Courted: Hyacinth Brides Box Set

by Bree Cariad

  Grunting a laugh, Barrett poured himself a glass of water. “I told you she’d have a unique view of it.”

  Curtis nodded, encouraging her to explain.

  “It’s gruesome. I mean, he kills all over the city, but those small hints you’ve left about how each one of those deaths helped to save millions? Could he be so bad?”

  “It’s the question of what is right and what is wrong,” he agreed. “I like giving my antagonists a soul.”

  “And to let them get away,” she responded with a grin.

  “Not completely. Avrahm always pulls the mask off at the last moment. So everyone knows who it is. They just aren’t always brought to justice. But, would you have wanted the Chava turned over to the law?”

  Quickly, she shook her head. Chava, the unicorn from Licorne, had to be one of her favorite characters ever. She had wanted him to get away, had found herself torn between wanting justice to be served by Avrahm and wanting Chava to get away with everything he’d done. “No, but it’s a unique premise isn’t it? Letting your crooks get away with their crimes?”

  A slow smile crossed his face. “The bad guy doesn’t always get caught, but you must admit, by the end of each book, you have a clearer idea of what that particular antagonist will or won’t do. And in some instances, you want them to win.”

  A buzzer went off in the kitchen and she popped up. “Everyone hungry?” she asked.

  “Famished,” Curtis said.

  All through dinner, they discussed his books, characters, and the different people he had met who formed those personalities.

  “That’s awful.” She giggled as she took her dishes into the kitchen. Curtis followed, his own dishes lying on his lap as her father brought up the rear.

  “But doesn’t it fit?” he asked in amusement, putting his plate and glass up on the counter. “I mean, a vampire whose sole existence is in sucking the lifeblood from others being based on an exceptionally gifted attorney?”

  “Does he know?” she asked as she turned on the faucet and filled the sink with soapy water.

  “Nope. He keeps telling me he doesn’t have the time to read my books.” He winked at her. “I’m sure I’ll hear from him when he does.”

  Laughing, she nodded and took the dishes from her father as well as the ones already sitting on the counter, putting them all under the water. To her surprise, the two stayed and helped her clean up rather than go into the living room to talk. She washed, Curtis dried, and her father put the dishes away.

  It felt comfortable and she couldn’t help but hope they had many more such dinners in her future.

  Chapter 4

  “Deeka!” Chrissa squealed, waving at her as she walked into Ranger’s Diner where they had agreed to meet for lunch. Hurrying over, she sat down but not before Deeka got a look at her outfit. Incredibly short shorts, a halter top in gold sequins that showed off her 36C chest, and cowboy boots.

  “What are you wearing?” she asked, half intrigued, half horrified, knowing her father would have a cow if she asked to buy something like that.

  “Oh, this?” Chrissa asked, looking down at her clothes as she sat down across from Deeka. “Isn’t it cute? Mom’s having kittens about it, but with Dad gone for work for a week, she can’t do much about it.”

  “What about when he gets back?” It seemed to Deeka that Chrissa could be spanked for such an infraction then just as well as now.

  “By then I’m sure I’ll have racked up a whole bunch of things to be disciplined for,” she said, shrugging. “I figure might as well get them all in while he’s gone. And then only get punished once for it.”

  “That’s diabolically brilliant.”

  Chrissa beamed. “I know! Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”

  Their waiter, a pimply-faced boy Deeka semi-remembered from high school—though as he was younger than she was, she couldn’t remember his name—took their order, his eyes on Chrissa’s chest the entire time before finally turning around and walking away.

  “So how’s your summer going?” Chrissa asked after their sodas were delivered.

  “Great so far. Yours?”

  “Actually pretty good! I thought Mom would make me volunteer at the women’s auxiliary again—free labor,” she said with a grimace, “but instead, she got me a job as a nanny.”

  “A nanny? Really?”

  “Yup! Kathy Covington’s graduated college and is volunteering at the hospital part time, so I’m watching her two kids while she’s there. They’re so cute.”

  “And you’re getting paid?”

