Chapter Ten
Adam sat back in his chair, watching a bunch of the cowboys playing a pick-up game of football. The whole place smelled like smoked meat, the brisket and ribs and sausage making his mouth water. He threw back the last of his first beer and pondered going into the trailer for another one.
Sometimes the little outdoor events had a lot to recommend them.
Pharris and the clown were sitting, playing cribbage with Beau and Sammy, with Sam cussing a blue streak. At least he thought that was what the little fuddled Texan was doing. He could be chanting some kind of weird mantra. Who the hell knew?
A cold beer pressed into his hand. “La, cher.”
“Hey, you.” Landon looked good. Happy. Smiling. Adam loved that sunny grin.
“Been talking to Sister. She’s having a good one.” Landon plopped down, legs all sprawled, giving him ideas.
“Is she?” He still had yet to meet Laurel. Adam wasn’t sure what to think about that.
“She wants y’all to come. We got the fridge fixed.”
“Yeah?” He couldn’t imagine not having a fridge in his trailer, let alone his house. Sometimes it stunned him, how Landon had grown up. Made him ashamed for taking things for granted, too. He should always be grateful for what he had.
“Yes, sir.” Landon grinned at him. “She says she needs to see your face.”
“I’d like to see her, too.” He was so curious to see what Landon’s twin might be like. Was she like Landon in spirit as well as body?
“She’s fierce, a traiteur.”
“What does that mean, exactly?” He knew they thought Laurel was some kind of healer, but he really didn’t know the word.
“She got a line to God to heal folks up, horses, too.”
Adam tilted his head. “Like faith healing?”
“Like she prays on things and they stop hurting. She does the herbs and stuff, too, but mostly God moves through her.” Landon sounded like he didn’t know how fucking ridiculous that sounded.
Adam stared, trying to bite his lip. Wasn’t no sense in getting into a philosophical discussion. Of course, that was when Bri and his buddy Callum showed up, pulling up a chair.
“That’s all bullshit,” Brian said.
“No, it’s not. I seen it. She made Miss Ouisie’s arthritis pain go after just one session.”
“She ought to be ashamed, taking money from old folks.” Callum’s nose wrinkled.
“She don’t take money. You cain’t. It’s a gift from God. You cain’t buy that.”
God, Landon, just hush, he thought. His brother didn’t react well to anything that smacked of cheating or even of magic.
Beau and them were watching now, too, all curious. Adam tried to change the subject. “So when are you going down there again?”
“I’m heading home after this weekend. I was hopin’ y’all would come too, meet Laurel.”
“I think Adam ought to watch that laying on of hands. Could fuck him up for life.” God, Bri was brutal. Adam glared at his brother, really not wanting to go there.
“She wouldn’t hurt him. I was telling her about your Granny’s aches. I ought to bring Sister to help there.”
“No way is any faith healer touching Granny Taggart. Tell him, Adam.” Brian stared at him, and he could hear Brian saying, ‘Nothing can come of it,’ in his head.
Adam shot another hard glare at Brian before shrugging at Landon, who watched him with trusting eyes. Lord. He didn’t know what to say except, “I doubt it would help much, honey.”
“Oh, she’s the best in the whole Parrish, I swear. One time, when we were twelve, I got throwed and busted my arm and she helped me fix it, just like if we’d took it to the doctor.”
