by Various
“Evans’ place?” Lolly asked. “You said Flores.”
“Vance’s grandmother, Emelina Flores,” he said, steering her to the front doors and hitting the lights and setting the alarm as they headed out. He turned and locked up, saying, “Haven’t you met her yet?”
She shook her head. “You said DuVal. What’s happening?”
“Hopefully a whole lot of nothing,” he muttered. “We’ll take the squad car just in case I have to act in an official capacity.”
Once they were on their way, sirens blaring, he told Lolly what he knew. “So it seems your uncles have managed to get themselves liquored up and ridden horses out to the Evans’.”
“Horses? Why are they on horses?”
“I have no idea,” Brooks said, taking a corner as gently as he could without losing too much speed. “Emelina is the only one home, and it seems they’ve invited themselves in and have found Mr. Evans’ wine cellar.”
“Oh, God. I really thought everyone was over-reacting. My uncles are nice guys. They love my mother. They love me!”
Brooks reached around all the police equipment between them and patted Lolly on the leg. “I’m pretty sure this is just a pissing contest. Still, I’m not happy they’ve upset the Big Em.”
“The Big Em?’
“Vance’s grandmother,” he said smiling. “Our pet name.”
They pulled up the long front drive, which ended in a circle in front of the house. Sure enough, there were three saddled horses nibbling grass in the center of the drive. Completely untethered but uninterested in running off, from the looks of it.
“They’re probably from the stable where my cousin rides. I can’t say I’ve ever seen any of my uncles on a horse,” Lolly said, exiting the car and pulling her trench coat down as far as she could. As Brooks rang the doorbell, Lolly pulled off the pink heels to carry them in her hand. It was then that Brooks looked her up and down.
“You’re going to have some explaining to do in that outfit,” he said, grinning.
“I’m sort of hoping for enough action that nobody pays attention to what I have on.”
“You could wait in the car,” he suggested.
She scoffed at him, “And miss this? Not a chance.”
Emelina Flores opened the door wide with a flourish. She said rather loudly, “Ah, Brooks! What a pleasant surprise. You’ll come in, won’t you?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said as he winked at Big Em.
“They are in the kitchen,” she whispered. “I haven’t been able to get ahold of Hale or Vance. But now that you’re here, I’d prefer we get them out before either of them come home.”
“Why don’t you ladies stay here? Give me a minute to size up the situation. Oh, this is Lolly by the way. Lolly DuVal,” he pronounced the last name to ensure the Big Em could figure out who she was standing next to. He heard Emelina’s surprise as he wandered toward the kitchen.
Brooks really wished he wasn’t on duty. One look at the situation had him close to howling with laughter. Since it wasn’t Halloween, he wasn’t exactly sure what he was seeing, but he choked all that back and proceeded cautiously, following protocol as best he could since he was entering the scene wearing his police uniform.
He took another step and stopped. Fuck this good cop shit, he thought. This was too good to pass up. Besides, he had information he probably shouldn’t, but there it was. He’d use it to his advantage.
“What the hell kind of a lame-ass rodeo is this?” he said, walking into the kitchen where Jeb, JB, and Big Jim DuVal were sprawled about with a dozen wine bottles scattered between them. There were cowboy hats, bandanas, and fruity Texas shirts everywhere he looked. Big Jim had on chaps, for Christ's sake. Jeb’s belt buckle was as big as his head. JB’s loafers looked ridiculous with the rest of his get-up, but they were the only things that resembled what the DuVal brothers usually wore.
“Hey!” they all hollered at him at once.
“If it isn’t the great Brooks Bennett! Come on in here and have yourself some of the finest wine we’ve found in all of North Carolina,” Big Jim offered as he got up to pour Brooks a glass.
“I didn’t know cowboys took much stock in wine.”
“Well, this ain’t exactly a rodeo,” Jeb confessed. “It’s more like a hootenanny.”
“Right. And what are we hooting about?” Brooks asked as he took his first sip. “Didn’t realize y’all were so friendly with the Evans family.”
