Sonora dropped the carving into her shirt pocket and then ran back into the living room.
“Okay, I’m back,” she said. “Are you ready?”
“Oh, yeah. I stay ready,” Adam answered.
Words stuck in the back of her throat as her mind went right to the memory of him brown and bare as the day he was born. Despite the knot in her belly, she straightened her shoulders and tossed her hair.
“Shut up, Two Eagles, and just so you know… I’m a black belt in karate.”
“Well, now…isn’t that interesting? I had no idea that we have so much in common.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“I’m a black belt, too.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Weren’t we going somewhere?”
He opened the door and then stepped aside.
“After you, Ms. Jordan.”
* * *
The ride to the Billy home started out awkwardly, but it wasn’t long before Adam had Sonora laughing about an incident from his childhood.
“I can’t believe you and your cousin thought up such an intricate revenge.”
He laughed as they sped down the road, leaving a cloud of dust behind them to settle on the trees and bushes along the way.
“We were ten. What can I say? Kenny was like a brother to me, and Douglas Winston told all the kids at school that Kenny still wet the bed. We just figured to give him a dose of his own medicine.”
“Yes, but how did you get the plastic tube under him while he was sitting at the desk?”
“Douglas had a habit of breaking the lead in his pencils, so he was always having to get up to sharpen it. Kenny sat right behind him and I was on Kenny’s right with the aisle between us. We waited until Douglas got up to sharpen his pencil. When he was on the way back, we pretended to be working, and as soon as he turned around and began sitting down, Kenny slipped the tube directly under him. It was so small and pliable that he never felt it. As soon as he began writing again, I handed Kenny the water bottle. He poked the tube in the place where the straw would go, then squeezed. Water went up and through that tube as slick as butter.”
“Didn’t the other kids see you?”
“Yeah, but Douglas was something of a bully, so they figured he had it coming.”
“Then what happened?”
“The bell rang. Kenny yanked the tube out from under him as he leaned over to get his backpack out from under the seat. I stuffed the water bottle in my backpack while Kenny stuffed the tubing in his, and we ran like hell out of the classroom.”
“What about Douglas?”
“Well, it looked like he’d peed his pants and then sat in it. We were halfway up the hall when we heard him squall. He bellowed and bawled and then refused to come out of the room. The principal had to call his mama, who had to take off work to bring him some dry underwear and pants. She was so mad. He begged to go home, but she made him change his clothes and stay.”
“Did he ever know it was you and Kenny?”
“Probably, but he didn’t have the guts to confront us and everyone was so busy teasing him that they forgot all about Kenny. It was fifth-grade justice at its best.”
“Remind me never to get on the wrong side of you,” Sonora said.
Adam tapped the brakes as he took a sharp turn, then glanced sideways.
“I’ll never be your enemy, Sonora. Trust that. Remember that.”
Sonora felt branded by the glitter in his eyes, but it was the promise of his words that soothed the fire. Even after he turned his attention back to the road, she kept watching him time and time again. She knew he was right. They’d never be enemies, but they would be lovers. Of that she was certain.
Chapter 10
Clouds were beginning to gather as Adam pulled up in front of Johnny Billy’s home. He eyed the sky, remembering that there were thunderstorms predicted for this part of the state later today. From the way they were building, it appeared that they would be here sooner. Still, he believed they had time for him to check on Patricia.
“Do they know you’re coming?” Sonora asked.
He nodded.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m with you?” she added.
He took her by the hand and gave it a tug.
“Yes, I’m sure, and don’t try to make me think you’re scared of an ordinary family and one little girl…not after I know what you do for a living.”
“There’s scared and there’s scared,” she said. “It’s far more scary to face rejection than it is to face danger or pain.”
Adam was silenced by the simplicity of her words, and at the same time shamed. He’d grown up so confident of his sense of worth. He couldn’t imagine what it had taken for Sonora to become the self-possessed woman she was today.
She was a true beauty. Her hair was thick and dark. He liked it when she chose to wear it down as she was today. Her eyes were brown, just like Franklin’s, and she had a jut to her chin, just like Franklin, when she was about to defy propriety. Still, he knew that the jut to her chin was also part of the armor she wore to protect her heart. He didn’t know what it was going to take to make her trust him, but he was willing to wait.
“So let’s get this show on the road,” he said. “The weather doesn’t look as promising as it did when we left. We probably won’t stay very long.”
“I’m lost when it comes to Oklahoma weather, so I bow to your greater understanding,” she said.
Adam smiled as he opened the door and got out. Sonora slid out behind him, then followed him to the house. Just as they were walking up the steps, the front door opened. It was Linda Billy.
Adam smiled easily as he gave Sonora’s hand a comforting squeeze.
“Hello, Linda.”
“Hey, Adam.” She glanced shyly at Sonora. “Welcome. Come in, please. It’s so hot this afternoon.”
Adam put a hand at the small of Sonora’s back, and as he did, remembered the snake tattoo. The urge to jerk his hand back was instinctive, even though it was just a picture on her skin and not the real thing, the power of its presence was not lost on him.
“Johnny still at work?” Adam asked as they followed Linda into the living room and sat down.
“Yes. He took Eldon Farmer’s route for him this morning. Eldon broke his arm last night feeding cows, which means Johnny won’t be home until after midnight.” Then she gestured toward the sofa. “Please, sit down.”
Adam cupped Sonora’s elbow. “Thanks, but there’s someone I want you to meet first. Linda, this is Franklin Blue Cat’s daughter, Sonora Jordan. She’s visiting him for a while.”
Linda’s mouth dropped open. “Uh… I didn’t know… I mean…it’s very nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Sonora said.
Before Linda had time to say anything about Franklin’s bachelor status that might be embarrassing to Sonora, Adam changed the subject.
“How has Patricia been since I made medicine?”
“Good,” Linda said.
“Any residual problems with