"Jaclyn Wyatt," she said as she put out her hand.

"Morgan Cha.s.sion from Atlanta, raised in Baton Rouge," Chet answered in Morgan's place as he pointed at all the bottles of sports drinks. "She got folks workin' in her yard, and she don't know nothin' about sweet tea."

Morgan raised a brow as she regarded him.

"Sweet tea is very important around here." Jaclyn looked over Morgan's shoulder to the orange Jeep parked outside. "Is that yours?"

Morgan followed her gaze and nodded.

"Skip, do me a favor and put five or six jugs of tea in that Jeep." Jaclyn returned her attention to Morgan. "Sweet tea is the language of love in White Oak, especially during the summer and most of the winter. Give them the sports drinks and water while they work and the tea later when they're done or when they eat. Never beer, unless the work is done." Jaclyn smiled and looked at RJ and Todd. "They'll get drunk, cook up whatever they kill in your yard, and worse, they'll never leave."

"Oh, bull, Jaclyn," RJ said, "you make us sound like dogs. You know we share da squirrel and rabbit."

"See what I mean," Jaclyn said under her breath. "I a.s.sume my son is down there in the middle of things."

Morgan nodded. "He is. Actually, he's the one that invited everyone over. They all came and just started working. I feel like a mooch."

"Accept the help, Morgan, it's what we do," Chet said as he rang up the items she placed on the counter.

"Don't charge her for the tea," Jaclyn said, "that's my housewarming gift." She raised a finger when Morgan opened her mouth. "Don't argue, just accept, like Chet said. You won't fit in unless you let people be nice to you. That's how things work around here."

"Well, thank you," Morgan said, feeling a little embarra.s.sed. "How do I show my appreciation?"

"The tea. That and conversation go a long way. I'll come down in a little while and make sure Austin's behaving. One thing you should know about him is that he'll say just about anything that crosses his mind. Don't be afraid to call him on it if he gets out of hand."

"He's been very polite," Morgan said as she put her money on the counter.

Skip rounded the corner with three jugs of tea in his hands. "RJ, get off your a.s.s, boy, and go get more tea, and, Todd, carry the lady's bags." Skip looked at Morgan and rolled his eyes. "I got to tell 'em everything."

Jaclyn smiled when Morgan turned back to her. "Welcome to White Oak."

"Thanks," Morgan said gratefully.

Skip and RJ were admiring Morgan's Jeep when she stepped outside. Todd dug the ice out of the freezer and dropped it on the floor of the backseat. "This is a nice ride, Morgan. You off-road?"

"I've never put it in four-wheel drive. I love it because it sits high, and I can take the top off."

"You ever want to take it to da mud, you let me know." He pointed at the house across the street. "I live right there. We'd all be down there helping in your yard, but we're about to go check on my boat. I got a little shrimpin' business. If you ever wanna go out on the water, let me know. Maybe if you go, Jaclyn will, too. I been tryin' to get her out there for years."

Todd and RJ exchanged glances and grinned. Morgan wondered if maybe Skip, the married man, had a thing for Jaclyn.

"I'll think about that, thanks for the offer."

"See ya later," Skip said as he and the boys went back inside.

Morgan hopped into the driver's seat and waved at Jaclyn as she stood in the window watching her. Austin's mother was a cutie, and Morgan had always had a thing for blondes. Jaclyn's hair was all one length and lay just at her shoulders. Morgan wondered how it would feel to sift her fingers through it before she caught herself. She didn't intend to be here long, so there was no sense in starting something new, even though she'd gotten the vibe that she and Jaclyn had their s.e.xuality in common.

Chapter Four.

"Fine woman," Chet said as the others walked back into the store.

Jaclyn watched the Jeep leave the lot. "Yeah, she seems nice." She turned around and noticed the smile on Chet's face and steeled herself for what she knew was coming next.

"Didn't see a ring on her finger," Chet said. "Not too feminine. I wonder-"

"Don't start." But Jaclyn's warning was ignored by the others.

Todd jumped in. "You look good standing side by side. Y'all are almost the same size. You ain't gonna have to bend down to kiss that one good night."

