Page 6 of Butterflies and Hazel Eyes
“I suppose we’d better head back,” he finally said after we’d stared at each other in mutual curiosity for a few moments. “Honey and Mojo will be wondering where we are. Maybe they’ll want to share the rest of the pizza.”
I picked up the pizza box while he worked his way out of the booth and grabbed his crutches. “I know Mojo will without question,” I said with laughter.
I waved at Debbie as I followed Gulliver to the door. “Nice to meet you, Debbie!” I called.
“You, too, Charity!” she called back. “Hope to see you again soon!”
I’d be back without question. If I was going to stay in Plentiful for a few weeks, I would definitely have to get another pizza. Maybe I’d be lucky enough to share it with Gulliver again.
I held the door open for him, and he crutched through, waiting for me to join him on the sidewalk before we started back toward Butterfly Junction. Since the bar was only a few blocks from the office, he’d insisted we go on foot. I wondered if it was painful for him to walk with his legs the way they were. His right one was bowed out at the knee in a truly unnatural angle, and the thick lift on the sole of the left shoe made every step with that foot more of a swing and a bounce than an actual step. I wondered if he was exhausted by the end of the day just from walking. I hadn’t known him long, but something told me no. I had a feeling he was one of those people who just did their thing, regardless of the obstacles thrown in their path.
“We have a full-service grocery store and a meat market for anything you might need,” he said as we strolled along. “They sell staples at the camp store too. I suppose you don’t need much since it’s just you and Mojo, though.”
I chuckled and enjoyed the sun beating down on my back and the fresh air filling my lungs. I’d been in Tampa for ten days, and while the sun was hot there, fresh air was hard to come by. “It’s true, we don’t need much, but since I’ll be in town for a bit after this job, I’ll stock up on what I need at the grocery store.”
“Oh,” he said, surprised. “I didn’t know you were staying in town.”
I made the so-so hand. “I have another job lined up in a few months, but until then I’m taking a break. I spend a lot of time on the road, and sometimes you have to take a break for longer than a few days. The drive here from Tampa nearly killed me. I need to stay in one place and stretch out my legs again. Then I’ll head on up the road to Indiana.”
“That’s down the road,” Gulliver said on a chuckle and a wink.
Damn, that wink of his was going to be the death of me. Being so much shorter than him, whenever he winked at me, I got the full effect of his sexiness. He winked at me a lot, but it wasn’t in a flirty or inappropriate way. It was in a Gulliver Winsome way, and I couldn’t define it better than that. “You’re right. Regardless, for now I’ll concentrate on the job you need me to do.”
We had reached Butterfly Junction, and I held the door for him and followed in behind him. I enjoyed Gulliver’s company, so sticking around Plentiful to enjoy it was not a bad idea. When the travel bug hit again, I’d do what I always did: climb into Myrtle and see where the road takes me.
♥
After Gulliver gaveme a ride back to the campground, I decided to check in at the main office before returning to Myrtle for a nap. The office was closed when I arrived last night, but they were expecting me and had my campsite ready. I had checked out the shower house this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find a newer building that was clean and bright. The lack of spiders was a huge plus. Even Mojo was impressed. Every so often, I made him take a shower, too, and no self-respecting dog wanted to take a shower from a hose next to an old Dodge motor home. They wanted the lap of luxury with manly smelling shampoo in a nicely lit building and a curtain for their privacy. At least Mojo wanted the lap of luxury. Sometimes he got it. Sometimes he got the hose next to the Dodge. Considering I take him into the workplace with me, I was always cognizant of his odor, so I made sure he was bathed regularly.
The thought of taking Mojo to work led me back to Gulliver’s creamy coffee-colored eyes. A dreamy sigh escaped my lips. “Why do I find this guy so fascinating?” I asked the dog as I shuffled my feet along the gravel-packed path. “He’s a client. I shouldn’t be looking at him like he’s breakfast, lunch,anddinner, right?”
Mojo stared up at me and waited. I guess he wanted me to answer the question. I rubbed his head and rolled my eyes to the expansive blue sky. “I don’t know, buddy,” I said, shaking my head. “Gulliver is unusual. I like unusual because I’m an unusual kind of woman. He’s interesting and engaging. He’s smart but kind. None of that can be said about a lot of guys I meet on the road.”
Considering I spent a lot of time with extremely weird people, unusual was a massive step in the right direction. It was easy to see that Gulliver’s blustery in-your-face persona stemmed from his leg condition. I’d tried to engage him about his disability, but he changed the subject at every turn. The face he showed the world wasn’t the real Gulliver Winsome. I conjured up a scenario in my mind where he closed the door to his apartment at night and removed the mask of over-the-top self-assuredness to let himself breathe for a little while.
My childhood had been all about masks of deception. I learned early on in life how to look behind the mask to see who someone really was. What I saw in Gulliver more than sparked my curiosity, both as someone who enjoys the study of human nature and as a woman. He was strong, smart, and kind to everyone we met while we were out, but most of all his aura was captivating. It was harder and harder to find someone who spent time with you without distractions, but Gulliver was a master at it. I was excited to spend the night with him tonight.
I rolled my eyes at myself.You’ll both be working, girl. Put a lid on your libido.
“There’s no law against looking at a fine man, right, Mojo?” I asked as we followed the paved road around and passed a fish house. Mojo didn’t answer me, but the rank air did raise his interest a hair.
Another few minutes of strolling down the path and I found the main office. When the door swung open, the scent of nachos mixed with beer wafted toward me. If I weren’t still stuffed from that fantastic pizza, I’d be taking some of those nachos back to Myrtle with me.
Basking in the cold air for a moment, I took in the cute, cozy, and well-stocked store before I strode to the counter with Mojo at my side. My eye caught movement from the corner, and I waved at a woman scooping up nachos into a bowl. “Good afternoon,” I said, holding tight to Mojo’s leash. “I’m Charity Puck. We spoke on the phone earlier this week.”
“I remember,” she answered as she held up a finger, carrying the nachos through the racks of food and out a door to a large wooden balcony. I stood on my tiptoes and noticed the balcony overlooked the lake. There were umbrellaed tables for those who wanted to relax with a beer while taking in a spectacular view of Mother Nature’s glory.
“I’m going to have to check that balcony out, Mojo,” I said as the woman strolled back through the door and approached the desk. It was a shame I couldn’t remember her name for the life of me.
When she spied Mojo, her steps faltered, and she came to a halt. “Um, we allow dogs in the campground but not in the store,” she stuttered.
I smiled the smile I always use when I’m trying to feather Mojo into staying with me somewhere. “I’m sorry, we just got back from town, and I wanted to stop in and pay my fees. We were at lunch with Gulliver Winsome. Do you know him?”
She gave Mojo a wide berth and scuttled back behind the counter. “Oh, ya,” she said in the most Northern Wisconsin accent to ever hit my ears. “Everyone knows Gulliver. He’s a great guy under all the...” She fluffed her hands around her chest while searching for the right words.
“Bluster?” I asked, and she grinned.
“Exactly. Gulliver does a lot for our little community. Anyway, you want to pay for your stay? You pay for six nights and get the seventh free,” she explained, tapping a sign on the counter.
