by Tia Louise
My mother-in-law’s jaw drops. “Remington! I forbid it. What will people say?”
“It’s a business event, and I need an escort.”
“That’s exactly what they’ll say. She’s your escort.”
My jaw tightens. “In the literal sense. I need you to watch Lillie for me while we’re gone. Provided Ruby says yes. Will you do it?”
“I will not.” She straightens her shoulders, crossing her arms again. “I will not aid you in committing sin.”
“You’re saying you plan to live in this house and you won’t watch your granddaughter while I’m out of town?”
“Not if you take that woman. I will not let you shame my daughter’s memory by carrying on in this manner. What will people say?”
My throat tightens, and I literally see red.
Striding forward, I speak close to her face, my teeth gritted. “Do not ever bring up Sandy like this to me. I have been faithful to her memory a long time, and if I choose to date someone, it’s not an insult to her past… to our past. She will always have a special place in my heart.”
The words are difficult, but as I say them, I feel calm.
Drew said the words to me almost a year ago, and I wasn’t ready to hear them. Now I know them to be true. I can’t die because Sandy did. I have to go on living, and I have to see what the future holds for me—if only for Lillie’s sake.
Eleanor doesn’t seem to agree. “If you take that woman on an overnight trip, I will not stand idly by.”
“You’ll be moving. I’ll have my realtor begin the search for your new place today.” I make a move for my phone, but she’s across the room quicker than me, her voice changing to some sort of damsel in distress.
“Remington! I can’t move out. I need to be near my granddaughter. She’s all I have left. She’s the only thing I have.”
Hesitating, I cross my arms over my chest, studying her. I try to decide how much I feel I owe this woman. She did step in and help me at my lowest point. I don’t want to be cruel. I’m not a monster.
At the same time…
“You will watch Lillie if Ruby agrees to go with me to the gala, and you won’t say a word about it.”
She closes her eyes and bows her head as if she’s being martyred. “I will.”
Her behavior is so over the top, but it’s what I needed to hear. Now I’m ready to end this infuriating conversation. The sound of Ruby and Lillie downstairs distracts me, and I turn on my heel, leaving the room and jogging down the stairs.
As I get to the landing, I see the two of them bustling into the house. It makes me smile, and all that tension melts away.
“Dad-day!” Lillie launches into a run, and I catch her, lifting her in my arms. “My broccoli has furry little middles that look like real broccoli! But the beets just look like lettuce leaves with red stems. And Ruby showed me how to pull weeds and give them just a little bit of water. Not too much water!”
Ruby hangs at the door, but it’s too much distance between us. I carry my daughter to where she’s standing. Two pairs of gardening gloves are in her hands, and she looks down at them when I smile. Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink under my gaze.
“An artist and a gardener?” I grin, letting my eyes roam her face. “I feel like I’m getting a bargain.”
She’s still ready with the snark. “You’re paying me way too much, but I’m worth it.”
No argument here.
Lillie starts to wiggle, so I put her down. She races toward the stairs, and Ruby calls after her. “Wash your hands. No, get in the tub. You’ve got dirt all over you.” She glances at her hands and does a little frown. “I’m kind of a mess myself.”
“I’d be happy to help with cleanup.”
Her eyes narrow, and she gives me a sly grin. “I bet you would, filthy boy.”
It tightens my stomach and makes me laugh. “I meant with Lillie.”
Damn, I really want to be alone with her again. I imagine us in the garden tub in my bathroom suite, pulling her naked and slippery onto my lap…
I’ve got to figure out a way to make this work.
In the meantime, I’m just starting to follow my daughter upstairs when she calls after me. “Hey, um…” She hesitates, and I stop, taking a few steps back. “You feel like doing something tomorrow night? Drew said there’s this Karaoke thing at the Red Cat. Gray thought it might be fun if we all went…”
She’s so awkward, it’s my turn to tease. “Are you asking me out, Miss Banks?”
Her cheeks flame red. “No! It’s like a friend-type thing. A big group of friends. It’s not a date.”
