Logic failed him now. He was too raw, too hurt to understand how his mother could deceive him his whole life. “I’m sorry, Mimi, but I think they were both selfish, and did this whole secret thing to protect themselves.”
The rocking stopped and her lids snapped open. “Shame on you. You have no idea what it was like back then for gay men. Folks saying they carried the plague, that they were evil, degenerates who should be burned at the stake. Do you think either one of them wanted that for you? Selfish? Boy, you don’t know what you’re talking about. How do you think you got into and paid for that fancy college and law school?”
“What are you talking about? I got in because of my grades and I paid for it through scholarships, and what they didn’t cover, my parents paid with money they’d set aside for school…”
She gave him what he imagined was her steeliest stare.
Clink. Clink. Clink. The pieces snapped into place. He’d never really thought about how they had paid for all the extras. He’d assumed they’d saved up so he wouldn’t have to work extra jobs. He’d accepted the scholarship he hadn’t applied for but believed he deserved. He’d never thought to question a single thing. Clink, clink, clink.
“I didn’t know.” He could barely hear his own voice. “I never thought about it.”
“Of course you didn’t. You weren’t supposed to know. It was his gift to you. His way of showing his love for you, the only way he could. Were your parents perfect? No. But everything they did, they did because they loved you. Still love you.”
The revelations were coming too fast.
“Are you going to see him?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know.” That was as honest an answer he could give.
She rocked, and neither of them spoke. He stared into the morning mist. In the distance someone started a tractor, a rooster crowed, and a critter rustled in the bushes. The hum of the country was all around them. It would’ve been nice if the explosion of his world going supernova wasn’t distracting him.
An old tom rubbed against his leg. He reached down and scratched its head. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do, Mimi. Do you mind if we stay here a couple of days until I figure it out?”
“Don’t wait too long to decide, Jack. He’s sick, really sick, and while we’re all praying he’ll get better there’s no guarantee he will.” She wiped a tear from her face. “You’ve come this far, shouldn’t you see it through to the end?”
He wanted to say something to make her feel better, but couldn’t. He didn’t have a clue what he was going to do.
“And you and your girl are welcome here as long as you like.”
He laughed. “She isn’t my girl.” Though after last night he was more determined than ever to make her want him for more than sex. “She’s only a friend.”
“Really? Then why did you say you only needed one room? Y’all aren’t those friends with benefits they talk about on those reality TV shows, are you?”
He nearly choked. “No. I was upset with her for butting into my business. She likes to do that a lot, so it was my way of getting her back. She slept on the sofa in the room.”
“That little thing? She must’ve been so uncomfortable.”
“I tried to get her to let me sleep there, but she’s stubborn.”
Mimi’s laugh filled the morning air. “Good, that’s probably just what you need.”
He laughed with her and thought of the feisty woman still asleep in his room. “I think you’re right, Mimi. I think you’re right.”
“Mama.” Leslie was standing behind the screen door.
“Yes, baby.”
“It’s all arranged. Everybody’s really excited Jack’s here.”
Everybody? Who the hell was everybody? An uneasy, itchy feeling began to gnaw at the back of his neck. “What’s going on?”
Mimi smiled, closed her eyes and began to rock again. “We’re havin’ a party, boy, and you’re the guest of honor.”
Luanne finger-combed her hair, and deemed it good enough. She’d been glad Jack was gone when she woke. She wasn’t ready to face him.
She’d fallen asleep on the wave of his words that rocked her to her core. I won’t be another person who uses you. How had he known that was her secret pain? It was part of his voodoo power. Somehow, he could see and slip past her defenses.
Case in point, what almost happened last night. Incredible didn’t begin to describe it, but to have gone any farther would’ve been disastrous because she still didn’t know if she knew the real Jack. Was he the charming sweet talker, the arrogant ass, or the good guy who’d let two senior citizens steal his prized car because he knew they were in trouble?
She smeared on the lip stick she’d bought at the drugstore. She hadn’t worn drugstore lipstick since she was in junior high. She’d grown up with the finer things in life, for sure, but everything she’d ever been given came with a price. The first thing she ever remembered getting was a pretty pink dress when she was about four. But her mother made sure she knew that it was for when her daddy visited.
You can have this pretty thing, but only when your daddy comes to see you.
She wore it once. By the time it her daddy came back to see her again, the dress was two sizes too small.
When she got braces at twelve, it was because Gigi thought her daddy would like her better if she didn’t have “that god-awful overbite.” She started getting cosmetics from department stores because Gigi said her daddy didn’t like the smell of cheap makeup.
The best education money could buy was hers, if she went to Marcus’s alma mater. He’d even pay for graduate school, but only if she went to law school.
Her father would love her and show his care as long as she married a man he picked. The list went on and on. And on. And on.
Shame crawled over her like a big black centipede. Who would complain about such a pampered life? She was spoiled and ungrateful, like Gigi and her father always said.
