“Just like the song by Faith Hill?” William’s eyes smiled at her, and Jacqui felt herself relax.
“Pretty much.”
“So you came here with your aunt Holly?”
Jacqui didn’t know how much to share, and how much to keep back. But since she reckoned they could find out a lot just by asking around, she shrugged. “No, Holly took the job of librarian and, as I said, left Georgia for here. And I…more or less followed her.”
“How did your father feel about that?” Norman asked. “I mean, I’m thirty-four and my dad wasn’t happy I was moving away from New York.”
“I’m not that young.” Jacqui quickly calculated. Twelve years. Not that bad. “I’m twenty-two.”
“Young enough,” William said.
Jacqui shook her head. “This is the new millennium. Age is only a number.”
“Hey, I said young enough, not too young.”
“Noted.” She sat back as Emily Anne set a saucer before her, and then filled the coffee cups.
“Thanks, Emily Anne.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy.”
Norman sat forward. “So…”
Jacqui should have known that she really couldn’t put off giving the Kendalls some kind of answer. She knew they were curious about her, likely because they were attracted to her, too. Again, all they would have to do was ask around to get all kinds of answers to their questions about her. She knew how small town living worked.
The fact that they hadn’t done that yet spoke to her of a level of integrity.
Jacqui took a bite of her pastry and chewed it slowly. “To be honest with you, my father didn’t really care. I’m old enough to make my own decisions. When he found out I moved here he was cool with it.”
“He found out after the fact? He didn’t notice that you’d left?”
“I guess I might have just said that I was going to visit with my best friend for a few days.”
“So Holly’s not only your aunt, but your best friend.”
Jacqui felt relief wash over her. She’d dreaded more in-depth questions about her and her father, because she really didn’t have any answers—and even if she did, she wasn’t certain yet how much of herself she wanted to show these two.
Yes, she liked them, but she didn’t know them. She was pretty much sticking with her original assessment of thinking of them as slick and slicker—but it was a lot less mean-spirited now.
Still, she felt she’d revealed enough of her inner woman for one day. Jacqui wouldn’t have bet that either man would have had that reaction to her statement. That William did, and Norman sat there shaking his head in agreement, was a gift too precious to pass up. Clearly, on some level, they got her.
So she got on board with their having ignored her answer to their first question, and answered their second one. “Yes. Holly is my best friend.” And that was nothing less than the truth.
* * * *
“That went a lot better than I expected.”
Will shot a quick glance at his cousin, and then pulled the car away from the curb. They’d have walked to their cousin’s office, but they needed to go into Waco after meeting with Jake.
Norm’s assessment of the last half hour they’d spent with Jacqui pretty much echoed his own thoughts. They hadn’t, either of them, actually believed they’d get the brunette beauty to sit down and have a conversation with them, let alone agree to a date.
But on the spur of the moment they’d invited her to dinner, followed by the community center dance this coming Saturday.
“Yeah, it did.”
“Remember I wanted to bet you that it had been a man who’d put that chip on her shoulder? I should have followed my instincts and made that bet.”
Will nodded. “I know. You were right in a roundabout kind of way. But it wasn’t a romance gone bad behind that sneer on her face.” And how much harder did that make it for them that the man had hurt her had been her father?
“I really wish it had been a soured romance.”
Will stopped the car in front of Jake’s office. He turned off the engine and got out. Looking at his cousin over the roof of the vehicle he said, “Yeah, me, too.”
The receptionist’s desk was empty—Will had learned that it was actually only occupied when a student from the high school was participating in the co-op program.
“We’re back here, guys.”
They’d been to Jake’s office before, and had no trouble finding their way to their cousin. Will smiled when he saw who else was in Jake’s office.
“Uncle Preston! This is a pleasant surprise.”
“Will. Norm.” Preston Kendall shook each of their hands in turn. “Jake told me about the problem y’all were having, so I thought I’d lend a hand.”
“We appreciate it,” Norm said.
“It surprised us that Wilde was actually trying to sue us for severing our contract with him,” Will said. “That moral turpitude clause was as specific and as all-encompassing as possible.”
“It was. That doesn’t mean an unscrupulous lawyer wouldn’t convince your former client that he could beat the clause.” Preston’s expression told Will all he needed to know about how his uncle felt about that.
“That is in fact exactly what’s happened.” Jake sat forward. “I contacted Henderson, who handles our west-coast interests.” Jake’s smile looked predatory—just another reason why Will was very glad the man was not only his cousin, but his friend.
“Your smile tells me we can relax.” Norm sat in the chair on Preston’s right, leaving the one on their uncle’s left for Will.
“As far as that nuisance suit is concerned, you can indeed. It seems the man Wilde presented his case to didn’t look into the matter all that thoroughly. Of course, the case was tossed by the magistrate. And apparently, since Wilde didn’t pay his own lawyer, he may himself be the recipient of a subpoena soon. But it gets better.”
“What did Ricky do, skip out on his court appearance?”
“That was my punch line, damn it. But yeah, he was a no-show for his remand appearance on those drug charges. So his bail has been revoked. The authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest, and the company holding the man’s paper likely has their own skip chasers assigned to finding him—or they would contract someone.”