I return to where she’s standing and trace a dark curl off her cheek with my finger. “Drew and Gray aren’t friends. They’re engaged.”
She puts her hand on my chest and gives me a little push. “Yes, but you and I are just friends, so back it up, big boy.”
I love it. Even with me giving her a hard time, she’s ready to be feisty right back. I can’t help a grin, and she looks at my face before shaking her head and walking past muttering something about a dimple.
Crossing my arms, I lean against the doorjamb watching her go. She’s got the cutest little ass. I’m busted checking her out when she stops at the stairs.
“Hey!” Her eyes narrow. “Eyes up here.” Two fingers point at her face, and I chuckle, following her to the stairs. “Do I get any time off?”
I hadn’t really thought about it. “Sure! I mean, I guess so… as long as Lillie’s covered.”
“I just wanted to have lunch with Ma. It’s weird not seeing her every day, and I guess yesterday at church I realized how much I miss her.”
We’d all arrived at the small sanctuary together, but after Ruby took Lillie to her Sunday school class, she returned and sat with her mother. I’d wanted to move and sit beside her, but it felt rude to leave Eleanor alone. Now I’m wondering why I cared.
“You can certainly have lunch with your mom. I’ll ask Eleanor to watch Lillie.” That doesn’t seem to be the right answer.
“No. Don’t ask Eleanor.” She holds up her hand. I’m confused, but maybe she senses what’s going on. Ruby is fucking smart as a whip. “What if I took Lillie with me instead? Ma would love it.”
“I don’t see why not.”
Her lips press into a frown. “It would mess up your daddy-daughter lunch, but maybe you could do something different that day? They opened this new custard shop across from the clinic. It’s supposed to be really good. I wouldn’t know, because—”
“You can’t have dairy. It sounds great. What day?”
She shrugs. “I was thinking Wednesday… or any day. Whatever works for you.”
“Wednesday it is. And tomorrow, you and I have a date.”
Her voice rings down as she jogs up the stairs. “It’s not a date.”
We’ll see about that.
15
Ruby
“Seems you can’t do anything without causing a commotion, Ruby Banks.” Drew shouts over the music blasting from the ancient jukebox as she sips her lemonade.
She’s holding Gray’s arm and her eyes sparkle. Everything about her glows. Her hunky hunky boyfriend—sorry, fiancé—is busy talking to my guest.
Remi is not my date.
“What are you talking about?” I shout back, doing my best not to blow her eardrum. “What commotion?”
“All the old church ladies are up in arms because Dr. North is interviewing nannies now. The scuttlebutt is he wants a nanny as hot as you.”
She bursts out laughing, but I feel slightly ill. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Isn’t Dr. North Serena’s husband?”
“Don’t tell me you care what happens to that bitch Serena.”
My lips twist into a frown. She’s a horrible, horrible person, but it doesn’t mean I want her husband bragging about hiring a sexy nanny.
“What’s up?” Remi rotates around to face us, holding a tumbler of whiskey.
I kind of like th
at he drinks whiskey. It goes with his lead-singer vibe. I’ve got another Tequila Sunrise… and I have an idea of a song I could sing…
“I was just telling Ruby about Dr. North desperately seeking a hot nanny.” Drew leans forward, making a face over her drink like it’s the most hilarious thing ever.
I guess it would be if I weren’t the reason behind the nonsense.
Remi shifts in his seat, and one glance at his face tells me he knows exactly what she’s talking about.
“You knew about this?”
“I heard something about it from Eleanor.”
“Oh my God!” I throw my hands up, falling back in the seat. “Baby Jesus, deliver me from these goddamned old church ladies!”
Gray laughs. “Did you just take the Lord’s name in vain in a prayer?”
Sometimes I’m so glad he’s back. Right now isn’t one of those times. “You should know what this is like. You were the target of their crap for a while.”
“Longer than a while.” He puts an arm around Drew and pulls her closer. “Now I don’t really give a shit.”
Drew melts into his side, and the jukebox switches off, leaving the room momentarily silent. Loud music filters through the ancient bar, and a gameshow-style announcer steps to the center of a brand-new stage.
