The Sugar Queen by Tess Thompson

15

Brandi

The next morningwas my scheduled day off. I woke up early as usual, but went back to sleep, snuggling close to Trapper’s warm body. He slept on his side, curled up like a kid. The next time I opened my eyes it was after eight. Trapper was still snoring softly, so I crept out of bed as quietly as I could. I dressed in shorts and one of Trapper’s Michigan sweatshirts and headed toward the kitchen.

I hadn’t expected anyone else to be up yet, but the smell of coffee told me differently. Crystal was there, chopping a green pepper. Ramekins filled with diced ham and shredded cheese were next to a bowl with whipped eggs.

She looked up when I came in and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

When we arrived home yesterday after the visit to the cemetery, neither Garth nor Crystal had been there. Only one of their cars was missing, so we assumed they were together. A note on the kitchen table said they’d gone into Louisville to do more shopping. I’d then texted her that all was well with Trapper and me and that I’d fill her in later. We’d gone to bed before they’d gotten home.

“Tell me everything.” She tossed the onions and green peppers into the melting butter and moved them around with a spatula.

I shared with her the extent of our conversation. “It was hard but good in the end. I feel like a thousand-pound weight has lifted from my shoulders.”

“I’m so glad,” Crystal said. “I knew he would understand when you explained it all to him.”

“I’m glad to say you were right. Also, we’re getting married. Sooner rather than later.”

“Married?”

I nodded and grinned. “You can’t talk me out of it, so don’t even try.”

“I wouldn’t think of it.” She clasped her hands under her chin. “This is wonderful.” She came around the island to hug me. “I couldn’t be more delighted for you.”

We embraced, holding on a little too long. There was so much between us, so many shared experiences and pain from our lives that we’d supported each other through. “You’ve always been here for me.”

“I always will be.” She withdrew. “You know what we should do later? Call my mom. She’ll be over the moon.”

I smiled. “She was kind to me when I was beyond lost. I’ll never forget it.”

“Will you want a big wedding?” Crystal asked. “Like the kind where you invite the whole town?”

I shook my head. “Nothing sounds worse. I’d prefer just to elope. Something casual. Maybe here at the house. The sooner the better.”

“Since Patrick and I got married after being together a month, I can’t say a word. We couldn’t stand to wait a minute longer. In hindsight, I’m so glad because that was just that many more months that I was his wife. However, I still had enough time to find a dress and organize a small wedding.” She stuck out her bottom lip. “I hate to think of you not having a celebration. Let me throw something together. We can do it here or at Trapper’s parents’. If my stupid house hadn’t burned down, we could’ve done it there.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Fine.” She poured the eggs into the pan. They popped and sizzled. After a minute, she tossed the ham and veggies in, then folded it over and plopped it on a plate.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and watched her move around the kitchen. Something was different. Was it a glow? Or the way she carried herself? She wore a loose-fitting cotton T-shirt dress. Her hair was wrapped in a knot on top of her head, and there was a healthy color to her cheeks. “You’re looking relaxed.”

She didn’t make eye contact, focused still on the peppers. “Thanks. I had…a good night.”

“How come you were so late getting home?” I asked.

“We had dinner at Puck’s after shopping. We had a feeling you two might need some alone time.”

“I appreciate that,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Sure, yes. Just fine.” Her neck pinkened to the same color as her cheeks.

I drew closer. Was that a mark on her neck? “Is that a hickey?”

Her hand flew to her neck. “Um. No. I mean, yes.”

“Oh my God, did you sleep with him again?”

She looked up, then put both hands on the counter, her voice lowering. “It was just this one last time.” She leaped around the island and grabbed my hand. “Outside. Now.”

I giggled as she dragged me outside to the patio.

“We made a pact,” she said after closing the French doors behind us.

“A pact?”

“Yes. This would absolutely be the last time.”

“How did it happen?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came down here around midnight to make a cup of chamomile tea. He was down here too, working on his laptop.” She pointed toward the kitchen as if he were still there. “The house was so quiet and still and the light in here was…so dim and intimate, like the rest of the world had disappeared.” She paced from one end of the patio to the other as she talked. “I just stood there, watching him. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him. He looked up at me and we stared at each other like we were glued together. Then, all of a sudden, he scooped me up and pressed me against the wall, and kissed the daylights out of me.” She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “I swear I couldn’t stop myself. It was so hot. He’s so hot. He wrapped me around his waist and carried me upstairs like it was nothing. I got the feeling of his athletic prowess—the guy didn’t even breathe heavy.” She stopped near a flowerpot and fanned herself. “I’m getting hot thinking about it.”

“Did he take you into his bedroom?” I asked, hanging on every word. “I didn’t hear a thing.”

