3. Teddy
TEDDY’S STOMACH GROWLED. FOOD WOULD GIVE HER STRENGTH to tackle the mess, especially if the food tasted half as good as he smelled—a rich blend of black pepper, brown sugar, vinegar, and paprika, maybe a hint of allspice. She might concoct a barbecue-flavored candy. No one else made it—no one she knew of anyway. She could start with barbecue-flavored jelly beans. Tourists loved unusual jelly bean flavors—Dr Pepper, chili mango, moldy cheese, buttered popcorn—she displayed them all, except barbecue. Why think about designer candies now? If ever . . .
“Seeing as how you donated the pickles, you’ve got to join us.”
Jack’s words brought her back to reality. “I don’t know.” She wobbled her head from side to side.
Jack gritted his teeth. “I just remembered. You don’t have a line on onions, do you?”
One minute he halfway flirted with her, the next he acted like a long-lost childhood friend. “You do know that the island was underwater just a few days ago?” She scowled at him. The sun blazed with a fiery heat way too hot and too bright for the trash-covered beach. Her body ached. She resembled an extra in a dystopian movie, and he’s asking for onions.
“We found pickles, didn’t we?”
She loved a guy with a positive attitude.
“Yes, we found pickles,” Teddy said. “The hurricane spared them but destroyed the town. Go figure.”
“Rotten luck.” Jack drew his mouth into a straight line and bit his lip.
“Yeah, well.” Teddy turned her eyes away. “Back to onions. I think Dot’s restaurant opened. Let’s try there.”
“That’s the spirit.” Jack slapped her on the shoulder.
Teddy stumbled and banged her knee on the corner of the kitchen counter. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her upright.
“Are you all right?” He leaned forward, squinting. “I didn’t mean—”
They squeezed uncomfortably close to each other. She tried stepping back, but he held her so tight she couldn’t move away. His large hands squeezed into her arms. The smell of mesquite smoke permeated his clothes, and his breath held the tang of barbecue sauce. She wanted to sink into his arms. No, don’t let the hurricane fatigue get to you. Besides, he acted like a married man. Plus, she loved Daniel. Or did she?
“Can you let me go?”
“Sorry.” Jack slapped his hands to his sides. “I thought you were hurt.”
“Maybe we should venture back outside. It’s a little cramped in here.”
He winked at her. “Not too cramped for me.”
Was he flirting with her? Or did he talk like that to all the girls? She admitted she enjoyed the friendly banter. No need to mope around.
“You said something about onions.”
“Lead me there,” Jack said, with a booming, cheery voice.
“I’ve got so much to do.” She combed her hair with her fingers. “I’m filthy.” She examined her hands. Grime discolored her nails with a shade more suited for a Day-of-the-Dead costume.
“Brown is your color. But you’ve got something on your cheek.” He pulled an actual cotton handkerchief out of his pocket and handed the cloth to her. “You’ve been through it,” he said, shaking his head.
“Don’t say that.” She glared at him. “I’m sick and tired of all the pity.” Everywhere she turned people either said, “I’m sorry,” or, “You’ve been through it.”
“My bad. I know a little about that myself,” Jack said.
Jack averted his eyes, and a sad hound dog expression covered his face. Maybe she misjudged him. Everybody endured troubles from time to time.
She examined the handkerchief. “I don’t want to get your sparkling white handkerchief dirty.”
“That’s what it’s for.”
The handkerchief felt crisp and cool on her skin. Who starched their handkerchiefs anymore?
She handed him the handkerchief, embarrassed by the big smear of sandy mud she’d left on the linen. “I’d wash this for you, but . . .” She pointed to the mess of her yard. “Anyway, you better get going.” She pulled away and headed back to the house.
“I’m not leaving without you,” he said. “We’ve got to get you some protein and some rest, now that we’ve got the beach muck off your face.”
“I’m not great company right now.” The idea of driving to town and making small talk with a stranger exhausted her. If that weren’t enough, she’d be forced to make chitchat while wearing dirty overalls and stinking of unwashed hair and stagnant water.
“Give a guy a break. I promise not to show the least bit of pity for you.” He crossed his heart. “Besides, I owe you. You saved me from serving barbecue without pickles. I’m fairly certain that’s a felony in Texas.” Jack kicked the sand. “I’m a disgrace to the Scouts.”
“Of course, you were a Boy Scout.”
Jack leaned forward and locked eyes with her. “I’m not taking no for an answer. Besides, now we have pickles, and I need those onions. You don’t want to disappoint your friends.”