She examined her reflection in the mirror. No. She wasn’t spoiled. She would’ve traded every gift she’d ever received, worn hand-me-down clothes, and gone to junior college for one lousy day with her father where there was no other reason for him to be there except that he loved her.
Jack’s phone rang. The display said Gavin. “Hey, Scarlett.”
“Don’t you hey me. I’ve been worried sick. Where are you?” Her friend’s voice was approaching a decibel that only dogs could hear.
“Calm down. I’m fine. I’m still with Jack and we’re in West Virginia visiting some of his…um…relatives.”
“What? Luanne, none of this makes any sense. I get home from our trip and Honey says you called, but didn’t leave a message, then nothin’.”
“Jack and I got robbed and I needed some help, but it’s all fine now.”
“Robbed! Good Lord, Lou. What have you gotten yourself into?”
Luanne chuckled and went back into the bathroom to put her meager belongings away. “Can you do me a huge favor?”
“Of course.”
“I need you to go to my house and get my purse and my phone and send them to me. Hang on, let me get the address.” She retrieved the letter with Mimi’s address on it, and gave Scarlett the information.
“Okay, I’ll go today.”
“Great. I knew I could count on you.” She chewed on her thumbnail and glanced at herself in the mirror. “Um, what’s happening with Tank’s nether regions?”
Scarlett snorted. “He’s fine and unfortunately for the rest of humanity, he’ll be able to procreate.”
A weight rolled off Luanne’s shoulders. Doing permanent harm had never been her intent. She ran her little finger under her eye to get rid of a mascara smudge. “Well, that’s good. So what’s going to happen to Honey’s Tots for Tank’s Testicles campaign?”
“Oh, good gosh. Can you believe that? She’s of course heartbroken that he’s going to be fine. When we got home she’d already hand-made some signs to put up around town. Can you imag
ine the faces of the Baptist women’s group if they ever got a load of those posters?”
They both laughed, and it was the release Luanne needed to let go of some of the tension between her shoulder blades. “Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome. How are things with Jack?” Scarlett asked the question casually, but Luanne knew there was nothing casual about her interest.
Luanne paced around the bathroom. “Things are…interesting and kind of screwed up. I’ll tell you about it when I get home.”
“Interesting and screwed up, sounds about right for anything to do with Jack.”
“Don’t say that. He’s going through a bad time right now.”
“Oh, really? So bad that you’re defending him. This must be the screwed-up part.”
She rested a hip against the counter. “Yeah, well…”
“Never mind, I’ll let you off the hook for now. Oh, my gosh, I almost forgot to tell you. Charlotte Kline is back in town.”
Luanne held the phone between her cheek and shoulder while she folded the hand towel on the counter and affected an announcer’s voice. “Star of TV and film, Charlie Kay?”
Scarlett laughed. “The one and only.”
“Really?” An errant hair refused to lay down, and she twisted it back in place. “Why is she in town?”
“Her grandfather had a car accident, and she’s come to take care of him.”
That damn hair would not cooperate. She wet a comb under the faucet and ran it over the stubborn spot. “Wow. What was she, three years younger than us?”
“Four. I used to babysit her before she and her mother went to Hollywood.”
“If half the things they say she’s done are true, it ought to be interesting having her among the citizens of Zachsville again.”
“I know. Hey, gotta go. Aiden just dragged Gavin’s guitar into the living room. If I don’t save Patsy, my husband will never speak to me again. Oh, my gosh, he’s strumming it and singing. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ll send a video.”
“Alright—” But her friend was already gone. A few minutes later the phone dinged with an incoming text. It was the video of Aiden, and she had to admit it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen too.
Fast, heavy footsteps pounded across the bedroom floor, letting her know Jack was back about a nanosecond before he burst into the bathroom. “Luanne.” He was white as a sheet and looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin.
She dropped the comb. “What is it?”
He swiped his hand across his mouth. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”
“Tell me what is going on.”
“They’ve invited the family to a party…in my honor. They’ll be here in a few hours.”
She would’ve laughed at the horror on his face if he hadn’t been so serious. “I’m sure it will be fine, Jack. They’re excited you’re here.”
He ran both hands through his hair and began to pace. “This is more than I counted on, Lou.” He pointed to the door. “Those people think they know me, and I don’t know any of them and don’t know if I want to. What the fuck have you gotten me into?”
“Me?” Her attempt at indignation fell flat when he gave her a yeah, you look. “Fine, but how was I to know they’d have a big family reunion once you showed up?”
The color drained from his face. “A family reunion? You think that’s what this is?”
She took his arm and led him to the chair in front of the vanity.
“Sit.”
He sat.
“Breathe.”
He breathed.
“Relax.”
He re—well, he tried to relax.
She got behind him and rubbed his shoulders like a coach with his fighter who was losing the round. “Listen to me. You’re Jack Avery. You can handle anything and charm the skin off a snake.”
He nodded as she spoke, absorbing her words.
“Now, repeat after me. I’m the shit. Say it.”
“Luanne, I really—”
“Say it!”
“I’m the shit.”
“I’m Jack Badass Avery.”
