Page 29 of Peacocks

Lane gave me a tremulous little smile, though, so I figured I hadn’t embarrassed myself too much.

Chad, on the other hand, frowned. “Huhhhh.”

I could hear the sound of Lane’s teeth grinding together from across the table. “Chad,” he snapped. “Why are you actually here? And don’t give me lies about being in the neighborhood. Is Simon…”

“Simon’s great.” Chad’s thumb fiddled with a ring on his left hand that I hadn’t even noticed. “He got a promotion. We’re buying a house.”

Lane blew out a breath. “Good,” he said, and it sounded sincere. “I’m glad for you.”

“But you’re right that I’m not here by chance. I have a gift for you.” He smiled his friendly—smarmy—smile and folded his hands on the tabletop. “A research opportunity. At UGA.”

Lane froze, his lips parting slightly, but no sound came out.

“Simon’s promotion… he’s been made dean of your old department, and they’re expanding the vet program,” Chad explained. “Adding more fieldwork, integrating teaching with hands-on animal care. You’d still get to teach, but you’d also have a chance to work directly with animals. Exactly what you said you wanted.”

Lane’s eyes flicked to me for a second, blinking rapidly. My stomach twisted.

He did that blinking thing when I offered him a second slice of cake for dessert or when he was late for work, but I started getting handsy in the shower.

It was the blink of temptation.

“You’d have access to state-of-the-art facilities,” Chad went on. “More funding than you’d know what to do with. A chance to make a real impact. They’re looking for someone to lead the program, and I told Simon you’d be perfect for it. You don’t need to be back until this summer.”

“This summer?” Lane whispered. “But…”

Kelsey returned at that moment. “Here we go! Coke for Jay. Sweet tea with lemon for Lane. And soda and lime for… the older gentleman.” She set down Chad’s drink, and I decided she deserved a really, really good tip.

Lane stared at the glass she’d set in front of him. “There are three lemon wedges in this,” he said, surprised.

Kelsey nodded. “Annie-Ruth at the Tavern told me that’s how you take your tea. Three lemons, always. Never two, never four.” She giggled like she found Lane adorable… and I couldn’t argue since I agreed. “Is that okay?”

“It’s perfect,” Lane told her with a smile. “Best thing about a small town, huh? People know you.”

Kelsey nodded.

So did I.

Chad scowled.

“I’ll need another minute with the menu to choose my entree,” he told Kelsey curtly. Once she departed again, he turned to me. His eyes narrowed, and I knew I was not going to like whatever came next. “Jay, I want you to order whatever you want today.”

I frowned. “Uh… I was planning on it. They have great rib eyes?—”

“I don’t want you to worry about the expense, alright? I know this place is probably a bit much for you,” Chad went on pleasantly. “It’s my treat.”

Hand on my Coke, I froze. Had I heard him right?

The way Lane’s expression had locked into a mixture of horror, anger, and misery suggested I had.

“Chad,” he said, voice shaking with anger. “What the hell?—?”

“Not a problem,” I told Chad tightly. “I can pay my own way.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Chad I had more than enough money—that I could buy the dang Steak n’ Bait, if such a thought ever occurred to me—but I pinched my mouth shut.

When I’d invested my last couple of thousand dollars in my friend’s start-up a few years back, I’d done it because he needed the help, and I’d had it to give, not because I had any idea I’d end up wealthy. And I didn’t tell folks in town that I had money, or even that I owned the Suds Barn, because I didn’t want them looking at me like I ought to be one of the folks in suits at the table at the front of the restaurant—all talk, talk, talk and no action. Nofun.

I liked cleaning cars. I liked having time to help out my friends and neighbors. I liked being Jaybird Proud.

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