“What happened with Ricky Wilde has made us decide to step back and really think about what we do and who we do it for,” Norm said.
“The man had a promising career. After the two Tony Razor films, there was talk of spin off products and possibly a television show. Ricky could have written his own ticket. Instead, he has to party his brains out and then get hooked on drugs.”
“According to Henderson, who got his investigators on the man, Wilde not only got hooked on drugs, that charge of selling came about because he was trying to work off his debt to some pretty unsavory types.”
“Well I’m glad to hear that we don’t have to worry about him anymore,” Norm said.
“And hopefully, he’ll be in custody soon.” Will looked at Jake. “Thanks. We came here to Lusty to try and figure things out and have a nice long break. It pissed me off more than I can say to have that selfish little bastard pull that stunt.”
“I can imagine. But…” Jake shook his head and opened his hands in supplication. Will knew exactly what he left unsaid.
“As long as we take on singers and actors, we’re just asking for these kinds of headaches. Yeah, we get that.”
“Which is why you’re here in the first place,” Preston said. “Are you considering selling your business?”
“We’re thinking about it, yes.”
Selling off Kendall Consultants was the only way to divest them of the whole thing. They could just shut the doors, metaphorically speaking, but leaving their clients out in the cold didn’t sit well with either him or Norm.
If they could find someone to buy the business—or at least the entertainment arm of it—then they could begin their new enterprise with a cle
ar conscience—and free of any legal encumbrances from the old one.
Well, we could as soon as we figure out what our new enterprise is going to be.
“And before you ask, we have no idea what we’d do after that.” Norm sat back in his chair.
“We haven’t even begun to think about it because of that fast one Wilde tried to pull.”
“That happened when you hadn’t even settled in, yet. Well, gentlemen, I have faith in your ability to bounce back. That’s the Kendall in you.”
“That’s what our fathers say, too.”
“Yes, I spoke to both Derek and Keith earlier today.”
“Were they worried about us being here?” Will asked. He knew his mom wasn’t overly thrilled that they had made noises about coming here to try and recharge. He had to fight a grin. The only way Erica Leeds Kendall would have been really happy was if he’d come home and moved into his old bedroom.
He loved his mother more than anyone else in the world, but that was simply not happening.
“I think concerned is a better word,” Preston said. “They were concerned about the long hours you’d both been putting in for so long, and also about the nuisance suit,” he said. “They just wanted to make sure that you were doing all right. I assured them that you’d already seemed to be relaxing some—even to the point of perusing our bookstore on a regular basis.”
Will’s gaze shot up, and connected with his Uncle Preston’s laughing one. Jake turned his snort into a lame attempt at throat clearing.
“There’s a wealth of…interesting possibilities in that bookstore,” Norm said.
Will was proud of how well his cousin could deliver a line with unabashed innocence. It had served them well through the years.
“I’m sure.” Preston got to his feet. “As for Ricky Wilde, he has pretty much worn out all of his capital. No one wants anything to do with him, and it’s likely only time before the authorities catch up with him.”
“I sure as hell hope so,” Will said. “The last time we spoke on Skype, I got a bad feeling about him. I think he’s seriously into the drugs again, and not just peddling them. There’s only so much abuse a person’s body can take before body and soul begin to part ways.”
“Well,” Jake said, “you told me he wasn’t really that smart. So let’s hope the cops can nab him soon, and get him into a cell and away from that crap.”
Will shook his head. “He was never the sharpest tool in the shed, but he had talent. You know in most things like acting, or even writing, being good is only part of the formula for success. Luck plays a role. Wilde lucked into a character of Tony Razor, and all he had to do was keep his nose clean—literally—and work the gig.”
“But that happens, doesn’t it,” Preston said, “and all too often. Some of these young men get their ‘big break’ before they’ve really paid their dues, and then they don’t appreciate the opportunity they’ve been given.”
“Almost as if they begin to taste that success,” Will said, “and then set out to destroy it in the fastest way possible. Anyway, thanks for handling this for us, both of you. We appreciate it.”
“That’s how Kendalls do things,” Jake said.
Will knew that was true. He turned to leave, and then stopped. “One other thing. We’ve been asked if we know what’s being built just outside of town. The north side, by the highway.”
“And of course, you didn’t.” Preston grinned.
“No, we didn’t,” Norm said. “Is it a secret?”
“Not really,” Jake said. “But it’s not precisely connected to Lusty, either.”
“Not precisely connected,” Will repeated. He grinned at Jake. “Lawyer speak!”
“I’ve overheard you on the phone using spin-doctor speak.” Jake nodded his head, his expression serious. “I thought I was going to need a translation.”
“We all have our jargon, I suppose,” Will said. It wasn’t lost on him that Jake hadn’t answered his question. He just understood, in a heartbeat, there was a better way to go about getting the answer.
He met Norm’s gaze. Their curiosity was piqued, which meant there was only one thing to do.
It was time to pay their respects to their Aunt Samantha.
