“Who is this girl?” Stella asked Tucker as she sat in Tucker’s office. Tucker had invited her mom to breakfast, so she’d left Willow’s place much earlier than she wanted to, but hopefully they’d have a lunch date later.
“I’ve got no clue, but knowing Bubba, she’s probably a stripper from Big Daddy’s in the Quarter. I love him, but I’m not wild about his decision-making abilities.” She stretched out next to her mom on her couch and placed her head in her lap. “But I guess we’ll find out tomorrow night.”
“Have you talked to your brother since yesterday?”
Tucker glanced up at her mother as she combed her hair away from her forehead and tugged on it gently.
“I had a meeting at Suntrust yesterday, followed by a dinner meeting, so no. Jim Bob had some breakfast thing at the Petroleum Club for the charity golf tournament they host every year. He should be here in about an hour, if you need to talk to him.” When her mom’s eyebrow cocked upward she wanted to groan. An angry Stella Delacroix was never a good thing. “What?”
“He called from the emergency room last night, obviously so I wouldn’t freak out when I saw him. The two of you should know how hard it is to freak me out after raising you,” Stella said, smiling. “You and Jim Bob are my two miracles from God, but damn, you could drive me insane every minute of every day until you were well into your twenties.”
“Focus, Mom. Why was he in the emergency room, and why didn’t anyone call me?” She sat up, irritation making her antsy.
“Your loving sister-in-law cut him, and it took quite a few stitches to close the wound.”
“Wait,” she said as her mother took a breath to go on. It was no secret how much their mom detested Ivy, and nothing had changed that relationship from the day Jim Bob brought her home. Stella had been telling Jim Bob I told you so ever since. “Ivy cut him? Why and with what?”
“According to Jimbo, she tripped and slashed his face with her ring, and he didn’t call because he didn’t want to bother you. The boy’s much older than you, Tucker, but I thank all that’s holy you’re here. At least you’ll look after him and protect him from himself even though it should be the other way around. We all know he doesn’t listen to me or your father.” Stella caressed her cheek and smiled. “He’s hired an attorney and is finally setting himself free, so promise me you’ll help him.”
“You know I’ll do anything for Jim Bob, and I shouldn’t be happy they’re splitting up, but the guy deserves some peace.” She wondered where Jim Bob was and where he’d stayed last night, but she didn’t want to throw her mother out in order to call him and have that conversation. “Between Ivy and Tara, his life’s been hellish lately.”
“She’s my granddaughter, and I love her, but that kid could use a good spanking and a lecture on growing the hell up.” Stella patted her arm. “I have to organize the movers for your brother’s things, so what room do you want him in at your place?”
The decision on where Jim Bob was moving obviously wasn’t up for debate, and she was good with it being a given. “Put him in the other master suite so he’ll be comfortable. Call me if you have any trouble.”
“I’m not as nice as you and Jim Bob, so I dare Ivy to try something with me. Hopefully she doesn’t burn the house down just for spite before she finds a new place, and let’s pray she finds a new spot that’s not going to bankrupt the company. God knows the woman sits up thinking of new ways to spend money when she’s sober enough to remember she has money.”
She smiled at her mother’s favorite observation about Ivy and had to agree with her every time. “I’m with you on that, but it’ll take explosives to get her out of there. You know how she feels about that house. Ivy sees it as the status symbol.”
The house where Jim Bob had raised his family had been in their family for five generations, and her parents had moved out when Bubba was born. If there was a divorce, that and anything having to do with the business weren’t going to be part of the settlement. Of course, convincing Ivy of that fact was going to be the sticking point.
The ironclad prenup would take care of any misunderstandings, but Ivy and her sense of entitlement wouldn’t make it easy.
“Your father’s taking care of what it’ll take to explain that to Ivy, and it’s up to all of us to make sure Jim Bob doesn’t drag his feet. It’s been too long since I’ve seen him smile, so it’s time to get off the drama train.” Stella kissed her cheeks before squeezing them. “The fact that I’ll never have to lay eyes on that woman again is just a happy bonus.”
“I hear you, and no matter what, I’ve got his back. Try to keep your cool, and I’ll let you know about dinner tomorrow.” She walked her mother to the elevator and hugged her.