“I can’t believe they actually invested money in this place.”
The guy calls out some woman named Elizabeth, and I feel Remi’s arm snake around my waist. He pulls me closer and speaks low in my ear as Elizabeth launches into a pretty decent rendition of “Hips Don’t Lie.”
“Hey, I’m really sorry about all that bullshit with Phillip. I had no idea he’d do something so stupid.”
My jaw tightens, and I know I shouldn’t be mad at Remi. It’s not his fault.
“Is he serious?” I look around the room, wondering who here is going to add to the rumor mill. “Or is he just taking a cheap shot at me?”
Looking over my shoulder, my eyes meet Remi’s and I see real anger there. “He’d better not be doing it to hurt you. Maybe I should have a talk with him—”
Shifting around, I grasp his forearm. “Don’t. Serena’s been making cracks at me all my life. If this is just adult bullying, I can deal with it. The last thing I want is to play their game.”
His brow lowers, and I have to say, angry, protective Remi might be the sexiest version I’ve seen so far. “I don’t like people being shitty when it comes to you. I won’t put up with it from Eleanor, and I sure as hell won’t put up with it from Phillip North.”
“You probably shouldn’t put your arm around me like that. We’re just friends, remember?”
His eyes hold mine with such intensity, I’m not sure he remembers, but it doesn’t matter. Elizabeth is finished, and the Karaoke DJ calls his name. “Can we get Remi to the stage? Remi, are you still here?”
Drew squeals and claps. “I put you in! Ruby said you sing, so I put you in for Kenny Rogers.”
A smile curls his lips. “You’ve been talking about me to Drew?”
My throat goes dry, and holy shit, if she put in that song…
He slips out of the booth and walks toward the stage as the piano riff that opens “She Believes in Me” rings through the bar. A few people hoot, and a few others stand to slow dance.
Remi takes the mic and walks to where I’m sitting in the booth and proceeds to sing the song directly to me. My skin hums with electricity, and I can’t take my eyes off him, sexy, his voice touching my heart. I’ve never really paid attention to the words. Now that I hear them, I feel like I can’t breathe.
He sings it so rich and perfect. His style is different from Kenny Rogers’s, but it’s still so good. My eyes get hot. I do believe in him… it makes me start to laugh. I’m such an idiot.
He finishes, and Drew screams like Kenny Rogers is really in the building. All I can do is smile and clap, but the room goes wild.
He does a little bow before sliding into the booth beside me and kissing my cheek. I don’t even care who sees. “You’re a hit.”
“How did she know to pick that song?” His eyes say he knows the answer, and I just want to make out with him right here on the spot.
“I might have told her it was your favorite.”
His arm goes around me again, and he speaks in my ear, giving me a shiver. “It was never my favorite until I met you.”
The DJ calls out Dagwood Magee, and my head snaps to meet Drew’s face. Both our mouths are wide open, and he launches into a version of Elton John’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues.”
Gray starts to laugh. “Biggest Elton John fan I’ve ever known.”
Drew pushes his shoulder, and he slides out, taking her hand. They proceed to slow dance in front of the table, and Remi looks at me, a question in his eyes.
Inhaling deeply, I consider it for a hot minute. “We’d better not. People are already talking about us, and you have to think about Lillie.”
“I think about Lillie a lot.” He smooths a curl off my cheek and tucks it behind my ear. I love when he does that. “I want to think about you, too.”
The song ends, and Remi gives me a little squeeze. “I’ll get us another round.”
Gray claps his hand, and they take off together toward the bar. Drew scoots around to me, and she’s glued to my side.
“I loooove Remi!” She’s bouncing on the red vinyl. “You have to date him now.”
“What the hell? You just agreed with me I can’t date him because it would be too risky with Lillie involved.”
“Yeah, but I’m rethinking that position.” She takes another sip of lemonade, and she’s so giddy, I’m wondering if it’s spiked. No, my bestie would never take a chance with her baby. “Lillie’s getting older, and that voice!” She falls back clutching her chest.