  “Yeah. It’s four hours a day and they’re paying me five bucks an hour. I’m pretty excited. In fact, that’s how I bought this,” she said, beaming down at her sequins. “They pay me every Friday.”

  Their conversation turned to the upcoming fourth of July fireworks display. “Why don’t we go together?” Chrissa suggested. “I really don’t want to hang out with my parents and three younger siblings. We both know what will happen. Mom and Dad’ll take off and I’ll be left watching them.”

  “I’ll ask Dad,” Deeka said with a nod. “Make sure he hasn’t already made plans. Otherwise? Let’s call DeLynn and go together.”

  “Cool! I haven’t talked to her since the picnic. What’s she up to?” Chrissa asked as her burger and fries were placed in front of her and she coated each individual fry in ketchup.

  “Don’t know. I’ve been busy with…stuff.” Deeka couldn’t be totally honest about what she was busy with. Curtis had been over to dinner six times so far and each time, she found him more fascinating. So far there had been no comment about a courting dinner from her dad, but even so, she had made sure to make many of the dinners. Thankfully most of them had worked out. And both men had been very nice to eat the underdone lasagna noodles. Well, technically they were crunchy lasagna noodles.

  “Hello!” Chrissa waved her hand in front of Deeka’s face making her jump. “I’ve been talking for five minutes and you haven’t heard a word, have you?”

  Frowning in apology, Deeka shook her head. “Sorry. My mind’s on stuff.”

  “Stuff? Wouldn’t be a guy, would it?” she asked, unerringly hitting on the problem. Deeka startled and Chrissa nodded. “Who is he?”

  “It’s nobody. He hasn’t asked for a courting dinner. But I see him all the time and I like him. But,” Deeka said, her voice raising slightly as it did when she was nervous. “Dad knows and he probably told him and as he hasn’t asked for an official courting dinner, I’m sure he isn’t interested.”

  Putting down the fry that had been half way to her mouth, Chrissa’s eyes softened. “Ah, Deek. I’m sorry. That has to suck.”

  Nodding, Deeka looked at her almost uneaten fried chicken, no longer in the mood to eat it.

  “Tell you what?” Chrissa said, her face lighting up. “Call your dad. Ask him if we can have a girl party this Friday. I’ll kidnap DeLynn and the three of us can chat and laugh all night long.”

  “And stay in the tent?” Deeka giggled thinking of all the times they had camped in her father’s backyard.

  “Exactly!”

  Feeling a little cheered as they three of them hadn’t done this since last summer, Deeka picked up her chicken. This was just what she needed.

  She had just hung up her phone from calling her father, who seemed pleased with the party idea, when she saw a bunch of people practically run across the street to where the community board was.

  Following her gaze, Chrissa raised an eyebrow. “I wonder if someone’s courting banns was posted.”

  “Oh, that would make sense. I’ve never actually seen one. What do they look like?”

  “After we eat, let’s go check it out.”

  They quickly finished their lunch and after paying, went outside. There was still a huge crowd in front of the board, so they stood and waited until it thinned out before crossing the street. Three large sheets of what looked like parchment were tacked onto the board behind a plastic cover. In large ornate
letters at the top of each parchment, it read “Hyacinth Town Council is pleased to announce the Courting Year of” and then read off the girl’s and then the man’s names.

  “Penelope Hucker and Monroe Bracton,” Chrissa read off the one closest to her. “There’s an odd couple.”

  “Jennifer Lennison and Peter Monroe,” Deeka said slowly, thinking of shy Jenny. She wasn’t sure who Peter was, but she was happy for her nonetheless.

  Together, they both looked at the parchment in the middle and as their eyes fell on the names, they both gasped in horror. “LeeAnne Struthers and Mark Conners!”

  “What the—” Chrissa’s eyes burned with fury. “Let’s go find DeLynn now. If he led her along, I’m gonna have to do something.”

  Deeka nodded, knowing that it was an empty warning. There wasn’t much they could do, but to show solidarity with their friend, they would probably be willing to make all sorts of threats. “Who’s LeeAnne Struthers?” Deeka asked as they rushed over to Chrissa’s car, something so old Deeka always wondered how it still worked.