“Are you bringing a date?”
“I’m working on it, but let’s make sure this dinner is still happening. Impending divorce might put an inappropriate spin on the celebration. We might have to postpone until everyone has gotten used to the new landscape.” She hugged her mom again and waved before she had to start spilling her guts about her night with Willow. No matter what, her mom had a way of guessing her deepest secrets and was as relentless as a CIA interrogator if she thought Tucker was hiding something.
“And with any luck the girl will say yes to a lunch date. There is no way I’m subjecting her to the shit show this family meet-and-greet is going to turn into, though,” she said to herself as she headed back to her office.
“You got a call on two, Tucker,” Syd said.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Greg Kenny. He has that OSHA report from the Stella III.”
“There goes my good mood.” She blew Syd a kiss and headed to her office. “When Jim Bob gets here, send him my way.”
* * *
“Yes, sir,” Willow said to Jonathan Mann as she scanned the new requirements. “It’s better to be safe, and the changes are doable without driving up costs too much.”
“Good, we can put this to bed, but you’re our lead on this. Once construction begins let me know if you need anything or hit any snags. If we can finish this ahead of time, it’ll look great to the board, so I’m counting on you.” Jonathan looked at his watch and excused himself.
She sighed when someone knocked right after Mann left. All she wanted was a few minutes to think about her night and analyze how far off the rails she’d gone. It was totally nuts, but she felt fantastic.
If she’d had to gamble on it, she would’ve guessed Tucker would’ve run out of her place the minute after they’d eaten dessert, only to develop a case of amnesia, but she’d stayed and talked to her until she’d gone to sleep. And even better, she’d still been there this morning. It had been easy, and sweet, and though she’d felt a little like an awkward teen, it was undeniably good.
She could try lying to herself, but there was no way to deny how wonderful it felt to lie there with Tucker’s arms around her. The knock came again, so it wasn’t the time to dwell and fantasize about doing it all over again.
“Yes?”
Margo poked her head in with a huge smile. “Someone must really like you.” It was the first time in their working together that Margo had used a singsong voice.
“What are you talking about?” As an answer Margo swung the door open the whole way, and she was holding a beautiful bouquet of lilies.
“Wow,” she said as Margo put the flowers on her desk.
“Are you going to give me a hint?” Margo asked with her hands pressed together as if in prayer.
“I’ve got no clue.” It was a lie, but she wasn’t about to admit to anyone that she’d invited a client out and slept with her like she was as easy as a Dick and Jane book. “Now leave, so I can read the card in peace. Anyway, they’re probably from Monique.”
“Monique only sends you flowers for your birthday, so I doubt it, but I’ll go. If you love me, though, you’ll tell me later.”
She touched the petals of the Stargazer lilies and wondered how Tucker had guessed these were her favorites. They’d been her mom’s favorites, though she hadn’t bought them often, and the white flowers with their purple centers always made her smile. She ran her finger along the top of the card and sighed before opening the envelope.
You were right. Why haven’t we met? Whatever the reason, I’m glad we rectified that last night, but hopefully it wasn’t a one-shot deal. There’s plenty of places left to explore, and it’s always better to set out on new adventures with a friend. If you’re willing, how about lunch today at my place? If not, whatever you like is yours for the asking.
Thank you for a beautiful night,
The Carnivore
She read the note twice and smiled wider when she saw the other card enclosed was directions to lunch at Tucker’s house. The address and directions also came with a rain check if she couldn’t make it, but this might lead somewhere that had the potential to be better than any experience she’d had so far.
“Hey, Margo,” she said into the phone, “I’m running out to lunch, so call me if anyone’s looking for me.”
“Who are the flowers from?”
“A good friend.” She headed down to her car wondering what exactly Tucker did for Delacroix, since she was obviously their representative. Was the St. Charles address a result of her salary, or was it old family money? Next time, find out the girl’s last name before you sleep with her. She checked her reflection in her rearview mirror. Thank God Tucker had gotten in touch before she had to start asking embarrassing questions at work.
