Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
Gisele pasted a smile on her face, hoping she didn’t look like she felt—flushed, tousled and sexually aroused.
“Oh, there you are,” Shelby Taylor exclaimed. “I was getting worried. You didn’t answer my knock on the front door. When I found the back door wide open, I thought you might be in trouble.” Her gaze swept over Rafael, and her eyes narrowed. “Are you in trouble?”
Gisele forced a laugh that sounded more like a strangled squeak and smoothed her hair back from her face. “Not at all. I tripped over my own feet a moment ago. Rafael was just helping me.”
“Helping you, was he?” Shelby muttered something beneath her breath that sounded like, “Or helping himself to you?”
“Yes, he was,” Gisele smiled brightly. “He’s installing temporary alarms on all the doors and windows until I can have a security system installed.”
Shelby’s eyes remained narrow as she studied Rafael. Then she turned to Gisele. “I came by to see if you would join me at the Crawdad Hole for dinner. Remy is still at the office, gearing up for a gig in the city. Junior and I could use the company.” The deputy patted her barely showing pregnant belly.
Gisele opened her mouth to decline the invitation. Before she could, Rafael spoke up.
“You should go with your friend,” Rafael said. “No need for you to stick around. I’ll finish here and lock up when I’m done. Just leave me a key to the front door.”
“But—” she started to remind him that he’d offered her taco soup. She wanted taco soup.
“No buts,” he said. “I insist. You’ve had a busy day; you need a chance to unwind.” He gave her a tight smile. “Girl time.”
“That’s right. Girl time. Besides, I worked through lunch, and I’m starving.” Shelby motioned toward the counter. “Grab your purse. Let’s go.”
After Gisele grudgingly gave Rafael the spare front door key and grabbed her purse, Shelby hustled Gisele through the shop and out the back door. As Shelby passed Rafael, her gaze dropped to his...package. “Your barn door is open. You might want to zip it. ”
Rafael’s hand rose automatically to the offending zipper.
Heat burned all the way up Gisele’s neck into her cheeks. She shot an apologetic glance over her shoulder at Rafael.
Shelby hooked her arm and half-dragged her around to the front of the shop and into her SUV.
As she slid behind the wheel, Shelby said, “I have to make a quick stop at my house to change. It won’t take me two shakes and we can be at the Crawdad Hole in no time.”
Gisele sat silently as Shelby drove to her place and parked. She remained in her seat as Shelby got out.
Her friend bent and peered across the cab. “Don’t you want to come in?”
Gisele gave her a weak smile. “If you’re not going to be long and don’t need help, I’ll just wait here.”
Shelby shrugged. “I won’t even be five minutes. I’m just going to get out of my uniform and into something more comfortable.”
“I’ll be here,” Gisele said.
Shelby shut the door and hurried into her cottage.
Gisele sat in the passenger seat, going over the last few minutes she’d spent with Rafael. They’d been hot and heavy, well on their way to getting naked on the floor of the shop in broad daylight! He’d been just as turned on by her as she’d been by him.
Then he’d gone cold and had practically pushed her out the door with Shelby .
And why had Shelby given him the stink-eye? She’d never seen her friend act so unfriendly toward one of her husband’s teammates.
Gisele hadn’t wanted to go with Shelby and had half a mind to fake a headache and ask her to take her back to the shop. At least then she could corner Rafael and get to the bottom of why he kept going from hot to cold, back to hot and then cold again.
He was giving her whiplash.
True to her word, Shelby was back in less than five minutes. She’d changed from her uniform into jeans, a tank top and a white button-down shirt that hung loosely around her hips. At five months along, she barely looked pregnant. She’d pulled the elastic band out of her long blond hair and brushed it smooth to hang down around her shoulders, making her appear more feminine. She was still the kickass deputy but with softer edges.
They’d been friends growing up, but they’d been so busy with their respective careers they hadn’t spent much time together lately. And it was even harder to get together since Remy had come home to Bayou Mambaloa.
Shelby grinned as she climbed into the SUV. “It’s been too long since we went out together,” she said, echoing Gisele’s thoughts. “I’m glad Remy’s occupied tonight. We needed this time to catch up. Once the baby’s born, all bets are off. We won’t have a second to ourselves. ”
As much as she wanted Shelby to take her back to the shop and Rafael, Gisele couldn’t disappoint her friend by ditching her now.