Chapter 3
“So, I understand you have a date this weekend with those two yummy-looking Kendalls!”
Jacqui whipped her head around and looked at her aunt Holly. Yes, that was indeed a smirk on the older woman’s face. Something about the tone in her voice pulled a reaction out of Jacqui that had nothing to do with reason and logic and everything to do with her ego.
They were in the kitchen at Holly’s house, getting supper ready. Jacqui came over to Holly’s at least a couple of times a week for the evening meal. Both Alan and Duncan treated her like a kid sister. That was a few points for them, understanding the kind of relationship she had with her aunt.
Holly was the big sister Jacqui had never had.
She turned her attention back to the carrots. “I wouldn’t call it a date, exactly. And who are you to be looking at men and calling them yummy? You’re a married woman!”
“I am, indeed. I gave a vow to love and honor and be faithful. I never said I would be struck blind.”
“Well, you should be.” Jacqui blew her hair out of her eyes, the accompanying head-jerk to set her bangs out of the way something she’d gotten used to since she’d had her hair cut in this style. Parted on the right, she combed her hair over her head where it ended in to a sharp point beside her chin on the left. She thought the new do made her look capable and sophisticated, even if it was a pain to care for, and at times like now, keep out of her way.
Holly just grinned. “Nice try, but I won’t be diverted. Your date?”
Hell, she thought she’d thrown the woman off the scent. Jacqui sighed. “They caught me in a weak moment, all right? They came into the bookstore with yet another cheesy pick-up line, but I returned it. And then…” Even all these hours later she couldn’t really say why it was she’d agreed to have dinner with those two fast-talkers.
“Well, if it was just a misstep, that’s taken care of easily enough. Call them up and cancel.”
“I should.” She used the carrot peeler she was wielding for emphasis, pointing it at Holly to underscore her words, and then returned it to the task at hand. It would serve those two smooth operators right if she did call them up and cancel.
A freeze-framed image of the way Will had looked at her when she’d apologized flashed in her mind. She’d thought his eyes were beautiful the first moment she ever saw him. But she’d never seen them sparkle the way they had in that moment—as if she’d given him a wonderful gift.
The way he’d looked at her—hell, the way they had both looked at her—had made her feel special.
That’s just what their type does! They flash those eyes and whisper those glib lines and the next thing you know, they’re flashing and whispering to the next woman, not even caring if they miss your piano recital or not. If they show up like they promised on Saturday, or not.
“Good grief, Jacqui, what did that poor carrot ever do to you?”
The words startled her. Jacqui looked down at her hands. There wasn’t much of the carrot left in her hand, as she’d practically whittled it down to the very core. She looked up and smiled at Holly. “If you have some cabbage, I can make a good slaw.”
Holly just laughed and shook her head. Then she said, “So, getting back to the topic of your date…and from what I’m told it will be your second date, since all of Lusty saw you right there in Lusty Appetites today having your first date over coffee and pastries and making cow eyes at those two Kendalls.”
Jacqui’s mouth dropped open. “I was not making cow eyes at those two! I was sitting there trying to be polite after they…” Jacqui let her words trail off. It never occurred to her to ask how it was Holly had known she’d spent time in the restaurant today with Will and Norm. It didn’t take much for her to figure out who the source of
information was, though. From Emily Anne Richardson, to Carrie Benedict, to Holly Wilson. That was a very efficient communications system.
No sense in adding fuel to her aunt’s fire by admitting that she had been contrite after the dressing down she’d gotten from William and Norman. The truth was she knew she deserved every word.
Holly looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “After they called you on being a brat?”
Jacqui scowled. “Damn it, does the entire town know about that?”
“No, I just guessed. You seem to have a strange reaction to Will and Norm Kendall—a reaction that, as far as I can see, has nothing to do with them. And if they did call you on it, I say good for them. And I’m also going to hope you keep that date with them on the weekend.”
Jacqui knew her Aunt Holly was a mama bear when it came to her. That the woman would actually encourage her to date the Kendalls raised her curiosity.
“Why? Why would you hope that I’d keep my date with them?”
Holly seemed to be debating her response. Finally, she sighed. “Because every guy you’ve ever dated has been a wimp, and they’re not wimps.”
“That’s not true! I don’t only date wimps.” Jacqui’s denial was both automatic and emphatic.
“That is true. You might just have well have led each and every one of your past boyfriends—of which there have been very, very few—around on a leash, they were that wimpy. I suppose there’s an attraction to having a guy who’ll do your bidding for you at the drop of a hat. But having a boyfriend you can use interchangeably as either a dance partner or a door mat? Who the hell wants that?”
“You think I treat guys like door mats?”
“No, I think you pick ones who are door mats, exclusively, to date. Will and Norm aren’t door mats. They’re not going to let you have your way all the time.”
Jacqui felt her face heat just a little. There was some truth in what Holly had just said. She had stayed away from men she thought might be a bit too Alpha. Alphas took control, and there was no way in hell she would hand herself over, just like that, to some damn man, a man who would push her around as if she was his possession.
Love Under Two Extroverts [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3