by Ava Miles
“I’ll go,” Shelby said, her heart pounding in her ears. “I’ve come this far, and I won’t let fear stop me now.” Besides, she knew Vander wouldn’t let anything happen to her or any of them. His intensity was palpable.
J.P. gave her a hesitant smile. “All right.”
“Every single one of us is scared to go in there,” Sadie said. “Maybe we’ll feel better if we do it together.”
“I can’t promise you she won’t say some pretty unpleasant things about your mother,” Vander said. “She has a perspective on why your daddy left. It might not be true. Only your mother and father would know that. Either way, it won’t be easy to hear what she has to say. She’s…had a hard life. Not that I’m making excuses for her.”
“That much is obvious,” Susannah said. “Jake, what do you think?”
He let out a long sigh. “I think they’re right, honey. You’ve come this far. I’ll be with you every step of the way. That goes for the rest of y’all too.”
That made tears pop into Shelby’s eyes. “You’re the best guy ever, Jake Lassiter. Right after our brother.”
J.P. gave them an easier smile. “Let’s head inside. Remember, we can leave whenever we want. I’ll make sure of that.”
“You leave that to me,” Vander said. “I have a lot of experience in gracefully exiting uncomfortable interviews. If you all don’t mind a word of advice…”
“Please,” Shelby said, meeting his aquamarine eyes.
“Don’t challenge what she says,” he told them. “Let her say her piece. You aren’t going to change her mind—and she isn’t going to change yours.”
“What he’s saying is don’t raise her hackles,” J.P. said. “It’s sound advice.”
J.P. exited the vehicle and opened the passenger door. He helped Sadie out while Vander assisted Shelby, then Jake and Susannah followed.
“Stay beside me,” Vander told Shelby, and she was more than happy to comply. “Sadie, stay close to your brother, and Jake—”
“I got my woman,” he told Vander, giving him one of those alpha chin nods men gave each other.
“I also recommend you only use your first name, Jake,” Vander said.
Another nod from him, and they walked forward en masse. Their grandma was at the front door waiting for them, but there wasn’t a smile on her face.
When Vander’s arm came around her, Shelby was beyond grateful to have his support, even if it was only as her pretend boyfriend.
Chapter 12
Vander didn’t see any harm in letting Lenore McGuiness think he was attached to one of her granddaughters. In fact, it might keep her natural hostility in check. He’d suggested Shelby rather than Sadie since there was no denying that he and the middle McGuiness sister had chemistry. He’d find it easier to pull off his cover this way.
Plus, Shelby was shaking a bit anyway, and it had felt as natural as breathing to offer her some of his strength. This interview wasn’t going to be easy for her. For any of them.
He made himself smile hesitantly at the older woman. It had shocked him to see how morbidly obese she was, and he could tell by the way she’d favored her right foot while holding the dog in check that it was painful to stand, even with a cane. He felt bad for her. Her feet were horribly bruised and swollen, which he suspected was why she didn’t have on any shoes.
The dog was nowhere to be seen, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d dealt with enough protective dogs in his line of work to know that dog would kill for Lenore. She was enough of a handful without any backup.
“Are you really my Preston’s girls?” she asked, shielding her eyes from the noonday sun. “I already told your brother—what was your name again, boy?”
“J.P., ma’am,” he said, his arm around Sadie.
“Right,” she said, her jowls like unbaked bread loaves tucked around her face. “You have his nose. What are your names?”
Sadie’s eyes widened, and she pointed to herself. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” Lenore said. “Spit it out, girl. I can’t stand here all day.”
“This is Sadie,” J.P. said in a calm voice, “and that’s Shelby. Susannah and her husband, Jake, are over there.”
“Fine-looking man you have there,” she told Susannah. “You too, Shelby. My, you resemble my Pres too.”
The woman Vander had his arm around glanced up at him, and he could feel her muscles tighten even more. “She’s a sweet one,” he answered before she could. “Probably as sweet as your sweet tea. Can I help you pour, ma’am?”