"She got a nice smile. I saw it a lot when she was talkin' to you, Jac." Skip put a hand to his ear. "Oh, what's dat? Weddin' bells, do I hear?"

Jaclyn took the ribbing good-naturedly and gave Skip a playful shove. "Why are you in such a hurry to pair me up with every woman that pa.s.ses through town?"

"Because my Rene say I spend too much time here in dis store. She know it ain't the coffee, it's no good. She know it ain't the boudin, hers is better. So it must be the company I keep. Dat little woman's gonna come in here with a pitchfork one day and put it to both of our a.s.ses."

"Just yours, Skip. She knows I'm not after her man."

"Jaclyn don't want no man," Skip said, looking at the others. "She shoot, she fish, she crab, and do it all with a pretty face. A face dat had o' Morgan smiling, yeah. We gonna sit back and watch the love happen. Laissez les bon temps rouler, let dem good times roll, yeah."

"I'm leaving before Skip picks out my wedding dress. I'm sure it would be adorned with crawfish, shotgun sh.e.l.ls, and empty beer cans." Jaclyn stopped at the door. "Thanks, Chet, I needed the break."

"You got it, baby."

Jaclyn could hear Skip and the others laughing as she made a retreat. She was thankful that everyone took her s.e.xuality in stride, but it had not always been that way. She'd caused quite a stir in town when she'd been caught in the act with a woman she'd met in a neighboring town. She learned a lot that night, like Carolyn Dunn had insomnia, and liked to take walks when she couldn't sleep. She also learned it wasn't wise to get caught up in the heat of the moment because good sense tends to lapse. It'd been her idea to park behind the power company office. Carolyn Dunn, being nosy, peeked into the car she didn't recognize and got an eyeful.

That was bad enough because Carolyn told everyone in town, and the news spread to neighboring towns. A jealous husband heard the story, recognized the description of the car, and unfortunately, his wife. Jaclyn was unaware that Gwyneth was married, but when her angry spouse showed up at The Lure looking for the woman who had "forced herself" on his wife, it was revelation time for Jaclyn and her grandmother, who had not heard Carolyn's tale.

The confrontation brought in the police and just about everyone in town. In an effort to protect Jaclyn, Carolyn told Gwyneth's husband in startling detail what she'd witnessed, and the encounter was obviously mutual. Two things stopped Jaclyn from being throttled that day-Skip, who happened to be at the right place at the right time, and Carolyn's embarra.s.sing testimony.

That was the problem with White Oak-nothing ever happened there. No one was ever robbed at gunpoint, no houses ever broken into. There was an occasional rumor that Clarice Minden was growing marijuana amongst the other herbs behind her house, but that was all the excitement there was in the sleepy little town. So when Jaclyn was literally caught with her pants down, the gossip mill churned at a frantic pace.

Augusta Wyatt was the most influential woman in White Oak Lake at that time, and no one wanted to cross her. Eventually, everyone took Jaclyn's s.e.xuality in stride. The teasing was good-natured-"Hey, Jac, pick one with a little husband next time" or "Try the cornfields like the teenagers do." Jaclyn bore it well, her parents not so much. Pillars of the community and servants in their church, they found no amus.e.m.e.nt in the jokes. Jaclyn often wondered if that was the reason her folks took to the road as soon as her father retired from the bank. Jaclyn's s.e.xuality was like the proverbial elephant in the room that no one talked about when the family was together. Jaclyn's mother, Liz, had stopped asking her when she was going to get married and pointing out that Maddie had a husband and children. Gayle was never brought up. She too was a black sheep in the Wyatt clan. But her sins were lesser in the eyes of the elder Wyatts than Jaclyn's, and that stirred an old resentment that Jaclyn carried for her younger sister Gayle and her parents.

"Jumping junipers, the welcome wagon has arrived," Jaclyn said under her breath as she watched the commotion surrounding Morgan's house. There was sawing and pruning, and Clarke flew by with a wave on his tractor. Morgan stood on the porch at a table made of sawhorses and an old door and scooped ice into gla.s.ses, flanked by Betsy Schaffer and Ida Pochet. No doubt both were extracting every piece of information from the newcomer as they could.

