Nuts About You by Susan E. Farris

Author:Susan E. Farris [Susan E. Farris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Susan E. Farris
Published: 2022-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Early morning mist curled along the ground in wisps and waves. Grass crunched underfoot, releasing an earthy scent into the air. Despite the day’s forecast of ninety-degree heat, Cress shivered comically in her long shirt sleeves as she clambered out of Jake’s truck, and he looked pointedly at her.

“The day’s going to be blazing. Wear anymore and we’ll be dragging you out of the woods with heat stroke later,” he growled at her as he checked that his Springfield .45 was loaded then moved to unkennel the dogs whining restlessly in the bed of the truck.

She crossed her arms. “So you’ve said about a thousand times.”

“Jessayin’. You can always wait here by the truck. Like a sensible person.”

She groused, “Like the city-slicker you think I am.”

His exasperated sigh was drowned out by the joyful baying of the black-mouth curs as they leapt down from the truck and swarmed around his legs in a blur of yellow fur. Vada swanned up to them, decked head to toe in hunter’s orange, and kissed Jake on the cheek. She winked at Cress then wound her arm around her waist.

“So glad you didn’t let this sour puss talk you out of comin’.” Vada elbowed Jake. “I always need another lady at these things.”

Cress surveyed the testosterone-heavy participants of the hog hunt milling around their trucks in the fog and nodded. “It does seem that we’re outnumbered.”

Jake snorted as he waved at her old classmates, Floyd and Thomas. Even the pastor had come out for the event, although he seemed to be content chatting with Ruffin instead of gearing up. “Not many women want to go sprinting through the undergrowth following a pack of dogs that are trying to corner a steaming mad hog that would just as soon gut you as look at you.” He handed Cress a pistol and a bowie knife. “Try not to shoot one of my dogs, would you?”

She flexed her fingers around the pistol’s grip, testing its weight, then sited along it. “I’m a pretty good shot you know.”

He shook his head, dark hair flopping into his eyes before he brushed it up under a ball cap. “Won’t do much good if the pack is swarming the sucker. You won’t have a clear shot.” He tapped the bowie knife. “That’s what this is for. You’ve got to get in there and slit its throat before it disembowels a dog.”

Cress gaped at him. “You’re talking about a half-ton hog!”

Vada scowled at Jake. “You didn’t give her the rundown before you got here?”

He shook his head sheepishly. She muttered curses under her breath. Thumping him on the chest with her forefinger, she warned him, “You better keep up with her! Cress is like a sister to me. And, so help me, if you let her get hurt, you’re going to wish the hog had chopped off something you hold w-a-a-a-y more dear than your bowels!” She spun on her heel and stomped off.

Cress pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh at Jake’s stricken look.

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