Shelby turned to him with a puzzled look on her face, and he knew why. He was putting on a Southern accent as part of the act, something he’d decided to do after seeing the Confederate flags displayed all around the park. The people here had enough trust issues. They would rather spit on or shoot at a Yankee than shake hands with one.
He should have mentioned it, he supposed. He liked to think he would have talked this way naturally if he’d grown up in Nashville and never stepped foot in his grandparents’ home.
“That would be nice,” she said, turning and walking inside. “I’m feeling a little poorly today.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am,” Vander said, following her.
When he entered the front room, he had to lock down all his senses. The combined stench of body odor, cigarettes, and dog urine was overwhelming. The tan carpet was stained in spots, and the cream couch looked more dishwater-blonde than anything else. Half-eaten bags of potato chips and boxes of cookies lined the upholstery and the rickety liquor crate that served as a makeshift coffee table.
He heard Shelby clear her throat, and a few of the others followed suit as they stepped inside. The dog was whining and barking on and off from the back room.
“Lenore,” he said, “do you have somewhere we can all sit for a spell out back? It’s mighty crowded in here.”
Shelby glanced up at him again, and they shared a look. Yeah, she knew what he was doing. A few of the others looked like they were liable to gag if they stayed in here much longer.
“I have some old chairs out back,” the older woman told him.
He gave Shelby one last squeeze before approaching Lenore. “If you show me where your keep your glasses, I can pour the tea for everyone. The others can go on outside.”
“Those girls should be the ones to pour the tea,” she told them with narrowed eyes. “I raised my girl to wait on the menfolk, not the other way around.”
Vander made his mouth twitch. “I’m one of those modern kind of men. Hope that don’t offend you none?”
She shook her head. “Modern, eh? You let him wait on you, girl?” Her question was directed at Shelby.
Shelby swallowed thickly and then shrugged. “There’s no stopping him sometimes, but I like to help too. Why don’t y’all go outside? Vander and I will bring out the drinks since he’s a modern man and all.”
Lenore snorted, but she led the way to the kitchen nonetheless, leaning heavily on her cane. Vander was impressed with the way Shelby had handled that. The part of her that loved order must be quailing from this miserable place, but there was also that other side of her, the one that enjoyed being around unusual folks like Gail. Lenore was certainly unusual, and Shelby had quickly stepped into the role-playing game with him. She was a good partner, and he liked knowing she could be counted on in tight spots. Not every woman could be, he’d discovered.
The grime on the kitchen countertops was as thick as dried tobacco juice, and there were roaches running across the floor. Vander saw Shelby shrink back when one scurried in front of her, but she managed not to outright squeal. Again, impressive.
“The glasses are in the cabinet to the left of the stove,” Lenore called, opening the back door connected to the kitchen.
Vander fought a wince when the door gave an ear-piercing squeak.
“Don’t go looking around my home while you’re in there,” Lenore said, shooting them a suspicious glance over her shoulder.
�
�We would never dishonor your hospitality,” said J.P., who’d followed her. “What should we call you, ma’am?”
Lenore thought it over for a moment and then said, “I suppose Me-Mother since we’re kin and all.”
The rest of the group ambled out the door after her, Sadie giving them a nervous backward glance before stepping outside. The dog started another round of barking, and Vander struggled to tune it out.
He walked across the kitchen to the cabinet Lenore had indicated. The glasses he pulled out weren’t much cleaner than the rest of her house, but there were no paper towels on the counter, so they’d just have to make do.
Shelby was pulling out tea from the ancient harvest gold refrigerator whose compressor was on its last legs from the sound of it. “I just can’t…”
He crossed to her and took her shoulders in his hands. “I know it’s a shock, but try and stay focused right now. You’re doing great.”
She bit her lip. “Okay.”
Together, they poured the tea, and he listened to her take slow, even breaths to calm herself.