She made good time since technically she was beating the lunch traffic, and the house on the cusp of the Garden District and Uptown neighborhoods wasn’t the largest but was still a good size. The mostly white structure was trimmed in black with a bright red door that really stood out. The pop of color didn’t seem to fit Tucker’s style, so there was either a decorator or an old girlfriend responsible. Or maybe after one night you don’t know her that well. The thought made her laugh.
Tucker opened the door before she could dwell on it, and her big smile made Willow happy. “Thank you for the flowers,” she said, before kissing Tucker hello.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation. I didn’t want to wait until tonight to see you, or start stalking you, depending on your willingness to go out with me again.”
“I was curious as to what you’d make to satisfy my vegan ways.”
“The pork chop from the land of the giants gave you away. You’re not fooling me.”
“I was trying to make you feel better about yourself. I prefer broccoli.”
Tucker tightened her hold on her hand and brought her inside to an open space with a lot of what appeared to be teak wood panels mixed with muted grays on the walls and brown leather furniture. It appeared comfortable with plenty of tastefully framed landscapes and fishing prints. It seemed to suit what little she knew about Tucker.
“That would explain you eating cake that had bacon in it,” Tucker said. “Are you hungry?”
“I want a tour first since I made it into the inner sanctum, and call me crazy, but I bet that doesn’t happen often.” She pointed to the door. “Who picked red? It doesn’t exactly scream you.”
“My mother. She said the place had to have some color that wasn’t white, black, gray, or blue. It made her happy and didn’t involve a conversation about the last time I wore a dress, so I went with it.” Tucker walked her through the house, letting her explore all she wanted until they reached the back corner and the master bedroom with an antique four-poster bed.
“This is a great bed,” she said, running a hand over the off-white comforter that covered it.
“I refurbished it myself and added to it, so my feet wouldn’t hang off the end.” Tucker stood with her hands in her pockets and stared at her as she sat on it.
“Are you hungry right this minute?” Willow kicked her shoes off, wondering where the hell all her self-control had gone, but Tucker had definitely upped her desire for sex.
“I could eat,” Tucker said, coming closer.
She seemed mesmerized when Willow stood and unzipped the skirt she wore. Score. The only reason she’d worn another skirt was because Tucker seemed to like the one from the night before.
“What did you have in mind?”
Her underwear and blouse came next. “How about an appetizer?” The Persian silk rug felt good as she walked to Tucker and tapped the top of her boot with her toe. “You need to take these off so you can enjoy your meal better.”
“Being barefoot makes the food taste better, huh?”
The bootjack by the bed made her laugh, since the V to hold the heel was a woman with her legs spread. Tucker really was a bit of a cliché, but she also didn’t seem fake.
“It’s a scientifically proven fact.” She unbuckled Tucker’s belt next and unzipped her pants as Tucker unbuttoned her shirt. “And I can feel a part of you that is in total agreement with me.” She slid her hand into Tucker’s underwear. That sped Tucker through the process of getting naked before she picked her up and carried her to the bed. Tucker had Willow’s bra off before she could say anything else and sucked in her nipple. “Damn.”
“I can’t get enough of you.” Tucker impatiently removed Willow’s underwear. “I really did invite you for lunch, but…good Lord.”
“You talk way too much sometimes,” she said, reaching down and squeezing Tucker’s clit between her fingers. “There are better things you could be doing with your mouth.”
She sat up, pushed Tucker until she was flat on her back, and straddled Tucker’s face, almost cracking her skull on the headboard when Tucker didn’t waste time sucking her in. “Oh…fuck me.” The idea had been to make it last, but she came when Tucker reached up and pinched her nipple. She almost broke into tears because of the way Tucker not only touched her, but held her afterward.
“Are you okay?” Tucker asked as she lay like a rag doll over her.
“I will be, but my brain needs to kick-start itself.” She moved enough to be able to see Tucker’s face and smiled. “We might have to play hooky after that.”
“That’s an excellent idea.” Tucker moved her hands down, but Willow rolled off before they went anywhere near her ass.
“Not yet,” she said when Tucker pouted. “I already told you if you go anywhere near my ass, you’re going to have to touch me, and I don’t want to be greedy. You might stop treating me to vegetarian meals that have great meat sides.”
