Chapter 7 #2
He started with the main deck cabin they’d made from liquor crates.
Inside was an actual ship’s wheel Huck had found in the attic.
The wheel was what had started the entire “Let’s build a boat!
” summer project. The large wooden wheel was placed in front of the opening that looked out on the main deck and Huck and Dawson had rigged it, so it actually turned.
Something that delighted Magnolia.
She stood at the helm spinning it one way and then the other. “All men . . . and women on deck! Iceberg ahead!”
Dawson shook his head at her playfulness but couldn’t help feeling a tingling of happiness that she seemed to love the treeboat as much as he and his siblings did.
He showed her the library deck he spent most of his time on and was surprised when she kicked off her sandals and had no problem climbing the knotted rope to get to it.
She looked through the books he kept stored in the old sea trunk and they discussed the books they were currently reading. Him a civil war nonfiction and her a fictional fantasy.
He pointed out the crow’s nest level, and she would have climbed the branches to get to it if he hadn’t flat refused to let her.
She did climb the two-by-four steps surrounding the tree trunk that led to Poppy’s Princess Deck.
Once there, she promptly stretched out on the new blow-up mattress he had bought Poppy to replace the old leaking one, while he stood as far away as possible and tried to ignore the strong urge to join her.
“I guess we’re not going to talk about last night’s kiss.”
At her words, his gaze stopped wandering over her long, tanned legs and snapped up to her face. The kiss was the last thing he wanted to talk about. Especially when she was stretched out in front of him like a pink pony fantasy.
“I think it’s best to let it drop.”
She sat up, hugging her legs to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. “It seems like that’s how you deal with everything. You don’t talk about it?”
“I don’t see the need to rehash things. It’s easier to just let them go and move on.”
She studied him, her eyes as green as the leaves overhead. “Is that what you were doing when you were going to kiss me on the rope ladder? Moving on? Because it sure felt like . . . you’re still very interested in kissing me.”
Damn if he didn’t feel his cheeks heat. Blushing? She now had him blushing? Like hell.
He scowled. “I can’t help how my body reacts.”
Her eyes sparkled. “So, you’re telling me you can’t help but want me?”
“Hell, no!”
She laughed. “You’re awfully touchy, Puppy Dawg. I’m starting to think The Kissing Tree’s magic worked and you’re falling for me.”
“Not hardly.”
Her eyebrows popped up. “Oh, it was hardly, alright.” She fell back on the cushions, laughter exploding out of those upside-down lips. He might have continued to be annoyed if he hadn’t felt so proud that he’d made her laugh. Even if it was at him.
“Do you always make fun of men’s hard-ons?”
She sobered and sat up. “Only the ones who need to lighten up.”
“Sorry, but I don’t take my hard-ons lightly.”
She looked surprised before she laughed again. “You do know how to lighten up.”
“Occasionally. Mostly with my siblings.”
She cocked her head. “Just your siblings? You’ve never let down your guard with a friend?”
“I don’t make friends easily. And with three siblings, I really didn’t have to.”
“Well, that’s just sad. I mean family is nice, but everyone needs friends.
” She hesitated. “Especially when there are things you don’t want your family to know .
. . like how you’re going against Jaxon and trying to figure out who is contesting the will.
And just what are your plans when you find this person?
Are you planning on bullying them until they stop? ”
He didn’t like her calling him a bully. He didn’t like it at all. Which probably explained why he told her the truth. “I’m hoping all it will take is offering them my share of the inheritance.”
Her eyes widened and he realized his mistake. He’d just told a woman who couldn’t keep her mouth shut his plan. He didn’t doubt for a second it was going to be all over town by nightfall.
“You’re going to give up your share of the money? Why would you do that?”
He refused to answer and an annoyed look spread over her face.
“Oh, no. You can’t just drop a bomb like that and go silent, Mr. Dawson Hennessy. You need to answer my question.”
“So, you’ll have more details to give the entire town?”
“I’m not going to tell anyone. If that was my plan, I would have already told Tully. But I haven’t. And you should know that because if I had, Jaxon would be ticked off at you.”
She did have a point. “Why didn’t you tell Tully?”
“Because I do not repeat what people tell me in confidence. Even if they lie to me about grieving their mama to get me to do what they want me to do. Now why would you want to give away your inheritance?”
He still didn’t trust her, but he figured it was too late. Once Jaxon found out, Dawson would have to come clean with his plan anyway.
“Because I don’t give a shit about my mama’s money. Or Honky Tonk Heaven, for that matter. But I do care about my siblings. If my share will stop the will from being contested and save the dancehall for Jaxon and Tully and Huck and Poppy’s inheritance, then I’m willing to do it.”
She stared at him for what felt like forever before she threw her hands up.
“Isn’t that just life for you? I was all ready to give up on you, Dawson Hennessy.
To put you in the unredeemable bad boy category and go on about my business.
But then you had to go and do this.” She got to her feet.
“And now that I know your true plan, I’m willing to help you again. ”
Before the kiss, he’d wanted her help. Now, it was the last thing he wanted. She was too much temptation. Even now, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her mouth or his mind from remembering what it felt like to devour those upside-down lips.
“No, thank you. I can find out who it is without your help.”
“Really? How are you going to do that when everyone in town is scared to death of you? Or ticked off at you for painting penises on their front windows.”
“Who told you that? Let me guess, the A-Sisters.”
“Actually, it was Fred and Amos who play dominos in front of the hardware store. The A-Sisters just confirmed it.” She sent him a smug look. “They also told me something else. Something that might just help us figure out who got close to your mama before she passed.”
“What did they tell you?”
She waggled a finger. “Oh, no. I’m not telling you until you agree that we’re a team.”
“We’re not a team.”
“Then I guess you’re on your own.” With a sassy wiggle of her hips, she headed for the steps.
As much as he wanted to let her go, he couldn’t do it.
For his siblings.
Only for his siblings.
He caught up with her on the main deck. “Fine! We’re a damn team.”