  “I don’t know.” Chrissa’s tone was tense, but Deeka didn’t take offense. She was hurting for their friend, too. It had been obvious how much she liked him two weeks ago.

  The drive to DeLynn’s home took less than five minutes and they quickly got out and ran up to the front door. Chrissa rapped on the door sharply and they waited.

  When it finally opened, it was DeLynn’s eight-year-old sister who looked at them rather solemnly. “Yes?”

  “Is DeLynn home?”

  “She don’t wanna see nobody.”

  “She doesn’t want to see anyone,” Mrs. Straynar corrected, walking up to the door.

  “That’s what I said,” Charity, the youngest Straynar, huffed dramatically.

  “No, it isn’t. And I think your sister would love to see her friends. Let them in.”

  Charity opened the door, letting Chrissa and Deeka inside. “She’s up in her room,” Mrs. Straynar said quietly. “If you can get her out of here and willing to face people, I would appreciate it.”

  “On it!” Chrissa said, darting up the stairs with Deeka right on her heels. DeLynn’s door was shut and whereas Deeka would have knocked and asked to be let in, Chrissa just barged. “Out of bed!” she said loudly, walking over to said bed where DeLynn lay in her pajamas with an empty box of Kleenex by her head and a wastebasket filled with used tissues sitting nearby.

  “Go away,” DeLynn said quietly, her head buried in her pillow.

  “Nope. Not unless you come with us.” With a leap, Chrissa landed across DeLynn’s back, making the bed bounce.

  “Get off!” The muffled voice from the pillow made Deeka giggle. Chrissa had done that to her many times. It was both frustrating and yet also the best thing in the world to have a friend who wouldn’t take no for an answer just when you needed her not to.

  As Chrissa sat up, taking her weight off DeLynn, their friend turned her red eyes and puffy nose in their direction. “I’m guessing you’ve heard.”

  “Yep. And we’ve come to get you out of these doldrums. Time for some PinPrickle ice cream.”

  “Eww.”

  “I kind of liked it,” Deeka said. “It was definitely different.”

  Flumping her head back on her pillow, DeLynn shook her head. “I don’t want to go out.”

  “Why not?” Chrissa challenged, tossing the empty tissue box into the trash. “Afraid of what someone will say? How many people knew Mark came to dinner the one night?”

  Sniffling, DeLynn shook her head. “Five times.”

  “What?” Deeka and Chrissa asked in surprise.

  “He came to dinner five times. Last Friday was the last one. Mark must’ve been going to dinner at both our houses because the next day was the council meeting and he must have asked for her then.”

  “What a jerk,” Chrissa said, her voice softer than normal. Her gaze turned to Deeka. “Think your dad would be okay with a girl party tonight?”

  Pulling out her phone, Deeka hit speed dial.

  “Hey, honey,” her dad answered.

  “Dad, is it okay if we do the camp out tonight?”

  “Everything all right?” he asked.

  “No. We need something to cheer DeLynn up.”

  There was a small pause before he answered. “I’ll have the tent set up. You and Chrissa had better stock up on essentials. We haven’t been shopping too much ahead lately. Curt will be over tonight. We’ll just stay in the house.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  Trying not to think about the fact Curtis would be there while she and her friends giggled and chatted out back, Deeka put the phone back in her pocket. “Okay. We’re set. Dad says we need to make a goodie run, though.”

  “Perfect,” Chrissa exclaimed, jumping up. “One of us needs to go shopping while the other pokes and prods DeLynn out of bed.”

  Groaning, their friend shook her head. To Deeka’s surprise, Chrissa walked over to her and spoke very quietly. “I’ll go get sustenance. I think Lynnie could use the soft sell right about now.” Before Deeka could even react, she left quickly, shutting the door behind her.

  DeLynn didn’t move when the door shut so Deeka moved quietly over toward the bed. Next to DeLynn’s bed was her dresser. The top was filled with items Deeka was pretty sure had been dinner gifts.

  “Want me to put these out of sight?” she offered, not knowing what else to do.