“But I really like touching you.” Tucker sat up a little and did just that. The first squeeze made her hiss and she pressed her hips into Tucker’s side, and Tucker didn’t let up as she continued the pressure as she kissed her. She gladly moved to her back and spread her legs so Tucker could touch her until she came. Those long fingers pumped in and out, and Tucker’s mouth on hers drove her crazy. She bucked her hips but Tucker kept pace.
“Yes, baby, yes. It’s so good.” With more self-discipline she could maybe make it last longer, but Tucker had completely stripped her of all her reason, and now she had to come or stop breathing. She came so hard that she wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Tucker put her arms around her and held her until she could get herself together.
She was mortified to find Tucker sleeping when she opened her eyes forty minutes later. There was no way she was the asshole who fell asleep after sex, leaving her partner in a sorry state, but the clock didn’t lie. “I promise I’ll make it up to you, but we need water first.” She spoke softly and kissed Tucker’s cheek gently before carefully getting up to go in search of a drink.
The kitchen was the last room of the house she hadn’t seen, and she chuckled at the gleaming white space with a professional gas stove that she doubted Tucker knew how to turn on, much less use. “I’ll be shocked if you cook, but it might be fun teaching you a few things in here.”
She smiled as she ran her hand over the countertop and stopped at the refrigerator. This Tucker obviously used, given the scattering of papers, menus, and pictures held up by magnets on the front. The photos were mostly of Tucker holding large fish, but Willow had to lean against the counter when she saw who was standing next to Tucker in almost every single one.
“Shit, this was all some kind of fucking game to you.” She stared at Jim Bob’s smiling face and she wanted to scream. “I’m such an idiot.” Getting her into bed was probably some sick joke and she couldn’t have made it any easier. What could Tucker have possibly gotten from sleeping with her?
The urge to scream was overwhelming, but she needed to get out of there before she broke down. Tucker was still sleeping, so she gathered her clothes, dressed in the small powder room, and walked out. “Great, just great. I decide to finally take a chance, and I end up with that asshole’s relative.” The family resemblance was too great to ignore. If she was wrong and Tucker was in a sexual relationship with Jim Bob, she was going to throw up.
Her phone rang as she headed for her loft, but she didn’t want to speak to anyone. The dirty feeling probably wouldn’t wash away in a hot shower, but she had to try. She glanced at the phone and sighed. “Hello.” It was Monique and she wasn’t in the habit of ignoring her no matter how upset she was.
“Hey,” Monique said, sounding ecstatically happy.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t call you back last night. I had a work thing.”
“No problem. I figured you were either working or packing. Are you okay?”
“Did I forget a lunch meeting or something?” She tried her best not to sound pissed, but sometimes she just wanted to shake Monique and ask her to stop letting down every woman since suffrage.
“No, but I wanted to see you this afternoon.” Monique sounded as if she was about to break into song, and it only added to her anger for some reason.
They had lunch whenever they could, but she also went to Monique’s house every week and had dinner with her and Grady. Her sister had made a terrible choice in Jim Bob, but Monique was still her sister, and she loved her, bad mistakes and all. But now when she saw the bastard, she’d always be reminded of Tucker, and that was just…shit.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, but I wanted to share some good news with you.” Monique sounded downright giddy.
“Do you want to tell me now?”
“Nope, I want you standing with me when I share this with you.”
“How about I pick you up for dinner and come over with more of my stuff? The movers are scheduled for next week, but I don’t need to be there for that since it’s all going into storage until the house is ready.” She moved and caught the scent of Tucker’s cologne on her clothes, and the anger returned. “If I finish getting all my clothes, I’ll be officially moved in, and we’ll have plenty of time whenever you like.”
“I can’t wait,” Monique said, and from the ringing phones in the background, it sounded as if she was at work. “Are you sure you’re okay? You sound a little off.”
“We’ll talk about it tonight over Chinese, but I’m fine. I had a problem and now I don’t.”
* * *
Tucker woke up and took a deep breath. The short nap had done hardly anything to alleviate the state Willow had left her in, and hopefully Willow still had some time before they both went back to work. “Willow?” she called out, only lifting her head, hoping she didn’t have to get up.