“You’ve been busy with your job. I’ve been working non-stop to get my business up and running and profitable.” Gisele gave her friend an apologetic grimace. “Who has time for anything else?”
“Thing is, we need to make time for the people we care about.” Shelby gave her a crooked smile. “I’m sorry if I’ve neglected our friendship. I promise to do better.”
Gisele smiled at her friend, feeling guilty for wanting to be somewhere else. “Same. I’ll do better.”
Shelby pulled onto the road leading to the Crawdad Hole. The sun had sunk to the edge of the horizon, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange, mauve and magenta.
Determined to do her part as a friend, Gisele worked at keeping the conversation going. “So, how are you and Remy getting along?”
Shelby smiled. “He’s great and so attentive. He anticipates my every move to the point he won’t let me lift anything.” Her lips twisted. “It’s sweet and annoying at the same time. I’m pregnant, not an invalid.”
“He cares and doesn’t want you to hurt yourself,” Gisele said.
“I know. I don’t complain to him, but I secretly vacuum and mow the lawn when he’s not at home.” Shelby grinned. “My lawn gets mowed twice a week. It’s never looked better.”
Gisele chuckled. “You’re a stubborn, independent woman.”
“I am. As are you.” Shelby shot a pointed glance her way. “It’s how we roll.”
Sensing her friend was about to launch into questions she wasn’t prepared to answer, Gisele brought the topic back to one Shelby was passionate about. “And the baby? Have you felt it kick?”
Shelby’s face lit up. “I have. I’m convinced this little nugget is going to be a soccer player or a gymnast.”
“Do you know what you’re having?” Gisele asked, another stab of guilt hitting her in the gut. Shelby was her friend. A good friend would know the answers to her questions already.
Shelby shook her head. “Remy and I discussed it. We don’t want to know until the day the baby is born.”
Gisele groaned. “That’s terrible. You’re going to make us wait until you deliver? That’s just cruel. That makes it hard to decorate at the baby shower. And where’s the fun in gender-neutral baby clothes?”
Shelby chuckled. “I know. But we’re sticking to the plan. We don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. We’ll love it either way. And if you don’t want to get gender-neutral baby clothes, you can always get us stock in a disposable diaper company. I never realized just how many diapers a kid goes through in the first year of his life.”
Gisele sighed. “You must be over the moon. You have a man who is crazy about you and a baby on the way. Life doesn’t get better than that.”
“It doesn’t,” Shelby agreed. “But what about you? When are you going to start dating again?”
Gisele stared out the window. “I was so busy renovating the shop and starting the business thatI hadn’t thought about it until recently.” She shrugged. “I could be ready if the right guy asks me out.” Her thoughts went to Rafael and what had almost happened on the floor of her shop. Heat flared at her core all over again.
“I’m glad you’re thinking about it. You’re young and beautiful. You deserve to find someone special. Just don’t rush into anything. Know what you’re getting into this time. Make sure you have the same values and expectations for a relationship. Get to know the guy before you consider having sex with him. Sex changes everything. Be picky. Know what you want, and don’t settle for anything less.”
Gisele had the feeling Shelby’s warnings had to do with Rafael. Was she trying to protect her from the best-looking member of the team? Is that why she’d given Rafael the stink-eye?
It was sweet of Shelby to want to protect her from heartache, but Gisele wasn’t as na?ve as she was when she’d moved to New York City all those years ago. She was a grown woman, had experienced betrayal and wouldn’t fall for that kind of nonsense a second time around.
She was also in the prime of her life with needs beyond her battery-operated boyfriend, whose batteries had run out months ago.
Gisele sat up straighter and lifted her chin. “What if all I want is sex?” she asked. “It’s been a while since I got laid. I might want to scratch my itch with no strings attached.”
Shelby’s head whipped around, and she almost ran off the road. “Are you kidding?”
Gisele reached for the steering wheel and gave it a little turn to keep them from driving into a ditch. “Sweetie, the road?”
“Got it.” Shelby gripped the wheel and focused on keeping the SUV in her lane. Her lips pressed into a firm line. “You can’t hit a person with a statement like that while she’s driving.”
“Sorry,” Gisele said.
Shelby frowned. “You are kidding, right?”
Gisele shook her head. “No. I’m serious. Why is it okay for a man to sleep around before he marries and not okay if you’re a woman?”