“No. My room. Since his room is right above yours, we were afraid we might wake you guys, which would have been completely mortifying.”

“Were you loud?” I laughed as she covered her face with her hands.

“I plead the Fifth,” she said through her fingers.

I settled down on one of the chairs and held the steaming cup of coffee in front of me. “You’re so dirty. Go on.”

She lowered her hands. “It was good. No, great. Kind of mind-blowingly fantastic. Completely different than the first time. For one thing, I didn’t cry afterward.” She let out a long sigh. “I can’t believe the poor guy would even consider doing it again after how I botched it the first time. That said, we both understand that neither one of us wants a relationship. I mean, he’s still reeling from his divorce, and I’m in love with my husband.”

“Your late husband,” I said softly.

She plopped down in the chair next to mine. “I know I must seem silly to you—loving a man who’s been dead for two years.”

“Not at all. I’ve loved Trapper all my life, even when I didn’t think there was any chance that we’d ever get back together.”

“When I can sleep, which isn’t often, I still dream about Patrick every night,” she said. “And every morning I have to remember all over again that he’s gone.”

“I know you do.” I could see the way his death had taken a toll on her sleep by the dark smudges under her eyes.

She tilted her head to the sky and winced. “Except last night, I didn’t dream of Patrick. I slept like a log.” She smiled and flushed red again. “Well, other than the time Garth woke me up for seconds.”

“I can’t believe this.”

“I know. This fire has made me into some new person. Some slutty person.” Her fingers grasped at the chain around her neck. “I wear his ring. I mean, what’s the matter with me? It’s not fair to Garth to just fall into bed with him when I have no intention of this going anywhere. I mean, he’s like the best guy and old-fashioned, which I know must be making him feel weird, too.”

“But you said you made a pact.”

“Right. Of course. I shouldn’t be worried. He said he’s not ready for anything serious either. I mean, we talked about it last night afterward. That’s when we agreed that this was the last time.”

“And then you did it again?”

“This is not funny,” Crystal said.

I covered my mouth and tried to sober up, but the expression on her face was too much. “Crystal, you’re not a kid. You’re two consenting adults having fun. It’s not hurting anyone if you guys have a fun, casual relationship. I mean, what’s wrong with just dating and having hot sex as long as you both know it’s just for amusement?”

“Okay, yes, when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound as sordid.”

I laughed again. “It’s hardly sordid. When did you become such a prude?”

“I’m not a prude,” Crystal said. “But I’m not used to just falling into a stranger’s bed on a whim. It’s like this fire bonded us somehow.”

“What happened when you woke up this morning? Was it awkward?” I asked.

“He wasn’t there. Thank God. I forgot how bad morning breath is. It’s been so long since I shared a bed with someone. And you should’ve seen my hair. It looked like I’d been in a tornado.”

“A tornado named Garth.”

“Again, not funny.”

“I’m sorry, but this is way too much fun.”

“Oh, Brandi, he’s so beautiful. Patrick was handsome, in a geeky type of way. I adored the way he looked, but he wasn’t exactly the hard-body type. Garth’s got this country-boy vibe going on and his body…is hard…everywhere. But anyway, it doesn’t matter. It was just one night of fun. Like I said, we made a pact.”

“That seems like a hard one to keep, given that your rooms are next door.”

“God, I know. It’s going to be so tempting. Honestly, he’s such a great guy—funny and thoughtful. Smart, in a quiet way. He loves to read, too, so we’ve talked about all these books we both like. Anyway, we both agreed that we can’t let this get out of hand or one or both of us could get hurt. Friends from here on out.” She made a movement with her hands like she was shutting a door.

Good luck with that, I thought.

“Let’s go inside,” she said. “I promised Garth a Denver omelet. That’s his favorite.”

I followed her inside to the kitchen, unconvinced about their future. She was cooking for him, hot for his body, and they had many shared interests. Sure, this was going nowhere.

“The kitchen smells just like my dad’s,” Garth said from the doorway. “I almost thought I was home for a minute there.”

Crystal beamed at him. “I hope it’s not cold.” She pushed the plate with the food across the island toward him.

“It’s like living at the finest hotel around here.” He rummaged in the drawer for a fork. “I mentioned in passing that a Denver omelet was my favorite breakfast.”

Did these two really think they were going to be able to go back to a casual friendship? My prediction? They were back in bed together by the time the sun went down.

“I never forget any detail that has to do with food,” Crystal said.

“Me either,” I said. “That’s one of the reasons we’re best friends.”

“I’d say it’s quite advantageous to have you two around,” Garth said. “I may decide never to rebuild my house.”

Crystal laughed. “At some point Brandi and Trapper will want their privacy.”

I poured him a cup of coffee.

“Coffee, too? I love the service around here.”