She’d been asleep for about half an hour, but Willow obviously wandered off somewhere since the spot next to her was cold. “Where’d you go?” she said, putting on her robe. A stroll around the house and a glance outside was answer enough. Willow had left with no explanation or note.
She wandered into the kitchen. The picture in a magnet frame of her and Jim Bob taken on the Pole Dancer Addict with two large red snappers was on the counter next to the lunch she’d gotten to share with Willow. She tried Willow’s cell phone, but there was no answer. She tried the office instead.
“Ms. Vernon’s office, can you hold please?” the woman said when Tucker was finally transferred to her.
“Sure.” She put the photo back where it belonged as music played in her ear.
“Ms. Vernon is at a lunch meeting. Can I take a message?”
“Yes, please.” She left her name and contact information. “I just wanted to make sure she’s okay, so please have her call me.”
“Will do.” The woman was nice enough, but there was no way she’d embarrass Willow by telling her assistant why she wanted to talk to her boss.
She left her phone on the bed and headed for a cold shower. Willow’s sudden exit had her more worried than horny, but there was nothing she could do about it now. “Time to go back to work.”
She put on a fresh shirt and headed back to the kitchen in her bare feet to at least have lunch while she was home. The Thai place down the street had put together a variety of things, and she’d be working late so she might as well fill up now.
Jim Bob was standing at the microwave when she turned the corner, and there were bags by the door. Her new roommate had obviously arrived.
“Had an urge to shower, or are you just getting up?” He took out another plate for her and placed it on the counter.
“I came home for lunch and had a sudden urge for a shower.” She filled her plate, throwing the vegetarian dish in the trash. “Unlike you, I got to the office at six, Captain Hook,” she said, pointing at the patch on his eye.
“Don’t bitch, squirt, I had a hell of a night.” The bandage showed traces of blood and Jim Bob appeared tired.
“I should bitch since it was Mom who came by and told me.” She hugged him, and he exhaled like a man with a lot of problems. “The other master suite is ready for you, and I’m here for you no matter what. Mi casa es su casa.”
“Thank you for saying that,” he said, tightening his hold. “I can’t take it anymore, Tuck. What happened last night was a slap in the face that nothing is ever going to change, and I can’t take it anymore.” He clung to her and started crying. It wasn’t something he did often, and it broke her heart.
The one truth about her brother was that he loved his family and he’d stayed with Ivy through all her problems and treatment because he’d made a commitment and that meant something to him. Most men would’ve checked out after the first month, but Jim Bob had stayed and thrown everything at the situation. Nothing worked, though.
“Listen to me, okay?” she said, holding him. “Above all else in your life, you deserve to be happy. You aren’t, and it kills me that I lose a little of that guy I grew up with every day. You’ve given enough, and now I think it’s time for you to find something or someone to be happy about. No one is ever going to accuse you of giving up.”
“What the hell happened to me?”
“The thing that happens to good people butting their heads against bad situations. It wears on you and eventually you have to accept that letting go is the only answer.” She kissed his cheek, glad Willow was gone. Jim Bob needed her way more than she needed to get laid.
“You don’t think I’m a failure?” He finally let her go, and she got him a paper towel for his runny nose. “I sometimes feel like one—I’ve made so many mistakes.”
“You’re my big brother, and nothing you can do will make me think that. Buddy, everyone in our family and all of our friends know what you’ve been through, but no one really understands until you’ve lived it. When it comes down to it, it shouldn’t matter what people think or say. It’s only what you think. If anyone gives you any shit, you have my permission to tell them to fuck off.” She handed him a glass of water and a wet towel for his face. “I want you to stay here until you figure it all out.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said, sitting when she got his plate for him. “You came late, Tuck, but I thank God and our parents for you every day.”
“You’ve been my best friend all my life, and it’ll be nice sharing a house for once. You were off to college by the time I realized who you were, old man.” She heated some stuff for herself and sat with him.
“Believe me, in hindsight I should’ve stayed home and gone to Tulane.”
“Hindsight makes everyone a genius, so stop beating yourself up about all this because all of it is fixable.” She patted his back and he nodded finally.
“Not to change the subject, but I’m all cried out. Did you talk to Mann about the changes we wanted?”
“He signed off this morning, and everything is all locked up on that. We should be able to start construction next month. You want to handle that, or you want me to run with it?”