“I get what you’re saying. Women have needs just like men. Committing to a long-term relationship isn’t something you go into lightly. It has to be with the right person. Sometimes, it takes a while to find the one who fits. Who makes you complete. ”
“And how do you know it’s the right person?” Gisele turned to Shelby. “How did you know Remy was the right one for you?”
Shelby’s lips twisted. “I fell in love with him when he was dating my sister. He barely knew I existed. It wasn’t until he came home after his military commitment was done that he finally saw me . As a woman, not a pesky kid tagging along with her sister. We were both different from when he was dating my sister, but deep down, we were the same.”
“Wasn’t it awkward that he’d dated your sister?” Gisele asked.
“Didn’t bother me. And it doesn’t bother Chrissy’s husband. He got the girl in the long run. Now they have five kids and another on the way due around the same time as mine. They’ll be cousins and grow up together.” Shelby paused and grimaced. “That’s not what you were asking.”
No, it wasn’t, but Shelby’s face was flushed with the anticipation of welcoming her baby into a world filled with cousins to play with.
Gisele loved that her friend was so happy. Was she a little envious of that happiness? Absolutely.
“When Remy returned home from his time in the Navy, he finally knew I existed,” Shelby said. “I made sure of that. The man aggravated the fire out of me. Sometimes, I didn’t like him much. Hands down, I knew I could live without him. Did I want to? Hell no. So, how did I know he was the one for me?” Shelby smiled softly and rested a hand on her belly. “The question isn’t can I live without him? The real question I needed to ask myself was...do I want to live without him?”
Shelby parked in the gravel parking lot of the Crawdad Hole restaurant. They got out and picked their way across the loose gravel to the entrance.
The bouncer at the door gave a perfunctory glance at their driver’s licenses and waved them inside. He knew who they were but he was a rule-follower.
Music vibrated throughout the room and in Gisele’s ears. A jukebox in the corner supplied the tunes, with songs designed to make you cry in your beverage of choice—for most, that was beer—or kick up your heels in a lively two-step.
Shelby led the way to the bar and climbed onto one of the stools.
Gisele slid onto the stool beside her and started to order a beer. She thought about it and opted out. In deference to the pregnant woman, Gisele abstained from ordering an alcoholic beverage and settled on an ice-cold root beer.
Shelby eyed the bartender filling a mug with beer. “I’ll be glad when this baby is out of my body, and I can enjoy a nice cold beer again.” She ordered a ginger ale with a cherry on top and opened the food menu.
Gisele glanced over the list of sandwiches, burgers and shellfish dishes the Crawdad Hole offered. Though she hadn’t had lunch, nothing stood out on the menu. Because she didn’t always like cooking for one, she’d eaten here and at other local restaurants and food trucks often enough to have gone through their menus. She would rather be seated across from Rafael, enjoying taco soup.
Shelby closed her menu and laid it on the counter. “I’m having the fried shrimp basket and a cup of their gumbo. What are you getting?”
“I’m not that hungry. I think I’ll get a side salad and maybe an order of fried pickles we can share.”
Shelby grinned. “Great. I love their fried pickles.” She sat back in her seat and absently rubbed her hand over her belly.
“Is it hard being pregnant?” Gisele asked.
Her friend shrugged. “Yes and no. At first, I was tired a lot, and I couldn’t stand certain smells—like diesel fumes. I’d throw up every time I smelled diesel fumes. That was all in the first trimester. Once my body adjusted to the parasite growing inside, it’s been pretty easy. I do have to pee more often, and that will only get worse the bigger the baby grows. All in all, I’m okay so far. Ask me that question when I’m as big as a house and can’t see my feet anymore.” Shelby laughed, her face flushing with happiness. “Is it crazy that I’m looking forward to that stage?”
“Of course you are. It’ll mean you’re that much closer to meeting your baby.” Gisele’s heart swelled with love and happiness for her friend as she moved into a different phase of her life. Having grown up as the granddaughter of the Voodoo Queen, Gisele always thought the only way to find that level of happiness would be to leave her weird world behind.
She had left and found that the grass wasn’t always greener outside the bayou, weird wasn’t a bad thing and the men weren’t any better in New York City. When she’d come home to Bayou Mambaloa, she’d told herself she could be content to live her life alone. For the past three years, that had been true.
Until a group of former military special operations guys moved in and changed everything.
Shelby glanced around the room. “Those people are leaving. Let’s take their table. I can’t get comfortable on this bar stool.”
They carried their drinks to the table where Danielle French, the waitress, was clearing the empty mugs and bottles.