“What’s this?” Trapper’s voice drew my attention to where he stood in the doorway. “Have I woken in someone else’s house?”

“Would you like an omelet?” Crystal asked.

“Yes, please.” He marched over to me and lifted me up in his arms and planted a kiss on my mouth. “Did you tell them?” He set me back on my feet.

“Not Garth,” I said. “But Crystal knows.”

“Knows what?” Garth poured another cup of coffee and handed it to Trapper.

“We’re getting engaged today,” Trapper said.

“Well, hot damn. I love weddings,” Garth said.

“You do?” Crystal asked. “A divorce attorney who loves weddings?”

“A divorce attorney who’s divorced, no less,” Garth said. “Call me crazy. I’m a romantic. It takes more than a money-hungry ex-wife to beat it out of this country boy.”

Crystal poured another batch of eggs into the skillet. “That does make you a little crazy.”

Garth cut up his omelet with his fork. “I’m either delusional or hopeful, depending on how you look at it.” He shoved a forkful of his breakfast into his mouth and made an appreciative grunt. “City Mouse, this is awesome.”

“Thank you. I’m a trained professional,” Crystal said.

“You know what?” Trapper grabbed me and twirled me around in a circle. “Let’s get married tomorrow. We can call Pastor Lund and have him marry us at the church, then have a party here afterward.”

“Tomorrow?” I squealed as he placed me on a stool.

“I’ve waited ten years for you,” Trapper said. “I don’t want to wait another minute to make you my wife.”

“What about your mom and dad?” Brandi asked.

“They’ll be all for it,” Trapper said. “As long as we’re married in the church.”

“I can throw some side dishes together,” Crystal said. “If Garth can barbecue.”

“Hell yeah,” Garth said.

“However, there’s something missing,” Crystal said. “I don’t see a ring on my best friend’s finger.”

“I can take care of that this morning.” Trapper grinned.

“Fine, but what about a dress?” Crystal asked.

“There’s that fancy store in town,” Garth said. “Maybe you could find a pretty dress in there.” He raised his eyebrows and laughed as we all looked at him. “What? My office is right next door. They have dresses in the window display right now. I see a lot of ladies come out of there with big old shopping bags. I mean, if money’s no object.”

“Money’s no object,” Crystal said. “Because I’m paying for it.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I said.

“I know, I know,” she said. “But just this once, let me have my way. I want you to have a pretty dress on when you marry this guy.” She pointed at Trapper. “And you better dress in the nicest suit you have. I’ll call Stormi to take photographs.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she put her hands up. “No arguments. You’ll thank me later. Everyone needs a photograph from their wedding day. I promise to keep it simple.”

“We better invite the guys too,” Trapper said. “Otherwise, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“All right, fine,” I said. “As long as you two will be our witnesses, I’m in.”

“We’re going to witness the crap out of it.” Garth smacked the counter with his hand. “This is going to be one heck of an awesome wedding.”

“I’ll call Pastor Lund from my office,” Trapper said. “And see if he can marry us sometime tomorrow.” He walked across the kitchen toward the office.

Garth frowned. “I sure wish my wedding cowboy boots hadn’t burned up in the fire.”

“You have special boots just for weddings?” Crystal asked.

“Doesn’t everyone?” Garth asked, deadpan.

“No, not everyone,” I said. “But we should, of course.”

“I wear them to christenings and graduations, too,” Garth said. “Any special occasion, really. I mean, that would just be weird to keep them for weddings only.” He patted his stomach. “That was some good grub, Crystal. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Crystal said, rolling her eyes and laughing at the same time. “Grub is my specialty.”

Trapper returned to the kitchen, wearing a triumphant expression. “Pastor Lund is in. He says to be at the church at five tomorrow and he’ll marry us.”

“Eat up,” Crystal said as she slid a plate across to me. “Dress shopping is hard work.”

“What should I do?” Garth asked. “I want to do something.”

“You’re in charge of the reception,” Trapper said. “Get a hold of some stuff to grill and a bunch of booze.”

“I’m on it like a bee to honey,” Garth said as he rinsed his plate and put it in the dishwasher. “City Mouse, can you make me a list? I’ll go to the store while you guys are at the dress shop.”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m thinking light appetizers and a salad or two, plus a couple of skirt steaks.”

“I’ll call my parents, Breck, and Huck on my way to Louisville,” Trapper said as he stuffed his phone in his pocket. “And I’ll tell my mom to make sure Tiffany comes.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because Breck has a huge crush on her, and what works better to get a girl in the mood for love than a wedding?” Trapper kissed the top of my head. “I’m out of here. I’ve got a ring to find.”

“Don’t forget about one for yourself,” Crystal said.

“Will do,” Trapper said as he headed out the patio door.