“You’re doing good, and I’m sure I’ll be busy with this guy Jefferson set me up with. It should be cut-and-dried because of the prenup, but Ivy’s got a doctorate in stirring shit.”
“You need to learn to start taking deep breaths and let the attorneys handle Ivy as well as Tara and Bubba. If you engage in every meltdown, this is going to take forever.”
“I hear ya.”
They finished lunch and she helped him move his stuff into the bedroom on the other side of the house. She didn’t often have guests, but the house had two master suites, another guest room, and an office. No matter how long Jim Bob stayed, they’d be comfortable. They made plans for dinner and parted as she headed back to the office, and Jim Bob headed to his attorney’s office.
She smiled when Jonathan Mann wasted no time in making an appointment to sign their contract, and she agreed, even though it was Friday afternoon. With any luck she’d run into Willow and they could make some weekend plans. Unfortunately, though, the only people in attendance were Jon and some of his management team. Her stop on Willow’s floor didn’t get her anywhere either, so she worried even more about what might have happened.
“Hey,” Jim Bob said when she answered her phone as she started her walk back to the office. “Can you stop by Jefferson’s real quick? I need you to sign some stuff.”
“Sure.” What he was doing at Jefferson’s again was a mystery, but they did have bids out for more leases, and they might have come through sooner than she expected. “I’m a five minute walk away.” She spent the short walk thinking over her time with Willow and trying to figure out if something had gone wrong. Maybe she’d been right. Maybe Willow was one of the crazy ones after all. But somehow, that didn’t feel right.
“Don’t say no,” Jim Bob said when she arrived and joined him in an empty conference room.
“Great way to start a conversation.” She glanced from his face to the stacks of paper piled on the table. “What’s all this?”
“I’m serious about leaving Ivy, and the divorce attorney made some valid points today on more than a few topics.”
“Okay, but what does that have to with Jefferson?”
“Jefferson was nice enough to have what I wanted ready, but I need your signature to finish all this up.”
“Ivy hasn’t contested the prenup already, has she?”
“No, but I’m through putting off all this shit. I’m done waiting, but I also don’t want to leave you with all my problems either.” He moved something in front of her and tapped his finger over it. “I made some amendments to my new will, as well as a few other things, but I need your signature to ratify them.”
“What else did you need? We just finished updating these a year ago.” Jim Bob seemed to have gone from leaving Ivy to morbid.
“I’ll let Jefferson explain.”
It took Jefferson an hour to go through all the documents, and all Tucker could do was nod in disbelief. Her brother had thought of everything. “Are you sure? I’m happy with the way things are. We don’t have to talk about the shit storm this will put me in the middle of if it ever comes to pass.”
“I know—that’s why I’m doing it.” Jim Bob took her hand and placed his pen in it. “Sign it, and I’ll have one less thing I have to worry about. This time I’m doing everything right.”
“I will, but it’s okay to change your mind.” Thinking about the very fragile mortality of the people you loved was never an easy thing, but maybe this would be the talisman that would grant her the years she wanted to share with Jimbo. The alternative would break something in her that she feared could never be repaired.
* * *
“Can you believe it?” Monique held up her hand and showed off her ring. “I told you he loved me and wanted a life with me.”
“It only took him two and a half years to commit,” Willow said, still angry from lunch.
Monique lost her smile and dropped her hand as if Willow had ruined her moment. “I know you don’t like him, but you’re going to have to accept that I love him. Can you try?”
Willow pulled the cork out of the wine and held up a glass. “Want some?”
Monique shook her head and held up a bottle to Grady’s mouth. “Come on, little man. You’re not waking up at two because you’re hungry.”
Willow exhaled in disgust, but at herself. It wasn’t fair to take her bad mood out on Monique, and she had major damage control to do. “Are you really happy?” She sat next to Monique and held Grady’s foot.
“Willow, for so long it was just you and me, but once you went off to school and I was alone again, Jim Bob filled that void. He was the lifeline that helped me out when I didn’t have a clue how I was going to handle different situations. Jim Bob did that because he wanted to, and not because I asked it of him. You have no idea how much he’s done for me, on top of giving me Grady.”
