Page 18 of Bayou Sunset

Growing up where Steve had, Daisy Mae hadn't needed to show him what to do. Only, they'd shared the same materials, sometimes touching hands. Each time that happened, a spark shot through her.

She still wanted him, and it irked her beyond all reason.

“I be sorry da twins no help ya.”

Daisy Mae wasn't sure when, in her lifetime, everyone had stopped referring to her brothers as JP and Pierre but as “datwins.” Maybe because they had been the only twins in their tiny town while growing up.

“Mais,”—she pushed the bill of her cap up—”it be expected.”

Steve stopped sanding a spot he'd just filled. “So, dey treat ya da same as before?”

Before what? Before you abandoned us? Me?She shrugged. “Dey be who dey be.”

“Why haven't ya left this town and settled in a bigger fishing community?” Steve asked. “Ya could build a fleet of charters somewhere else and make a mint.”

Her heart said, “Because I've waited for ya to come home,” while her tongue lashed out, “Mais, ya leaving don’t meaneveryone wants to leave.”

“Touché!” Steve touched his chest in mock pain. “I always thought ya wanted ta leave.”

I had. With you.“Schoolgirl fancy. I no need a bigger town to rebuild the fleet.”

“True.” Steve set down his supplies. “Done. Want to inspect my work?”

Mais, oui. She needed to ensure it would suffice for tomorrow. While they'd learned to care for a boat growing up, they'd never had to fill bullet holes.

Daisy Mae strode over to him. Steve didn't move back. She felt…crowded…hot…wanting.Merde!

“It be fine,” she finally choked out after being so near him and his shirtless self. She'd been avoiding looking at him for that reason. His artfully designed chest drew her anyhow. Childhood fantasies….

Steve smiled. “Bien. How ’bout a drink ta cool down?”

“Non” would have been her first response, but she wanted to be near him. This confused her. She wanted him but didn’t want to like him because he’d broken her heart once, and she didn’t want it to happen again. Good grief. She sounded like a girl still in love with the boy who always rescued her from her brothers—or a girl in a romance novel.Mon Dieu! Not that.

“Non, merci,” she said, knowing it was the correct answer—not the answer she wanted, but the right one.

“Come on. Are ya chicken ta be wit me?”

That set off her ire. “Oui, I have a drink wit ya,” she ultimately said. Why not? Maybe she would learn enough about him to douse the flames licking inside her for him. Just maybe….

His resulting grin shot that idea all to hell. She was in trouble.

Chapter Ten

ROMEO AND DAISY Mae were seated at Duke’s, a cozy bar illuminated by a stained-glass dangling light. The savory aroma of fried fish and the rich scent of a freshly poured pitcher of draft beer filled the air. Despite the inviting atmosphere, an uncomfortable silence enveloped them as they contemplated their menu choices. Daisy Mae took the lead and spoke with the waitress, as Romeo, living up to his nickname, found himself at a loss for words in the presence of the beautiful server.

Compared to other women, Romeo found it effortless to engage in conversation with Daisy Mae. He assumed this was mainly because of the bond they had developed while growing up together. Understanding the significance of their longstanding relationship, Romeo chose not to dissect or jeopardize something already working well.

Upon gulping beer, Daisy Mae suddenly exclaimed, “Why did ya leave m—” She quickly covered her mouth as she coughed. He suspected the cough was feigned but decided to keep quiet. “Merde, why did ya leave so fast?”

The woman confronted him with unyielding directness. Unable to disclose the truth, he clung to the familiar tale he had recounted for years: “I had an opportunity to attend college and seized it.” As he sipped his beer and gingerly rested it on the coaster bearing the Duke’s logo, placed there by the attentive server, he added, “Plus, there wasn’t much tethering me to dis place.”

Daisy Mae sputtered and coughed as the beer caught in her throat, causing Romeo to quickly shift his attention to ensure she was okay. After a few moments, she waved her hand for him to continue.

So, he continued with some truth. “Mamauand Papa wanted me to have adventures, travel, and experience things Icouldn’t find in dis small town. So, dey encouraged me to go.”

He couldn’t speak of that night with her. How would things have been different if he’d taken her with him? No, she’d been too young to know her mind.

She gazed at him intently for a moment, her scrutinizing gaze making him feel uncomfortable in the confined space of the booth. “Why didn’t ya bother coming back to visit?”

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