Because she couldn’t think of any more excuses, she said, “Okay. But no pity.”
He raised his three fingers into a Scout salute. “Scout’s honor.”
“I have a bowl of water in the kitchen. I’ll go wash up.”
“I’ll be right here.” Jack glanced at his watch. “Don’t have much time.”
She rushed inside. Oh well , she said to herself in the mirror. She needed more than a bowl of cold water to make herself presentable, especially to a barbecue god descended from out of the blue. She managed to wash the grime from her face and hands and brush her hair. Mustn’t take too long, Jack would get the wrong idea. After all, Jack brought the barbecue for all those impacted by the hurricane, not for a night on the town with her.
As she and Jack walked to the pickup, her Spice Girls’ ring tone blasted out “Wannabe.”
Jack jumped. “What the heck?”
She fumbled to silence the phone—Daniel. She gave Jack an apologetic glance and said, “I need to take this.” With a hand cupped over her mouth, she walked away from Jack.
“Hey, beautiful,” Daniel said.
“I can’t—”
“You wouldn’t believe the day I had.”
Jack settled into the driver’s seat. She pointed to the phone and mouthed, “Just a minute.”
“Things aren’t so great here.” Daniel whined. “I’d be down there to help you, but there’s so much to do here. Maybe you can come to Houston. Give things a chance to settle on the island.”
Still clueless. Like she could just pack up and leave right now. “You’re kidding, right?” She considered the beach and her house. “You saw the pictures.”
“I need to see you.”
Jack started his engine.
“I can’t talk now,” she said to Daniel. “I’m going to this barbecue at the pavilion.”
“Barbecue?”
“This guy came down from Fort Worth with his barbecue smoker. He’s feeding the whole town. He’s waiting for me. I’ll call you later.” Why mention anything about Jack? Stupid, stupid.
“He’s at your house?”
“Yeah, well, what’s left of it.”
“What kind of man are you talking about?”
“Just a good ol’ boy, you know.”
“Like an old rancher dude?”
“Yeah, like a rancher dude.” She hated the itty-bitty lie, the “old” part, but no need to make Daniel jealous of someone she didn’t even know.
“You can’t be too careful. People are out there trying to take advantage. You’ve got to understand that you are in a vulnerable time.”
Teddy cringed. Here he goes mansplaining again.
Daniel continued. “After tragic times like these, people are desperate. Stress may make you less able to make wise decisions. He may have ulterior motives. Two types of people run this world, the ethical and unethical, and it’s not always easy to discern between the two . . .”
She moved the phone away from her ear for a minute. When she put the phone back to her ear, he said, “I remember a time when I almost got duped—”
“Daniel, stop. He’s got free food. How’s that taking advantage?”
“Like I said. You never know.”
“That’s right.” No need to correct Daniel. He didn’t need added anxiety. “I’ll tell you all about it. I’ll call later.”
She ended the call and ran to the truck. “Sorry about that.” She pulled herself up to the passenger’s seat with the handhold.
“Your boyfriend?” Jack asked the question with a playful tone to his voice.
“Why would you say that?”
“One, you talked a long time.”
“It could have been the insurance guy.” She definitely protested way too much.
“Sure, he could’ve been, but he wasn’t.” Jack pulled out onto Ferry Road.
“How do you know so much about it?”
“Two, you had this secretive expression your face.”
“I did not.”
“You moved as far away from me as you could. Your face turned red.” Jack shrugged. “What other evidence do I need?”
“Geez, you should be on CSI Bird Isle.”
Jack laughed. “You do have a great sense of humor. None of my business. I just know that a girl as pretty as you are has got to have a boyfriend.”
“And, you? Since we’re getting all personal here. Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No.” The grin on his face disappeared. “No, no girlfriend.”
She’d hit a nerve. But he started it. Why didn’t he have a girlfriend? He checked off all the boxes—handsome, polite, and charming. He didn’t seem gay. But how would she know?
They drove through the barricaded streets to Dot’s restaurant and picked up some onions. By the time they reached the pavilion, a crowd of fifty or so milled about the picnic tables.
“Hope we have enough food.” Jack jumped from the truck. “Hold on, hold on. Got those pickles and onions.”
Jack ran toward the crowd like a little kid running to the carnival. The group of about fifty cheered. Little things mattered after a tragedy.
Jack led her to the barbecue pit and a young couple in aprons. “Meet Jimbo and Polly. They’re helping with this project. And this is—” Jack’s face fell. “I still don’t know your name.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
Jimbo shook his head. “You’re real smooth, Jack, real smooth.”