“Hey, Danny,” Shelby greeted the woman. “How are you holding up with the festival in town?”
Danny glanced up and smiled. “Other than sore feet, I’m doing fine. I’ve made more in tips these past few days than I do all month. No complaints here.” She lifted her chin toward Gisele. “Hey, girl. I heard you had a break-in last night. I’m so sorry it happened to you and your shop. Things like that leave you feeling punchy for a long time. I’d hate to sleep there after that. If you need a place to stay for a while, I have a spare bedroom in my trailer. You’re welcome to have it for as long as you need it.”
Gisele was touched by Danny’s offer. The woman could barely afford her rent and utilities. Having an extra person living with her would be a financial strain. Yet, she’d offered to share her trailer with no mention of splitting rent or contributing in any way.
Gisele recognized how blessed she was to live in a community where people who had very little would share down to their last slice of bread. “Thank you, Danny. I really appreciate your offer, but I’ll stay in my apartment. I’m going to have a security system installed. I’ll be all right.”
She lifted her heavy tray onto her shoulder without losing a single mug or bottle. “The offer stands. All you have to do is call. I’ll help you move your stuff.”
“Thanks,” Gisele repeated.
Danny left with the empties and returned a few minutes later with their order.
Shelby consumed her cup of gumbo first and then dove into the basket of fried shrimp. “Help yourself. There’s enough here for two people.”
Gisele ate fried pickles and half of her salad, sipping on root beer while thinking about Rafael.
Occupied with eating for two, Shelby didn’t try to carry on a conversation until she’d satisfied her appetite and sat back, rubbing her stomach. “Better,” she said, her gaze going to Gisele’s relatively untouched salad. “What’s wrong?”
Gisele met Shelby’s intense gaze with a cocked eyebrow. “Who says anything is wrong?”
Shelby waved a hand toward Gisele’s salad. “You haven’t eaten enough to keep your bird alive. Is something bothering you?” She laid down her fork and leaned forward. “I’m here. Talk.”
When Gisele hesitated, Shelby’s brow dipped low. “Is it Rafael? Are you having sex with him?”
Gisele gasped. “Shelby.” She glanced around the bar and grill. Typical of Shelby, she didn’t mince words. Instead, she went straight to the heart. “Seriously?” Gisele lowered her voice to a whisper. “You’re going to broadcast my love life, or lack of one, in a crowded room?”
“I didn’t broadcast. I asked a question in a normal tone of voice.” She pointed a finger at Gisele. “You didn’t answer.” Her eyes narrowed and then widened. “You are having sex with him. I knew it. I told Remy to warn him off you. Rafael is not the man for you.”
Gisele sat back in her seat. “Since when do you make decisions about the men I sleep with?”
Shelby crossed her arms over her chest. “Since you came back to Bayou Mambaloa with your tail between your legs, all butt hurt because some asshole broke your heart.”
“I didn’t come back to Bayou Mambaloa because of a broken heart. I came back because I wanted to come back where I had friends and family I could trust.” Gisele glared at one of those friends. “At least, I thought I could trust them. Now, here you are telling me who I can date or not date.” She lifted her chin. And why shouldn’t I date Rafael?”
“We were talking about sleeping with him. Trust me. He’s not the guy for you.” Shelby’s expression softened. “He’s vowed never to marry or commit to a woman. The man goes out with a girl a couple of times and then moves on to his next conquest.”
“So?” Gisele said. “Who said I was looking for a ring? I like being single. I don’t have to pick up after or cook for anyone else. I set my own schedule without having to consult or compromise. I like my life.”
“Then why the interest in Rafael?” Shelby asked.
Gisele raised her hands, palms up. “Why not? If he’s not into marriage and signing up for the long haul...good. Neither am I. Not everyone lucks into the kind of love you and Remy share. I’m not pining over the fact I don’t have someone who worships the ground I walk on. Why is it so hard to believe I’m happy with my life? I’m happy, damn it.”
Shelby frowned, “If you’re so happy, why are you so insistent you’re happy? It’s like you’re trying to convince yourself.”
Gisele rolled her head back and stared at the ceiling for a second before turning her gaze back on her friend. “I’m fine. I learned a valuable lesson the first time around. Never relinquish control of your heart to anyone.”
“I just don’t want you hurt again,” Shelby said, her eyes filling with tears. She brushed them away, muttering, “Damned hormones.”
