What did you think of the chapter?

Til next time,

x zuz