“His voice is amazing.” I polish off my tequila, remembering when he sang in my ear. Panty-melter! “Either way, I’m screwed with the monster-in-law. She pretty much hates me.”
“Oh, fuck her! Who do you know that has a good mother-in-law?”
“I don’t know many people with in-laws, but I’ve heard good ones exist.”
“It’s not a sign of compatibility. She’s not even related to him. If anything, it shows what a great guy he is that he takes care of her like he does. I heard he pays all her bills.”
Inhaling deeply, I nod. “It’s true. He’s pretty patient with her, too.” My mind slowly connects the dots. “I wonder if that’s the problem. Like maybe she feels threatened by me?”
“Now who’s a great therapist?” Drew just loves being right about my dead-end career path. “It’s like in that rich Asians movie—she’s playing chicken with you.”
Our eyes meet, and my insides are buzzing. “I can’t let her win.”
“You know what to do!” Drew snaps her fingers in a Z. “Bok Bok, Bitch! You’re a badass chicken.”
The buzzing in my stomach gives way to a laugh. I shake my head, puzzling over this possibility. “Remi always stands up for me to her. He really lets me take the lead with Lillie’s care.” Which I’m getting better at. “It makes total sense.”
I feel so blind. Of course, she hates me. I’m crowding her territory.
Drew puts her hand over mine on the table. “He sounds pretty close to perfect.”
I flip my hand over and give hers a squeeze. “It’s a super complicated situation.”
“Doesn’t sound so complicated to me.”
Dagwood walks with the guys to the table, and I jump up to meet them. “Didn’t know you had such a decent voice, Fontleroy,” he says to Remi. “Too bad you sang a pussy song.”
Gray snorts a laugh, but I punch Dag on the arm. “Dagwood! That’s his favorite Kenny Rogers song.”
“Ow, don’t hit me, Ruby Roo! That is not his favorite Kenny Rogers song.” He turns to Remi, who’s smirking into his glass. “I’m sorry. Unless you’re gay, man. Nothing wrong with that, but you should let the ladies know. It’s not cool to lead th
em on.” He makes a face and hooks his thumb in my direction.
I grab that thumb in my fist. “He is not gay. And stop calling me that.” Turning to my date, I touch Remi’s arm. “It’s your favorite song, right?”
His lips press into a smile, and I can see he’s trying not to laugh.
“Wait…” I look from Remi to Dag to Gray. “It’s not… Why would you tell me it’s your favorite?”
Dagwood’s loud voice answers me. “Because chicks dig it. Gah! Keep up, girl!”
My mouth hangs open. “Is that true?”
Remi looks sheepish. “Sorry, babe.”
Drew bursts out laughing. “Oh my God, you’re hilarious! It worked. I’m pretty sure every woman in this bar is in love with you since you sang it.”
“Every woman?” Gray puts his arm around her shoulders.
“Almost every woman,” she adds, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him.
I pretend to be mad. “You lied to me.”
“It was just a tiny lie.” He puts his arms around my waist, and I don’t even stop him. “You were so pretty in the moonlight. I wanted to sing it to you.”
He’s grinning, and I’m clearly not mad. I’m clearly buzzing letting him hold me this way out in public. “So what is your favorite Kenny Rogers song?”
“I don’t really have one.” He reads my face and quickly adds, “but ‘The Gambler’ is pretty great.”
“Are you just saying that because I did?” I step out of his embrace and cross my arms.
“No. It’s a great song. Know when to hold ‘em.”
“Know when to fold ‘em!” Dagwood sings the rest of the chorus loudly before hopping out of the booth. “I’m putting you in. The whole bar wants to sing that song.”
“Hang on.” They’re both walking to the DJ booth, and I sit in the seat beside my bestie.
She leans forward and puts her chin on my shoulder. “I really like seeing you so happy.”
A knot is in my throat, and I can’t argue with her. “He might be kind of perfect.”
“Ruby?” A male voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see Henry Pak standing in front of me. “I thought that was you. How are you?”