  Looking over, it took a moment for her friend to realize what she meant. “I don’t care.”

  Knowing where she kept her shoe boxes as DeLynn never threw out a box as long as she still owned that pair of shoes, Deeka grabbed one of the larger ones and filled it with Mark’s gifts. After cleaning off the dresser, she put the cover back on the box and slid it under DeLynn’s bed, figuring she could throw it away when she was ready. With nothing else to do, she sat gingerly on the side of DeLynn’s bed.

  “I thought he really liked me.” The words were almost a whisper. “Five dinners and each time, he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off me. What does LeeAnne have that I don’t?”

  Shrugging, Deeka shook her head. “An idiot for a courter?” she offered, relieved when a half laugh came from her friend. “I mean, he obviously has to be an idiot to have chosen her, whoever she is, over you.”

  “Thanks, Deeka.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  It took another fifteen minutes before DeLynn stood up and left the room, coming back with a clean face, though her eyes and nose were still red. “Where did Chrissa go?”

  “To get goodies for our campout.” At her friend’s blank expression, Deeka added, “The three of us are going to camp out in my backyard tonight.”

  A soft smile covered DeLynn’s face. “We haven’t done that in a long time.” She grabbed a small satchel from her closet and put in a few items: pajamas, a book, a scrunchie, and several other doo-dads before tossing it over her shoulder. In the next moment they both heard Chrissa run up the stairs and she burst into the bedroom seconds later.

  “Great! You’re ready. So am I. Your mom knows where we’re going, so let’s go!” The rest of the Straynar family were not in sight as they made their way down the stairs and out to Chrissa’s vehicle. The ride was filled mostly with Chrissa-chatter and it was a good way to spend the time. Plus, it drew the occasional smile from DeLynn.

  When they arrived at her house, Deeka noted Curtis’s car sitting out front.

  “Who else is here?” DeLynn asked, staring at the unknown car.

  “Dad’s friend Curtis.”

  As her two friends knew that Barrett Williams was always having friends drop by, they didn’t pay it any more attention until they went through the house and found the two men finishing up setting up the tent. To Deeka’s surprise, Curtis wasn’t in his chair, but was instead using some sort of crutches that attached to his forearms. He and her father were laughing as Barrett tossed in the last couple pillows before turning to the deck where the three girls st
ood.

  “I hear you’re roughing it tonight,” Curtis teased, winking at Deeka.

  “Well, we can’t all live exciting lives travelling through the Middle East,” she said. “Besides, some of us like the attraction of modern-day amenities a few feet away.”

  Laughing, he nodded as he walked up the ramp and grasped onto his chair that was seated off to the side. Once he was seated, he removed the crutches and hooked them into a device that was hanging off the back of his chair.

  Turning back, he smiled kindly at her friends. “And you must be Chrissa and DeLynn. Barrett mentioned your names and Deeka has mentioned you a few times, but I don’t know which is which.”

  “I’m Chrissa,” Chrissa said with a wave.

  “What are you wearing?” Deeka’s father asked, walking up onto the deck and raising an eyebrow at her sequined top. “Does your father know you’re out in public with that on?”

  Chrissa turned bright red. “Um…”

  “Uh-huh. Go borrow something of Deeka’s,” he said firmly and she darted inside.

  “That must make you DeLynn,” Curtis said, acting as though nothing had just happened.

  “I guess so,” she said, smiling gently.

  “Well, we’ll leave you girls to it,” Barrett said, walking toward the door. “If you need anything, just holler.” He paused as he went to pass DeLynn and put an arm around her, giving her a firm hug. “Good to see you.”

  The way DeLynn grasped onto his arms showed that her nerves were still raw and he held her until she finally released him. As the two men went inside, DeLynn followed Deeka into the large four-man tent that was now filled with pillows, blankets, and several foam mattresses to make it more comfortable.

  “Curtis seems nice,” DeLynn said as she put her bag down.

  “He is.”

  “He’s the one from before, isn’t he? Your knight?”

  Blushing a little, Deeka nodded. “Yeah. He’s kind of amazing.”

  “Is our being here interrupting a courting dinner?”