“I’m Jack Badass Avery.”
“Who’s sometimes a pussy-man.”
“Who’s sometimes a—hey.”
She dug her nails into the flesh she was kneading. “Say it.”
“Sometimes I’m a pussy-man.”
She slapped his head. “Now get over yourself and get ready to meet your family. They clearly love you, or at least the idea of you. That’s more than most people get in their whole lives.”
“Fuuuuuuuck, I feel like the guest star on the Jerry Springer Show.”
She laughed. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
He let out three quick breaths. “You’re right.”
“I’m going to see if Leslie and Mimi need any help with the party prep. You take a shower. You have a few hours to get your mind right, join us when you’re ready.” She made him look her in the eye. “Alright.”
“Alright. I can do this. But you’ll be with me, right?”
“Right beside you.”
He nodded and went into the bathroom.
He was about to meet a family he never knew, but who couldn’t wait to meet him. She wasn’t sure she’d ever been so jealous of another person in her whole life.
Chapter 21
Jack lost count of all the people about an hour into the shindig. There were aunts, uncles, cousins, and second and third cousins. There was more food than anyone could eat, and the beer and moonshine flowed freely.
“Jack Avery, get over here and give me some sugar.” Harley, his cousin by marriage, stood with her young nubile arms stretched into the air, opening and closing her hands. He had a sneaking suspicion that Harley didn’t have familial intentions when she hugged him and grabbed his ass.
“Ow!” she squealed.
He turned to see Luanne with his cousin’s fingers bent backward.
“Hands off, Hurley,” his personal bulldog said.
“It’s Harley.” The I-have-no-boundries woman rubbed her fingers.
Luanne plastered on the fakest smile he’d ever seen. “Hands off, Harley, he’s taken.”
Harley slid her purse higher on her shoulder. “I was only being friendly.” She gave him a coquettish wink.
“Okay, you’ve been friendly, time to move along.” Luanne made a shooing motion with her hands.
He bit back a laugh. She was taking her duty as his guardian very seriously. He slung his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks, Thumbelina, she was a bit handsy.”
“Sadly, I don’t think she knows that the concept of kissing cousins is wildly inappropriate.”
He laughed. “Come on, let’s see if we can get some food.”
“Yes. I’m starved. Was that a pig they were roasting? How did they throw all this together so fast?”
“Leslie said they get together like this once a month. This was supposed to happen next weekend, so they moved it up.” They dodged a couple of boys fighting over a football.
“How many people do you think are here?” She took a plate and handed him one.
“No idea. Maybe forty?”
They filled their plates with barbeque brisket, roasted ham, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Once filled, they made their way to the table where Mimi sat. His heart squeezed and flipped when she smiled like the entire solar system revolved around him. How had he grown up without this woman in his life? It seemed very unfair.
“Did you come to sit with me, Jack Avery?” She sipped something from a mason jar.
“Yes ma’am.” He looked around the table at the faces he didn’t know, but all similar to the one he saw in the mirror every day. “If there’s room.”
“Of course. Luanne hardly takes up any space. Clyde, scoot.” Mimi made a shooing motion to an older man with gray hair that stuck up all over his head. “Jack, have you met my brother, Clyde?”
“I don’t think I have.” He went to shake the man’s hand, but realiz
ed his hands were full of food. “Nice to meet you.”
“It’s good to finally meet you. Sit, sit.”
They took their seats on the bench and dug into the food. It was the best thing he’d tasted in forever. “This is fantastic.”
Luanne said something around a mouthful of food and nodded in agreement. He ran a thumb along the side of her mouth and caught a drip of barbeque sauce. When he slowly licked the spicy goodness from the digit, her face flushed and her pupils dilated.
“Damn, son, get a room.” Clyde laughed.
“Uncle Clyde, leave them alone.” Leslie said and sat next to Jack.
“All’s I’m sayin’ is those are bedroom eyes if I ever saw ’em.” He smiled, revealing that he was missing a tooth.
“You dirty ol’ coot,” Mimi chastised, but there wasn’t any heat in the words.
“Hehe. That I am.” He swigged something from his own mason jar. “So Jack, Mimi tells me you’re in the music business.”
Jack wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Yes, sir. I’m a talent manager, and Gavin Bain and I have our own recording label.”
“Mm-hmm. I’d heard that. You need to hear my boy Beau sing. He’s about the best singer I ever heard.”
Great. Now his relatives were going to line up their ‘young ’uns’ and make him listen to them all sing. “Well, I’m not sure I’ll be in town long enough to hear him.”
“Oh, he’ll be here in a bit,” Clyde said. “He wouldn’t miss one of Mimi’s get-togethers.”
Mimi nodded while she swatted a fly. “Beau is always part of the entertainment.”
“Entertainment?” Luanne took a sip of her drink.
Leslie pushed her plate away and wiped her hands. “Oh, yes. We have music and dancing. You city folk only think you know how to party.”
“I’m not a city girl. I grew up in Zachsville, Texas. You don’t get much more Podunk than that.”
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