As Jaclyn regarded Morgan, she was forced to agree with Chet's a.s.sessment. Morgan didn't fit into the typical feminine mold. She carried a wallet in the back pocket of her jean cutoffs, instead of a purse, and looked comfortable in the work boots she was wearing. The gray tank top she wore showed off her arms and shoulders, which in Jaclyn's opinion were way too thin, but she did see muscle tone. Had Morgan been wearing a shirt with a collar, her wavy dark hair would've just touched it.

If Chet suspected Morgan was gay, then no doubt the others did, too. If Morgan was single, the hens would find out, then Jaclyn's problems would begin. Most everyone in White Oak Lake aside from her parents' religious contingent wanted to see Jaclyn paired up with someone who would make her happy.

"There you are," Betsy said when she noticed Jaclyn. "We were just telling Morgan all about you."

"Oh, and I just thought my ears were burning because I'd gotten too much sun on the walk over here." Jaclyn stepped up on the porch. "Morgan, it's probably best if you don't believe everything you hear." Jaclyn kissed Betsy on the cheek and gave Ida a hug.

"It's all nice," Betsy said a bit too cheerily for Jaclyn's liking.

"Hey again." Morgan handed Jaclyn a gla.s.s of tea.

"You learn fast," Jaclyn said after she'd taken a swallow. "Real gla.s.s, too. That's a special added touch."

"We're running low on plastic cups," Ida said in her brash tone as she entered the conversation. "I have more at the house. Betsy, you come on and help me carry them."

Jaclyn watched the two hens strut away, Betsy in her navy polka dot capris with a white billowy top and Ida wearing her husband's shirt and jeans that were too long and dragged the ground behind the heel of her boot. Their heads bobbed up and down just like chickens pecking at the dirt as they walked, and they were probably clucking away about Morgan as they went.

"Hey, Mom," Austin called out as he pa.s.sed with an armload of sticks.

"Hey, bud." Jaclyn regarded him with a smile as he tossed the debris into a cart. "It's a good thing you caught these guys today," she said as she turned back to Morgan. "On weekdays, this place is a ghost town. Everyone leaves for work, and the kids are in school."

"I didn't mean to catch them, but, oh my G.o.d, I'm so glad I did. The backyard doesn't look like a jungle anymore." Morgan held her gla.s.s to the side of her sweating face. "I figured it would be a long time before this place looked like someone actually lived here."

"There's no mistaking that now, especially with all the lights you had on last night." Jaclyn pointed at a floodlight on the corner of the porch. "They're still on."

Morgan pursed her lips as her face colored. "Be right back." She opened the front door and reached in to flip the switch. "I've been in the city for a long time. I'm used to hearing horns and motor noise, but last night, it was too quiet."

"Okay," Jaclyn said slowly.

"I was able to hear other noises, animal sounds. I hoped the light might make them go away."

"Ah," Jaclyn said with a nod. "I imagine there's quite a few that have taken up residence here since it's been so quiet. I have a racc.o.o.n that sits on top of my grill and looks inside all the time."

"Yesterday was cool, but it's hot as h.e.l.l today." Morgan watched Clarke go by on the tractor. He'd traded the bush hog for a cart that was filled high with brush. "Harlan says they're gonna make a bonfire out of the trees and limbs. I hope they wait until January."

"Humidity's up." Jaclyn looked up at the sky. "We might get rain tomorrow, maybe tonight. Is your roof good?"

"I think so. I didn't see any stains on the ceilings." Morgan looked down at the covered dish. "That's Betsy's chicken salad. I could make you a sandwich if you'd like."

"I've already eaten, but thanks," Jaclyn said as she scooped up the bowl. "She uses mayonnaise, so you should probably put it in your fridge and what's left of the ice in the freezer."

Morgan grabbed the bowl with the bag of ice sitting in it and opened the door for Jaclyn. "Have you lived here all your life?"

"Yep, there's no place I'd rather be. I like to visit New Orleans, but a weekend in the city is all I need to convince me that I'm a country girl at heart." She handed the chicken salad to Morgan when she opened the fridge and walked over to the windows facing the backyard. "You're gonna need to seal your deck again soon. My sister and brother-in-law own the hardware store. Maddie will probably give you a good deal on sealant, and Austin will put it on for you if you keep him fed. He works for snacks."