“Well, now,” JB said, “our sweet Genevra has informed us that the Evans clan and the DuVal clan are likely going to be joining forces, if you will,” he said, swaying right off the countertop he’d propped his elbows on. He caught himself and continued without missing a beat. “Being as we are the bride’s family, it’s our duty to extend a greeting to the groom’s family. So we formed a posse, mounted up, and rode ourselves over here.” He indicated with his arm. “Took us a little longer than expected with all that whiskey-for-my-men and beer-for-my-horses bullshit Jim insisted on. We had to stop at The Situation to gird our loins, so to speak.” JB leaned in toward Brooks and said, “There are some delicate family matters that need discussing, you understand. We just wanted to reach an understanding as soon as possible.”
“Understood,” Brooks acknowledged, preparing to clear the room and get Lolly’s uncles home to bed. But his plans were thwarted with one big cheer.
“Lolly!” JB, Jim, and Jeb shouted in unison, holding up their glasses in a toast. Brooks turned as Emelina and Lolly entered the kitchen hand in hand. “Come here and give us a hug, darlin’,” Jeb suggested. They were too inebriated to either notice or comment on Lolly’s hot-pink trench coat, which she tugged down with both hands as she made the rounds.
“Are y’all all right?” she asked, giving each man a big hug in turn. Brooks watched with great appreciation as she reached one arm around her uncles’ necks and went up on her toes. Her sweet little ass and high-cut lace underpants were on full display no matter that she kept one hand on the hem. “Why are y’all here?”
“A friendly how-the-hell-are-you and welcome-to-the-DuVals meet and greet,” Jeb said. “It’s the…you know…right thing to do in this situation, darlin’. Your momma. Well, she’s got a special place in our hearts and we just want to make sure she’s happy.”
“That’s very sweet, Uncle Jeb. I think she’s going to be very happy.” Lolly’s voice rose to encompass the entire room. “Especially now that all of her favorite brothers-in-law are standing behind her one hundred percent. She told me you would, you know. Momma said that she didn’t want to tell y’all until she was absolutely sure about Hale Evans. But now that she is, she wanted you to be the first to know just how much she loves him, because you have been so good to me all these years. Some people might think I drew the short straw having my daddy pass away before I got to know him. But in truth, I haven’t known one day of sorrow because I have three uncles giving me more love than one daddy ever could.”
“We do love you, Lollypop. And we will stand one hundred percent behind your mother and her choice to…remarry.” Jeb looking pointedly at his two brothers as he said, “She’s been a loyal DuVal for a long, long time, and…” he continued, looking back at Lolly, “the two of you can always count on us.”
“Gentlemen, forgive me my manners,” Emelina said, holding a beautiful tray of grapes, meats, and cheeses. “Where I grew up we always enjoyed a little Spanish cheese with our wine. May I?” she asked as she set the platter down on the kitchen table, quickly clearing away empty bottles.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Miss Emelina,” Big Jim gushed as he pulled up his jeans on the way over to the table. “We’re not going to be able to let the Major near you at the weddin’.”
Lolly’s three uncles broke into gales of laughter, each digging into the platter as Lolly helped Emelina clear away bottles and deliver small plates and napkins to the men. Brooks had joined right in with the uncles like he was one of them. They had their heads toge
ther laughing about Mamma DuVal’s keeping the Major on a short leash.
The women worked quickly and efficiently. Once the place looked like a respectable party they each poured themselves a glass of wine. Emelina drew out another large wedge of cheese, surrounding it with crackers. She and Lolly pulled a couple of tall stools up to the kitchen island, fixing themselves a midnight snack while they reintroduced themselves.
“You are playing tennis and golf with Vance,” Emelina said.
“That’s right,” Lolly agreed.
“Yet you are trying to seduce the big one over there.” Emelina indicated Brooks at the kitchen table.
Lolly laughed, blushing profusely. “Correct again,” she said, covering her mouth so she wouldn’t spew cracker all over the counter.
