"Mom, guess what?"
Daisy returned her gaze to Jack's, to the desire he tried but failed to hide. "What?"
"I caught a bigmouth bass." Nathan jumped from the boat and landed next to Jack.
"It's a beauty," Jack confirmed and his gazed dropped to her mouth.
She turned her attention to her son. Whatever was between her and Jack was best left alone. "Show me."
Nathan jumped back up on the bow of the boat, then moved to the stern. Daisy walked passed Jack and wadedinto the water up to her hips. She held on to the outside of the boat as Nathan opened the live well and pulledout a stringer.
Jack watched his son as he held up the bass for his mother. It swung close to Daisy's face and she jumped back.
"You're such a girl," Nathan said through a teasing laugh.
Jack turned and moved up the shore toward camp. He and Nathan had had a good time fishing.
He felt closer to his son than he had before they'd come to the lake. While they fished, Nathan had talked abouthis life, and Steven had been a big part of that life.
"Before I quit, I was quarterback on my Optimist football team," he'd told Jack. "My dad told me you guysplayed football growing up."
His dad. Jack had been very careful not to show the slightest emotion. "We did," he'd said past the bitter taste inhis mouth. "I played quarterback until I quit my junior year."
Nathan had nodded. "That's what dad said. He said you had to quit to work for your dad, and that's how he gotto be quarterback his last two years of school and get all the good lookin' girls."
"Your dad was a pretty smooth guy. He never had any problems with the girls." The longer they talked aboutSteven, the easier it got. The easier it was to swallow the bitterness. Jack remembered what it was like to lose afather - the confusion and the loneliness. For a few hours, he was able to forget about anger and betrayal andtalk to Nathan about what it had been like to grow up with Steven Monroe.
In the end, he was surprised to discover the more he talked about Steven, the more he got to know Nathan. Andthe more he got to know his son, the more he wanted to know. He still didn't feel like a father, although hewasn't even sure what a father was supposed to feel like.
Jack poured some water into a basin and washed his fishy hands with liquid soap. He glanced up as Nathan toreoff his shoes and shirt and jumped into the lake next to Daisy. She hollered his name as he splashed her.
It was very clear to Jack how Nathan felt about his mother. He might bitch that she babied him, but he lovedher. He might have hedgehog hair and a ring through his lip, but Billy was right. Daisy and Steven had done agood job raising Nathan. He was a good kid.
And Jack had nothing to do with it. He grabbed a towel and dried his hands. He tried not to let the bitternesshe'd hidden from Nathan rise up and eat a hole in him. He succeeded in keeping it tapped down, right next tothe burning ache in his gut that wanted Daisy Lee so bad it was driving him half crazy.
How could he still want her? Want to touch her as he sealed his mouth to hers? To feel the golden strands of herhair tangled around his fingers and the warmth of her skin against his palms? To smell her neck and to look intoher brown eyes as he made love to her? How could he want that and at the same time want to shake her and hurther as much as she'd hurt him? It didn't make a bit of sense to him.
Jack hung the towel on one shoulder and watched Nathan dive at Daisy. She screamed and he pulled her under.
Jack smiled despite himself. Daisy had a way of making him laugh when he didn't want to. Of making himremember things that brought a smile to his lips before he even realized what she was doing. Of reminding himthat they'd had a lot of good times together in the past, before things had gotten so fucked up.
If he closed his eyes, he could remember back to what she felt like in his arms. The weight of her body as sheleaned into him. The texture of her hair as he rested his chin on the top of her head. The sound of her voicesaying his name in anger or in ecstasy. The tastes and textures of Daisy Lee. He remembered it all and wishedlike hell he didn't.
Jack started charcoal burning in the fire pit and got out a cookstove. He put some Jimmy Buffet on the portableCD player and mixed flour, salt and pepper for the fish. While Jimmy sang about fins circling around, Jackcouldn't seem to keep his eyes off a certain white swimsuit jumping around and diving into the lake. Comingback up and looking almost transparent, but not quite.
When he and Nathan had returned this last time, Jack had stood on the bow of the boat and watched her walktoward the water. Toward him, looking like she was an underwear model wearing one of those one-pieceteddies that was cut up real high on her hips. Sexy as hell. Like a living, breathing wet dream. And for a fewseconds he'd wondered what it would be like if this was really his life. To return from a day out with his son andhave Daisy waiting for them. To grab her up and hold her against him. To touch her all he wanted. Anytime hewanted. Anywhere he wanted. For a few brief seconds, the thought of that life nearly sent him to his knees.
But that was not his life. Not reality, and he had no business even thinking about it.
Jack rolled the fish in the flour, then started the rice on the cookstove. Daisy and Nathan returned from the lakeand took turns changing in the tent. When Daisy emerged, she wore a soft blue pullover sweat shirt with GAPon the front, matching sweat pants, and white Nikes with a blue swoosh. Her hair was pulled back in one ofthose claw things. She set the picnic table while Jack cooked the fish in a skillet over the coals. They ate dinnertogether like a family. Talking and laughing. Jack had to remind himself that it wasn't real.
After dinner they played poker with wooden matchsticks. When it got dark, Jack got out the lanterns and theyplayed until Nathan yawned and announced that he was going to bed.
"It's early," Jack pointed out and tossed in his cards.
"I'm a tired camper," he said as he headed toward the tent.
"He does this sometimes. A few days ago, he went to bed right after dinner and slept clear through tillbreakfast," Daisy informed Jack as she gathered the cards and stuck them in the box. "I think he's growing sofast, he just gets worn from the inside out."
Jack rose and moved out of the pool of light to his truck. He grabbed his Jean jacket out of the cab, then walkedto the fire pit. Stars crammed the big Texas sky as he stirred the coals. He threw a few logs in the pit and took aseat in one of the folding chairs he'd placed around the pit. He stretched his legs out in front of him and watchedthe wood catch fire. He thought about their sleeping arrangements and wondered if he should have borrowedanother tent from Billy. Sleeping in the same tent wasn't going to be easy. Jack had never slept in such closeproximity to a. woman when they both weren't naked. This would be a first, and thank God Nathan would bebetween him and Daisy. Because lately his thoughts were definitely carnal where she was concerned, and he'dhate to fall asleep and wake up face-first in her cleavage.
"It's been a long time since Nathan and I got to get away and just relax," Daisy said and sat in a chair next tohim. "Thanks, Jack."
"You're welcome." He threaded his fingers together over his stomach, crossed his booted ankles, and pushed allthoughts of Daisy's cleavage from his brain. The fire cracked and popped. In between comfortable silences,Daisy told him more about her plans to sell the house she'd shared with Steven, and more about opening herown photography studio. She was ready to get on with her life and eager to start.
They talked about Billy and his family, and she filled him in on the latest with Lily. Lily's divorce was to befinal in a few days. According to Daisy,Lily was finally getting herself together. Jack had his doubts, but he didn't mention them.
"Being back here in Texas brings back a lot of memories for me," Daisy said. "Most of them good." He couldfeel her gaze on him and he looked across his shoulder at her. Firelight danced in her hair and across her face. Ittouched her mouth and drew his gaze to her lips. "Remember when you and I and Steven made that timecapsule out of a coffee can and buried it in your backyard?" she asked.