"My brother used to eat everything he could get his hands on like he was starving to death. I could get him to do almost anything with the right bait." Morgan pointed to a photo pinned to the fridge with a magnet. "That's him and his wife, Tonya."

"You don't look anything alike," Jaclyn said as she looked at it.

"Dad used to say Brad was a carbon copy of my mom. She had the reddish hair and green eyes." Morgan's eyes widened as a black cat strolled into her kitchen, plopped down, and started bathing itself.

"Aw, is it yours?" Jaclyn asked as she knelt to pet it.

"I've never seen it before. I must've left the front door open."

"I bet it belongs to Clarice across the street, she has a few." Jaclyn picked the cat up and scratched it under its chin.

Morgan smiled as she stroked the silky black fur. "He reminds me of a cat I had when I was a kid."

"You should get one or two, they'll help with unwanted guests. Clarice's cats are probably the reason your place hasn't been overrun by rodents." The cat began to purr loudly as Jaclyn scratched along its jaw. "Now that they're disturbing the brush outside, things will look for a new home if you get my drift."

"I haven't had a pet in ages because I was never home long enough to care for one. I don't plan to be here long, either, so it probably wouldn't be a good idea to get one now."

"Put out some food, and Clarice's cats will come by and chase off the mice. That way, you don't have to make a commitment," Jaclyn said as the cat began to squirm and she walked over to the door. The cat leapt out of her arms and landed on the porch with a solid thump. "I need to get back home. This is my first day off in weeks, and I have a mountain of dirty laundry to do." She smiled. "If you need more tea or anything else, just send Austin down to get it."

"It was very nice meeting you." Morgan put out her hand. "Thank you for the tea and the hospitality."

"My pleasure," Jaclyn said as she shook it.

Morgan watched Jaclyn walk down the steps and kiss Austin on the cheek as she went. Betsy and Ida had returned and paid Jaclyn close attention, then looked back at Morgan with a smile. Morgan didn't know them all that well, but she thought they looked as though they were up to something.

"What's she like?"

Ida frowned at Clarice, who sat at her kitchen table mixing piles of herbs that she'd ground nearly to powder. "Had you come over today, you would've met her yourself."

"I think they like each other. Jaclyn seemed a little nervous," Betsy said with a wide smile. "I took that as a good sign."

Clarice pushed her gla.s.ses higher on her nose with her middle finger. "I told you I saw it in the leaves, this is the one for Jaclyn."

Ida rolled her eyes.

"What could it hurt to believe?" Betsy asked as she fiddled with a strand of her freshly dyed dark hair. "We drink a little tea, make a little wish. If it doesn't work like Clarice says it will, then we'll have just shared a cup of tea."

"Because it's a little stupid," Ida said with a hand on her hip.

"The magic won't work if you don't believe, Ida," Clarice said in her sing-song voice. "You have to believe in the potion and the magic."

Clarice lit a joint and took a healthy drag from it. She held it up to Ida. "You'll believe in magic after you smoke this."

Ida took a seat and the joint. She inhaled deeply and blew out the smoke. "I have a feeling I'll believe in the Easter Bunny after this." She held it out to Betsy, who shook her head.

"I'll drink the tea, but I'm not gonna smoke that." She fanned at the smoke, feeling light-headed from having to breathe the haze that filled Clarice's tiny kitchen.

Ida watched as Clarice dropped her concoction into a metal ball, then set it in a cup of steaming water to steep. "Shouldn't we make Morgan and Jaclyn drink the tea?"

Clarice shook her head. "We have to cast the spell." She took the joint from Ida and took another hit. "Does wonders for arthritis, Betsy, you should try it." Clarice looked at Betsy over the top of her gla.s.ses and grinned. "For medicinal purposes, of course."

"I'd prefer to just drink the tea. Harlan is suspicious of our gathering. He says I smell funny when I come home. I tell him it's your homemade arthritis cream."

Ida snorted. "This is really dumb. Aren't we...we..." Her eyes gla.s.sed over as she stared off into s.p.a.ce.

"It's for Jaclyn," Betsy argued, "can't you just try, Ida? Pretend it will work."