“Give the guy a break,” Polly said. “She’s here, isn’t she?”
“Name’s Teddy. Pleased to meet you.” Teddy offered a hand to Polly and Jimbo and then finally to Jack.
She pulled her hand away. Jack grabbed it. “Sorry about that. Now don’t I feel like an idiot? Teddy, is that short for something?”
She’d answered the question thousands of times. “Named Theodora. My grandfather loved Teddy Roosevelt.”
“It suits you.” Jack squeezed her hand.
“We gonna eat or not?” Jimbo smirked at Jack with an impish smile.
“Yo, wassup, Tedster?” She turned to the singsong voice of her friend Walt.
Walt extended his arms for a hug. She squeezed him and inhaled the familiar scent of coconut from his board wax. “I’m doing okay. Thanks for rescuing me.” They pulled apart and stood arms around each other’s waists.
“Daniel know about the guy in the monster truck?”
She gave Walt a playful slap. “Nothing to know.”
“That’s not what I hear.”
She dropped her jaw and shook her head. “I just met him today.”
Jack stepped forward and offered his hand to Walt.
Walt gave him a fist bump. “Hey, man. See you managed to catch the tiger shark.”
“Couldn’t have done this without you.”
“What shark?” Teddy asked.
Walt shrugged. “I was just giving Jack some fishing advice.”
A man with a huge video camera perched on his shoulder rushed up to Jack and said, “You’re the owner of Angie’s Place Pit Barbecue. Mind if we interview you?”
Who the heck was Angie?
Teddy checked Jack’s ring finger. No ring. He already said he didn’t have a girlfriend.
A tiny woman sidled between someone in line for barbecue and the videographer. She asked Jack to step aside.
“What are we seeing here today?” The woman waved her hand toward the barbecue and tables.
“These folks have a disaster on their hands. As soon as I could get in here, I loaded up some food and headed down to see if I could help.” The mic amplified Jack’s silvery voice.
“From the size of this crowd, I can see they’re very appreciative.” The reporter stuck her microphone in front of Teddy and said, “You’re a resident here?”
She nodded. She reminded herself to smile. Her stomach bounced, but she wasn’t about to let a little stage fright get in the way of talking about the town she loved.
“Can you tell us a little bit about what you’ve gone through these last few weeks?” The reporter asked with a modulated tone.
“I think I can speak for most people here,” Teddy said. “This is not something we ever imagined. No warm food, no shelter in many cases, filth everywhere. But we are grateful to have survived, and Bird Isle will return.”
“What do you think about Angie’s Place Pit Barbecue providing all this food for you today?” The reporter moved the mic closer.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of support from all over Texas.” Teddy glanced at Jack. “And, the barbecue smells divine. This event gives us hope.”
Walt moved up to the mic. “A lot of folks come to Bird Isle for the holidays. Don’t give up on us. The beach is a healing place for many families. I’ll be here giving surfing lessons. If I don’t get you up on the board, your lesson is free.”
With that statement, the crowd cheered. Walt sauntered over to Teddy with a proud, wide grin on his face. “How’d I do?”
“Perfect.” She gave him a fist bump.
Jack leaned over to the mic. “These folks need money and construction workers. Dig deep into your pockets.”
“Come and get it!” Jimbo yelled loud enough for the news team to hear.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Walt said.
Jack invited the news team for dinner, and they joined the line. Teddy fell in behind them.
“We appreciate that you’re here to tell our story. As you can see, the hurricane took almost everything.” Teddy grabbed a paper plate.
The newscaster appeared thirty-something like Teddy, only with better clothes and makeup. Teddy must come across like some sort of weird beach freak, as compared to the lovely Latina girl, polished from her nails to her perfectly lined lips, who probably aspired to move beyond Corpus Christi to Austin, then Houston, maybe New York. With Teddy’s hair in a messy bun, and her overalls caked with sand and mud, she wanted to fade into the background.
“What keeps you going?” The newscaster asked.
“History.” Teddy focused on the camera.
“You’ve lived here a long time?”
“Most of my life.” Teddy’s voice cracked. She hoped Jack didn’t notice.
Walt sidled in and said, “Let’s scarf some meat.”
Meanwhile, Jack headed back to the pit, grabbed a side of brisket, and started slicing. The beef must have cost a fortune.
When she reached Jack, he piled sausage and brisket on her plate. “Save some for everyone else.” Teddy seized the corner of the plate to keep her food from sliding off.
Jack grinned like a proud parent. “I will, if you save me a place next to you.”
