A Feather in the Rain Read Online Free PDF Page A

new woman. A small sadness moved in his heart, and he turned away from Billy to look out the window.

10
Marlene
    T he first thing people noticed about Kathy Sue Diggs was a cascade of blond hair she could sit on. Seeking recognition for something deeper, she had cut it all off and now sported a two-inch pixie shag framing her pretty scrubbed face.
    When she opened the door, Jesse damn near fell back. Her hand fussed in her hair. Jesse said, “Wow! That was a bold move.” His grin grew wider as he studied her face. “You look great. I mean beautiful.” She knew he meant it. He thrust forward a handful of wildflowers and a bottle of red wine.
    Mason, a lean fourteen, was the quieter, more cerebral of the boys. He was a talented rider and held Jesse in the highest esteem. He greeted Jesse with a grownup handshake and the news that Billy and Lucas were out back tending the grill.
    Billy had thawed a brace of pheasants he’d shot last season and was doing a hell of a job making them look like a magazine cover with the rambunctious Lucas wielding a pepper mill.
    Marlene McAdams had a body to stop a Mormon in mid-sermon. An abundant luxury of shining, jet-black hair bespoke a Cherokee ancestry. She was big-city glib, confident, educated, and politically informed. But she didn’t hit you over the head with it. Jesse found her to be a very attractive and pleasing woman.
    In the kitchen, Kathy Sue carved hunks of apple pie and slid them onto plates as Marlene dropped a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on each one, saying, “He’s amazing. Every time he says something, it’s a surprise. He must spend half his time reading. And foreign films. I bet he’s the only man in Texas that’s ever seen a foreign film.” She licked her fingers. “He’s a horse trainer?”
    â€œOne of the best. Billy says he’s half horse,” said Kathy Sue.
    â€œWhich half?” She snickered. “I didn’t say that. He sure is interesting. He seems a million miles away even when he’s looking straight in your eyes.”
    â€œYeah…I think he is a million miles away. When his boy died, most all of Jesse went with him. Jesse was a pistol, always laughing, playing jokes on people, always up for a good time. The boy was everything to him. He raised him by himself.”
    â€œNo woman in his life?” Marlene licked vanilla ice cream off her fingers.
    â€œNot so’s anyone would notice. He never seemed to miss having a woman much. Oh, I’m sure he had his quiet little things going on now and then. The women are all crazy about him. But mostly he seemed to keep to himself…his boy, his horses, and his dogs.” Kathy Sue had loaded a tray with pie. She picked it up, shook her head at the sadness of it, and making a little lip sound said, “He sure would make somebody a catch.”
    Jesse stood, patted his belly and asked Marlene if she’d like to walk some of it off. Ambling under the stars she shared some privacies of her past and secret hopes for her future in a frank and open way. Jesse listened.
    Hardly a leaf stirred as they sat on the tailgate of the Ford, feet dangling and no sound between them. She followed an impulse andreached out and touched his cheek in a sweet and gentle way. Her voice seemed to come from afar. “You’re a good man, Jesse. You’ve got kind eyes.”
    Marlene knew that at least for now it wasn’t going any further. She inhaled the night and sighed. “Well, I guess I’d better go on in.”
    He smiled and nodded.
    â€œI enjoyed meeting you Jesse. Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime.”
    â€œI hope so.”
    She put her face close to his and swept him up in her huge brown eyes and softly placed her lips on his and said goodnight. She turned and walked away.
    He watched her go, enjoying the swinging flare of her hips, knowing she was aware. She waved her arm without turning