“Are you sure he’s not bullshitting you about this to keep you quiet for a few more years?” She did have to accept this, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
“I helped Jefferson put some of the paperwork together. He’s not bluffing, and he wants to be here before Grady gets too much older.” The baby stopped and made happy noises when Monique lifted him to burp him. “If you gave him a chance, you’d see he’s a good man.”
“He’s married.”
“You don’t think I knew that going in? If you’re going to blame him, you have to blame me too, but all I want is for you to be happy for me. You may not believe me, but he loves me and Grady, and he wants to have a life with us.” Monique’s eyes were getting glassy, which meant Willow had pushed her too far.
She leaned over and kissed Monique on the cheek. Now was the time to admit to what had happened with Tucker, but it was Monique’s night and she didn’t want to cloud it with her own shit. “I’m only looking out for you, and I’ll be happy to plan a wedding with you.”
“Thank you, and I love you.”
The rest of the night was quiet as they ate and talked. Willow glanced over her email while Monique managed her diabetes. According to her last message from Margo, Tucker had called five times asking for her to get back to her, but she didn’t want to think about Tucker until she formulated a plan on how she was going to work with the sleazy bitch. There was just no way it was a coincidence. It couldn’t be.
“Hey, do you and Jim Bob ever talk about his family?” She followed Monique to the baby’s room and bit the inside of her lip for her weakness in asking.
“It’s not a great subject since Ivy has a drinking problem, and she’s strained the relationship he has with his children.” Monique spoke softly as she put Grady down.
Her nephew was so precious, with his full head of dark hair that stood straight up and his bright blue eyes. He in no way resembled their side of the family, and his cute face actually reminded her of Tucker. If Tucker had the ability to get someone pregnant, Willow was sure Grady would be the result. “Did he ever mention someone named Tucker?” Good Lord, the only way she’d get any lamer was to wait and pass Monique a note at lunch, but she had to know.
“Now there’s someone he’s crazy about. He loves that kid to no end.”
“You’re mighty understanding.” She was suddenly nauseous at the thought of her sister being this clueless. Their mother had been a strong woman who’d taught them to stand on their own and take care of one another. Monique, poor thing, had taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Monique rolled her eyes. “Tucker is Jim Bob’s baby sister. She’s twenty years his junior, and she owns half the company.”
Half the company? That was just fucking great. At least now I know her last name. “You’ve met her?” She was sick at her own cluelessness.
“He’s offered to introduce us, but I haven’t accepted yet.” The way Monique admitted that meant she was expecting another fight.
“Why not?”
“I realize you think I’m nuts or really stupid, but when Jim Bob starts introducing me to his family, I don’t want it to be as his mistress with the bastard kid.” Monique walked to her bedroom and started changing. “They’re really close, so she probably knows about us, but I haven’t pushed for details.”
“You should, and he shouldn’t hide you away. I realize you don’t push for anything, but that’s just insulting as hell. When are you going to wake up and realize he’s been using you all this time?”
“Can we drop this?”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to end up in an argument with you.” Monique put her nightgown on and wouldn’t face her. “No matter what I say, it’s never going to change your mind about him, but you’re going to have to come around eventually. He asked me to marry him, and I accepted. That means he’s going to be a big part of my life, and he’s Grady’s father.”
Willow couldn’t ease the tension in her neck, and when she thought of the way Tucker touched her, she simply couldn’t let it go. “I totally understand that, and I only get upset because you’re my sister and I love you. That this asshole has kept you hidden away drives me insane.”
Monique sighed. “Like I said, let’s drop it. We’re not going to figure it all out tonight, but we’ll have to soon. Jim Bob is going to be my husband, and you’re my sister. Both of you are important to me, and I refuse to spend the rest of my life seeing you separately.”
“Give me more credit than that.” It’d take some discipline on her part, but she’d learn to swallow every one of her feelings for Jim Bob for Monique’s sake.
“Why’d you ask about Tucker?”
“No important reason. She was at the meeting about the new platform, and I wondered who she was. Now I know to stay clear of her so I don’t give anything away.” And because she and her bastard brother were probably sharing a good laugh about the ease of bedding the Vernon sisters right now. “But you’re right. Let’s drop it.”