Page 39 of Spilling the Tea

“Through Victoria. It’s her roommate at camp. We met when I dropped Victoria off.”

Jantz lifted a brow. “Felicia Laverne Lee?”

Milton arched a brow. “You’ve met her?”

“Of course, we’ve met her,” his mother said, smiling brightly. “We met Felicia Laverne last summer when we picked Victoria up from camp. She introduced her as her new best friend. Felicia Laverne is a lovely girl.”

“I agree,” Jantz said, smiling broadly. “I guess you know her father is a preacher. Reverend Nolan Lee. We met him, his wife, and their other two daughters. Naomi Lee is Felicia Laverne’s first cousin.”

“The gospel singer?” Milton asked, surprised. He recognized the name because his mother was a big admirer of the woman and had a couple of her albums. He’d heard Naomi Lee used to be a backup singer for Mahalia Jackson before going solo and establishing a name for herself.

“Yes, the gospel singer,” Jantz said, picking up his fork again. “How serious is your interest in Felicia Laverne?”

“We’ve been exchanging letters all summer. I’d love to accompany you when you pick up Victoria from camp.”

His father held his gaze while cutting his steak, not trying to hide his grin. “I just bet you would.”

“Will that be a problem, Pa?” Milton asked, hoping it wouldn’t be.

Jantz laughed. “Not if it means I might get a daughter-in-law before your thirtieth birthday.”

Milton grinned. “It does. I knew the moment I saw her that she was the one. I love her.”

Both his parents stared at him for a long moment, and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his mother dab at hers.

“Then, by all means, yes, you can join us to get your sister,” Jantz Madaris said, happily.

“I prefer driving my truck, Pa.”

“Why? There’s plenty of room in mine.”

Milton shrugged. “Not if Way comes, too.”

Jantz put his fork down again. “Is Waylon coming?”

“Only if you say it’s alright. He intends to ask your permission.”

Jantz nodded. “We’ll see.”

Milton picked up his glass of iced tea to hide his smirk. He knew his father liked Waylon a lot, just like a second son. He wouldn’t have a problem with him going to Tennessee with them. Pa just wasn’t ready to make things easy on Way. After all, Victoria was his only daughter and his pride and joy.

He wondered if all fathers were hard on any guy who showed interest in their daughter. He hoped that Felicia Laverne’s father didn’t plan to make things hard on him, too.

***

“Hello, Milton.”

Milton glanced up from repairing the fence and tipped his Stetson to the woman sitting on her horse. “Hello, Charlotte. You’re a long way from home, aren’t you?”

She gave him that funny little laugh he’d always found annoying. “How can I be far from home when we’re neighbors?”

There was no reason to explain that even though their family’s spreads bordered, she was on Madaris’s land, which covered over ten thousand acres. “If you’re looking for Waylon, he left for home about a half hour ago.”

“I didn’t come here for Waylon. I came here to see you.”

He lifted a brow. “Why?”

“The Hollisters are having their annual barn dance next Saturday night, and I’d like you to be my date.”

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