Emelina looked over Lolly’s pink trench coat and said, “I think Vance would have been much easier than all this.”
Unfortunately, Lolly had just taken a sip of wine and it did spew all over the countertop. She choked and she laughed and she cleaned up the mess, all the while agreeing with Vance’s grandmother: Vance would have indeed been easier to seduce.
As if conjured up by the mention of his name, the French doors at the back of the kitchen opened and in stepped Vance, sporting his best WTF look.
All three uncles turned their heads, their drunken gazes landing on Vance. Silence echoed around the kitchen. Finally JB slurred, “Isn’t he a little young for Genevra?”
Emelina raced over and wrapped her hands around Vance’s shoulders. “Gentlemen DuVal. This one is my grandson. Not Genevra’s intended, I assure you.”
“Well, okay then,” JB said, beckoning Vance over with his arm. “Come on in, boy. Pull up a chair!”
Scanning the crowd, Vance eventually shrugged his shoulders and said, “I’m down with that.” He moved across the kitchen, opened a cabinet, and selected a wine glass. Then he surveyed the open bottles at the table and disappeared. When he came back, he had two bottles tightly gripped in each hand.
That’s when Hale and Genevra stepped through the same doors. Their eyes shifted over the scene, unsure about what they’d just walked into.
Uncle Jeb stood slowly, holding up his wine glass as he did. “Forgive our imposition. My brothers and I wanted to stop by and congratulate Mr. Evans on his good fortune. And Genevra, we’d like you to know that we are one hundred percent behind you. Now and always.”
Lolly’s mother blinked several times, obviously holding her breath. “Well,” she said as she let the breath out.
Hale looked over at Vance, who stood in mid-stride with four bottles of wine hanging from his hands. He pointed to the wine. “That better be the good stuff!” he quipped, offering up a big smile and moving forward to shake Jeb’s hand.
The room erupted with greetings and merriment, and Lolly and her mother looked at each other from across the room in dazed amazement. Lolly shrugged as she brought her wine glass to her lips, watching her mother be engulfed by each of the men in turn.
At one in the morning, Emelina snuck away from the party, missing three completely different, but highly-entertaining, versions of how the horses got into the act. At three o’clock, Brooks had the foresight to call the on-duty police officers and tuck Lolly’s uncles into two cruisers for a ride home. The horses were nowhere to be seen, so he asked his fellow officers to be on the lookout for three fully-saddled horses as well.
By the time Brooks got back inside, the kitchen was being wiped down and looked no worse for the wear. Genevra and Hale thanked him for his help in handling the situation and told him breakfast would be served on the pool deck at ten o’clock if he cared to join them. Then they walked down the hall hand in hand. Brooks watched as Genevra dropped her head on Hale’s shoulder.
He turned as Vance came through the French doors with a T-shirt in his hand. He handed it to Lolly and reiterated what Hale had just said, word for word, about the guest room and where she could find anything she needed. Vance grinned at her then and said, “You owe me big.”
“Why is that?” Lolly yawned.
“Because I’ve got a hole in my tongue from biting it every time I started to ask if you wanted me to take your coat.”
“Such a gentleman.” She yawned again. “I’ve got to go to bed.”
Vance slapped Brooks on his back. “The Big Em has the pull-out couch sheeted up for you. I’ll leave the door unlocked.”
“Thanks, man,” Brooks said as Vance left the kitchen.
Brooks sat on a tall stool and pulled a tired Lolly to him, tucking her in between his legs. “Hey,” he said quietly, tilting her chin up so he could see her eyes. “I might have to see about getting you on the payroll.”
Lolly looked up, bewildered.
“Terrorist negotiations. You’re like a secret weapon.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Laura Leigh, you changed everything. You disarmed your uncles and changed their minds. Instead of an intensely awkward, no-win situation for anybody, you managed to create a bond between two families. Your two families. Your uncles ended up having the time of their lives tonight. And with them firmly behind your mother marrying Hale, well, Henderson will roll out the red carpet. You did that.”