“We’re not going to have enough for everyone. You’ll have to pour water for the rest of us.” He shuddered when rust-colored water emerged with a putrid smell when he turned the faucet on. Thankfully, the water ran purer after a spell, although a faint odor remained. “I think her septic tank needs to be flushed out.”
Shelby gave another visible tremor and walked to the door. “Ah…Me-Mother? Do you have more ice tea fixings?”
There was a reply, and soon she was taking out the powdered tea from another cabinet. Her hands were shaking as she measured out the scoops, so Vander took over.
“Start handing out the glasses that are already full. I’ll finish this.”
She did as he’d asked, and he went through the motions of making the tea even though he knew it wouldn’t do much to help the water. He hoped they wouldn’t end up with some intestinal bug after this. With Shelby out of the kitchen, he scanned the area, looking for any family photos.
Lenore had been smart to warn them not to wander around in her home. If she hadn’t…well, he would have gone on a little tour. He still planned to use the bathroom as a ruse to look around, especially if she chose not to be forthcoming.
He poured the rest of the tea and took the remaining glasses outside. Lenore was sitting on a rusted-out glider seat. J.P. had taken the patio chair next to her and was engaging her in small talk in that easygoing way of his. Vander liked him a lot already, and Jake Lassiter was the kind of guy he’d want for backup in an alley. Hopefully, Lenore wouldn’t recognize him as a country music star. He couldn’t be sure the woman wouldn’t ask for money.
As he handed out glasses to those who needed them, he realized there weren’t enough chairs. Jake was standing behind Susannah’s chair, so Vander took a tip from him and stood in the same position behind Shelby. Sadie looked over at him, and he gave her an encouraging smile. The poor woman looked like she wasn’t handling this well.
Lenore was watching everyone with keen, narrowed eyes while she chatted with J.P. about how long she’d been living in the trailer park. She continued to answer his questions for a while, sipping her tea, but when she wiggled on the glider to get more comfortable, Vander suspected she was ready to get down to business.
J.P. must have sensed it as well since he glanced at Vander with studied casualness.
He took the cue. “It won’t surprise you none, Lenore, that your grandchildren have had questions about their daddy and his whereabouts for most of their lives. We were hoping you might shed some light. If it isn’t too difficult for you, ma’am.”
“Why not ask your mama?” she asked, bitterness lacing her tone. “That woman was a know-it-all long before she captured my boy’s heart.”
“As someone who lost a parent at a young age,” Vander decided to share, “I can tell you that sometimes the parent who’s left behind doesn’t like to talk about the past.”
He heard Shelby’s sudden intake of breath, and without considering it, he reached down and squeezed her shoulder before returning his attention to Lenore.
“Your mama ran my boy off,” she told the McGuinesses, scratching her sagging belly. “He never would tell me why. Only said he regretted having to leave.”
It was only when Sadie reached for Shelby’s hand that Vander realized he was still cupping his fake girlfriend’s shoulder. He felt her trembling beneath his touch and couldn’t bring himself to pull away. Comforting her was grounding him too. He was more anxious than usual for an interview like this.
“Preston’s the youngest of my three, and he was a good boy. Sure, he raised some hell when he was young, but he was always kinder than his older brother. Virgil would kick a dog if he saw one in the street just for sport. And my girl… She shacks up with every Tom, Dick, and Harry who comes sniffing around. They take after the sorry man I ran off to marry at fifteen, who left me for a truck stop waitress outside Tulsa. He drove semis for a living until the drink done him in. May God rot his soul.”
Susannah reached back to touch Jake’s hand on her shoulder, and Sadie’s bottom lip was quivering with emotion.
“Pres was the only one who wanted a better life,” Lenore said. “That’s why he packed up the guitar he’d bought in the dime store off Beale Street and used all his savings to go to Nashville.”
J.P. gave her a smile. “I play the guitar, Me-Mother.”