“Deal.” Maybe Jack just wanted to be friends. Mustn’t make too much out of this.
Barb, a biologist, and her closest friend on the island, winked at her. She slid onto a bench across from Barb. “Don’t you start—”
“Me?”
Gray hair fell softly to Barb’s shoulders in loose curls almost obscuring the tough woman Teddy loved, but Barb couldn’t hide her grit when wearing her uniform—an aqua Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) polo that fit snugly around her strong biceps.
Teddy folded a slice of brisket, a pickle, onion, and sauce into a sandwich. “This is going to be so good.” The bread melted over her molars in a way that only white bread—especially Wonder Bread—could do. The sour of the pickle, the sharp bite of the onion, and the vinegary sweet barbecue sauce filled her mouth before she reached the smoky and tender brisket. “Delicious.”
“You look like you haven’t eaten in days.” Barb grimaced.
“Not like this,” Teddy said, positioning herself for another bite. “So, how are the birds and the turtles?”
“We found homes for all of them, mostly at the Texas Sea Life Center.” Barb speared a piece of sausage, tilted her head toward Jack. “How do you know him?”
“I don’t.” If Daniel got word of this rumor, maybe then he’d come to Bird Isle. Did she want him to?
“That’s not what I heard.” She raised her eyebrows.
“I just met him this afternoon.”
“News travels fast.”
“Fake news even faster.” Teddy tried keeping an edge in her voice, but, secretly, the news pleased her. If the island thought Teddy and Jack were already an item, maybe Teddy read him correctly. “He doesn’t live here.”
“We have things called cars, or in his case, monster trucks.”
Teddy laughed. “I give up.”
“Give up what?” Jack slid onto the bench beside her.
“Nothing,” Teddy said.
Jack glanced at Barb. “That your story as well?”
“Nothing.” Barb flashed a smile. “Thanks for the barbecue. We needed a break from all this.”
Barbecue sauce dripped from Teddy’s sandwich onto her hand.
Jack reached for a napkin and dabbed the sauce on her fist. “That’s just the way I like to eat my barbecue.” He proceeded to layer his bread just like Teddy had. “Name’s Jack.” He reached out to shake Barb’s hand.
“How you holding up?” He paused. “That’s a stupid question, isn’t it? Let me rephrase. What do you need?”
“What don’t I need?” Barb gazed at the view and tears welled in her eyes. “Some days I just feel like leaving.”
Teddy dropped her fork, immediately feeling a flutter of worry in her stomach. Not tough as nails Barb. “What are you always telling me?”
“Old birds are hard to pluck?” Barb said, the grin back on her face.
“No,” Teddy said. “God gives every bird his worm, but he does not throw the worm into the nest.”
“I do say that, don’t I?” Barb smushed a pile of beans with her fork. “We’ll get through this.”
“I’d like to help.” Jack leaned toward Barb.
“You don’t need to get back?” Teddy asked. “I mean, it’s fantastic you’re here helping us out. I just wondered—”
“If you have a girlfriend.” Barb cut Teddy short.
“I wasn’t.” She threw a plastic spoon at Barb. “He already said he didn’t.”
“Oh!” Barb’s eyes widened. “You already talked about it, did you?”
Jack placed his hand on her arm to stop her. “No need to fight over me, ladies. There’s plenty of me to go around. And, no, I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t even have a goldfish.” He craned his head toward the corner of the pavilion. “A dog showed up today.” Jack focused his mocha eyes on Teddy and said, “I don’t suppose you could take him in. I hate to see the poor fella go feral on us.”
“Me?” Teddy squished her eyebrows together.
“Not me,” Barb said. “I’m not good with domestic animals.”
“I’ll keep you stocked up with bones.” Jack’s eyes turned to Teddy.
“I don’t have a yard, let alone a fenced yard.” She needed a dog like she needed a man.
The dog still cowered under the boat. Thousands of dogs ended up homeless after the storm. Pops always said to build a house one brick at a time. Maybe she could help with just this one pet.
“I’d feel better knowing you have a dog around to watch over you.” Jack placed his hands in a prayer position.
“I can watch over myself,” Teddy said, her voice snippier than she intended.
“If he’s a problem, I’ll take him to Pets Alive in Austin. I just have a feeling he’ll be a good dog.”
“I don’t know.” But she did know. No way could she say no to this guy with the puppy dog eyes, much less a dog with them.
“Let’s see if we can get him on a leash.” Jack reached for her hand and led her over to his truck. “I think I have some rope.”
“You really were a Boy Scout, weren’t you?”
“Eagle,” Jack said.