“They love me. And they love Momma. I just reminded them of that.”
Brooks took his big hands and placed them on either side of her face. “I hated having to share you and your trench coat. But your being in the right place at the right time made all the difference.”
She laughed and pulled away. “Not exactly the night I had in mind.”
Brooks hopped off the stool and dragged her back into his arms. “I want a do-over. Another chance with the trench coat. Another chance to slap some cuffs on you.”
Lolly tucked the bangs that had long ago fallen out of her ponytail back behind her ear. “If that call hadn’t come in and none of this had happened—if your shift had ended as planned—where would we have ended up?”
“In my house,” he said against her lips. “In my bed. No doubt about it.”
Lolly pushed him away and started strolling off toward the guest bedroom. “All right then. Because you might want to take note that I’m actually spending the night at Vance’s house.”
“Duly noted,” he said, watching her walk up the staircase.
“And wearing his T-shirt,” she said as she swung it around and stepped out of sight.
Brooks smiled at her, at himself, and at the situation. Then he turned out the kitchen lights, closed the French doors behind him, crossed over to the pool house, and quietly stepped inside Vance’s bachelor pad. Vance appeared in the darkness at the door to his bedroom.
“She meet you at the office dressed like that?”
“Yes, she did,” Brooks said, pulling his shirt over his head.
“I’m sorry, man.”
“Don’t be,” Brooks said, sitting down on the couch and kicking off his shoes. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. She totally called my bluff. There was no way I was turning that down. But as the evening wore on and my hopes and expectations had to…shift gears, as they say, I started to realize what a lucky SOB I am.”
“Lucky?”
“Damn lucky.”
“How do you figure?”
“Because now I get to see just what the hell she’s going to come up with next.”
Chapter Twenty-five
On July third, Annabelle Devine sat outside the Henderson Country Club wearing a crisp, cool sundress in her signature white. The temperature was heading from warm to hot, so she hailed one of the waitstaff to help her maneuver a table and three chairs into the shade and then ordered a pitcher of Mojitos to celebrate the start of the long weekend.
The final match of the mixed-doubles tennis tournament was beginning at eleven o’clock, and she’d finagled a prime spot to watch it, high above court one on the Club’s terrace. Now having a vested interest in Lolly DuVal beyond friendship, she was here to support her new business partner.
“
Thank God, it’s almost over,” Brooks said, collapsing into the seat next to Annabelle. “Lolly and Vance are ridiculously competitive.”
“This from an ex-baseball champ,” Annabelle smirked.
“Exactly. Between their golf and tennis and whatever top-secret shenanigans you and Lolly have gotten yourselves into, she has zero time for me. I hardly remember what she looks like,” he said, before waving off a Mojito and asking a waiter for a glass of water and an ice-cold beer. “Where’s your better half?”
“Duncan’s on his way. He needed to wrap up some work this morning. But we’re both staying for five long days,” she drawled out with a grateful sigh. “My sisters are coming home for the Fourth, so my parents will have a full house.”
“Mine too. Lewis and Darcy get in this afternoon. And Lewis’ parents are driving in and staying with Mom and Dad as well. It’ll be good having everybody back in town.”
A murmur of unrest rose from the court below, drawing their attention to Lolly and Vance. The two of them looked to be in a heated debate at the far end of the court. Vance was pointing his finger at Lolly and then flailing it around. Lolly stepped right up in Vance’s face, apparently telling him a thing or two before spinning about and stalking off. Annabelle heard Brooks’ breath hitch as Vance reached out and grabbed Lolly, pulling her around to face him and bringing her tight against his body.
“What the…?” Brooks said as the two of them watched Vance stroke Lolly’s arm, soothing her into a less-agitated state. Finally, they saw her nod at Vance, relax, and release herself from his grip. When she turned to walk away, Vance swatted her on the ass with his racket.
Annabelle bit her lip, glancing at Brooks for his reaction. She noticed he didn’t take his eyes off the court. “So, how much time have they been spending together?” she asked.