For the first time since they’d arrived, Lenore gave them a smile of her own, and it transformed her face. “I’ll bet you play it good too. You remind me of Pres a good deal, boy. Your sister over there as well. It shakes me some.”
Clearly it shook Shelby too, judging by the way her whole body trembled under his hand. He found himself rubbing her shoulder to calm her.
“I was too young to remember much when Daddy left,” J.P. continued. “We’ve all lived with a lot of questions, so we’re grateful for anything you can tell us. Do you know where he is?”
She sighed. “I haven’t seen that boy since Virgil’s funeral, and that’s going on two years this September.”
“So, he’s alive then?” Sadie shot out, tears immediately filling her eyes.
“Well, of course he is, girl,” Lenore said harshly, shaking her head. “Didn’t I just say that?”
Vander watched the rest of the McGuiness children carefully. J.P. seemed to lower his head as if to say a prayer of thanks. Susannah gave an audible sniff while Shelby’s frame started to shudder more violently. When she reached back and grabbed his hand, he clenched it hard. You’re okay, he wanted to tell her, but stroked her back with his other hand instead. She leaned back into his touch, and he found his chest constricting in response.
“Land sakes,” Lenore continued. “Pres is too sweet for the Good Lord to take him so early. Say whatever you want about how mean and ornery my boy Virgil was, but he was still my son. It’s hard for a woman to lose her child.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” J.P. was able to say after raising his head. He put a gentle hand on her arm. “Where was Daddy living when you saw him last?”
Lenore swatted a mosquito that landed on her face. “A small town outside Alamo. Not the one in Texas. But here in Tennessee. I can’t recall the name. My boy has shied away from big cities after he lost all his dreams in Nashville. They never appreciated his talent out there.”
“I wish I could have heard him sing,” Shelby said, entering the conversation, which Vander thought was brave.
“He had a voice like a fallen angel,” Lenore said a bit wistfully. “It wasn’t right, him not getting his break.”
“No, it wasn’t,” J.P. said. “Do you know if Daddy’s still near Alamo?”
Vander had to give J.P. points for circling back to the questions they needed answered. It was exactly what he would have done.
“No,” she said, scratching her belly again. “He doesn’t like to stay in a place too long. I told him to send me a Christmas card at least. I’m his mama,
after all. It’s his Christian duty to be good to me.”
Vander expected Lenore only used the Bible when it suited her needs. “Do you have his last Christmas card by chance? It would have the postal stamp on it.”
“It’s in my bedside drawer,” Lenore said. “Didn’t say much, but then again, my boy was always short on words. Except for his music. That’s when he really spoke his mind.”
Susannah looked over her shoulder at Jake. Vander hoped they would remain silent about him being a singer. Lenore might be softening, but they had a ways to go before he’d trust her with the full truth about anything.
“I don’t want to rummage through your things, ma’am,” Vander told her, taking a step forward. Shelby tightened her grip on him before letting go. He found himself oddly bereft. “But I’d be happy to bring the drawer out to you if that would help you some.”
“So long as you can put the drawer back before you go,” the woman said. “What’s your mama doing now? How long did it take her to find another man to replace my boy?”
Vander stopped partway to the back door and turned around. He could sense the danger in the air. Hearing that Louisa McGuiness had divorced her husband on the grounds of desertion would only rile the older woman up.
“It took Mama a mighty long time, you’ll be happy to hear,” J.P. said quietly.
Lenore’s penciled-in brows rose. “I’d be happier hearing she found no one. There was no man better than my boy, and she cut him down to size, or he’d have never have left y’all.”
“Mama isn’t—”
“What Sadie was starting to say, Me-Mother, is that Mama wasn’t happy for a long spell after Daddy left us,” J.P. said diplomatically. “It broke all our hearts.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lenore said with a sigh, patting his hand. “It was terrible all around, for you children and my boy. I’m also sorry I never visited y’all. After my boy’s wedding, there were words, but that’s no excuse. It’s…difficult for me to travel.”