Gisele reached across the table and took Shelby’s hand. “I appreciate that you want to protect me, but you can’t tell me who I can and can’t see or sleep with. I’m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions and my own mistakes. That’s how we learn.”
“He won’t stay,” Shelby repeated.
“So what?” Gisele said. “Maybe I’ll be the one to leave him with a broken heart. Would you be as concerned for him?”
Shelby stared into Gisele’s eyes for a long moment. “Be careful, Gisele. I love you like a sister. Rafael’s not a bad man. He’s actually very funny, nice and good at what he does. He’s completely loyal to his team and would do anything for them.”
“Sounds perfect,” Gisele said.
“It’s his track record with women that’s abysmal. Gisele, don’t become another notch on his bedpost.” She sat back and let out a sigh. “Whew. That was hard. I’m not all that good at this touchy-feely stuff. It takes a lot out of me.”
It was taking a lot out of Gisele, as well.
Shelby gave her a tight smile. “Now that I’ve got that off my chest, have you tasted the peach cobbler? Want to share an order and save me from eating the whole piece by myself?”
Gisele shook her head. “Not me. I’m not really hungry.”
Shelby nodded. “I really don’t need cobbler, either.” She smothered a yawn. “What I do need is to go to bed. I got up for the early shift this morning. I’m tired.”
“Me, too,” Gisele said.
“Would it hurt your feelings if we called it a night?” Shelby yawned again. “Girl time isn’t what it used to be, is it? How did we ever stay up all night giggling?”
“I don’t know. Now, if I stay up past midnight, I’m worthless all the next day.” She waved a hand at Danny, who hurried over.
“What can I get you two?” Danny asked.
“Could I get a to-go box for my salad? And we’d like to pay the bill.” Gisele handed her credit card to the waitress.
“Gotcha.” Danny took the card with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”
Shelby frowned. “I was going to buy your dinner.”
“You can next time,” Gisele promised.
Shelby’s brow puckered. “Will there be a next time? Have I crossed the line and ruined our friendship?” She stared across the table at Gisele. “That’s the last thing I wanted to do. I love you like a sister. I should’ve flown my ass up to New York City to put the hurt on the man who did you wrong. He shouldn’t have gotten away with ruining your career and breaking your heart.”
Gisele laid her hand over Shelby’s. “Our friendship is intact. And don’t worry about New York. He did me a favor and showed his true colors. That whole situation opened my eyes to what really matters.”
Shelby turned her hand over and squeezed Gisele’s. “Family and friends?”
“Exactly,” Gisele said. “I didn’t come home with my tail between my legs. I came home to the people and place I love. It wasn’t my last resort. It was my first choice.”
Danny returned with Gisele’s credit card, receipt and a box for the salad she never ate.
“Thank you, Danny.” Gisele took the card, signed the bill and dumped her salad into the box. She looked across the table at Shelby, whose eyelids struggled to remain open. “Let’s get you home.”
Gisele wanted Shelby to drop her off at the end of Main Street, insisting she could walk the rest of the way to her shop.
Shelby refused and drove her all the way.
“Are you going to stay awake long enough to drive yourself home?” Gisele asked as she unbuckled her seatbelt in front of her shop.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve pulled enough night shifts; I can drive the streets of Bayou Mambaloa with my eyes closed.”
Gisele’s hand froze on the belt buckle.
Shelby laughed. “I’m kidding. But you should have seen the look on your face. I’ll wait for you to get inside and then drive straight home. With my eyes open.”
Still, Gisele hesitated, worried her friend was too sleepy to make it across their small town to her cottage.
Shelby touched her arm. “Go. I’ll be fine. Remy just texted me. He’s at home waiting for me.”
Gisele met Shelby’s gaze. “Thank you for making me go to dinner with you. We need to do Girl Time again. Soon.”
“Next time, we should include Bernie, Felina and Ouida Mae.”
“Don’t forget Camille and Amelia,” Gisele said.
“Them, too.” Shelby waved a hand. “Guard your heart, my friend.”
“I’ve got this,” she assured her friend. As she walked away, she wondered if she really did.
She’d only spent a short amount of time with the man.
Shelby had fallen in love with Remy long before they became a couple. She’d dated douchebag in New York for months before she’d trusted him enough to sleep with him—and look where that had gotten her .
Having only spent a few hours with Rafael, surely her heart wasn’t anywhere near at risk.
Was it?