Page 96 of Bourbon and Lies

“Been trying to tell you, without much luck, apparently, that I’m happy for you. I didn’t know about you and Fi...until the end. If I could have picked anyone for her to have, it would have been you, Grant. But she’s not here.” He pauses for a moment, swallowing audibly. “I miss her every damn day, but she had a happy life. I’m happy you had some part of that.”

I really didn’t want to cry tonight, but I swear if he says one more thing, I’m going to lose it.

“You don’t need it, but you always have my blessing. On whomever you choose.”

Dammit. I rest my forearms on the counter and hang my head, looking down at the scuffed linoleum floor. “I hadn’t planned on choosing anyone.”

“Well, that’s the funny thing about love, isn’t it?” He looks toward the kitchen window, where Marla spoons out her ambrosia. “It tends to ignore your plans. And you can only be a dumbass for so long when someone makes you smile.”

And if I had blinked, I would have missed it. The way the corner of his mouth tipped up on the side as he watched Marla.Well, I’ll be damned.

“You shitting me right now?”

He takes a swig of his coffee, not meeting the way I’m staring at the side of his face. “It never dawned on you why I was here so often?”

I tilt my head. “Figured it was the food.”

He smiles, chuckling. “Started that way.”

I laugh out, “Alright.” I nod, thinking about how my best friend just told me he’s been with someone, and somehow not a single person knows.

Marla comes barreling through the kitchen’s swinging door. “I’ve got medium rare for you,” she says as she unloads the prime rib plate from her forearm. “And, I’ve got rare for you, Del.” She slides the plates of spoonbread from her other forearm, and then out of nowhere, she slides out the two cups of lime green ambrosia, peppered with coconut and maraschino cherries. “I’ll grab the aus jus, one second, boys.”

“The spoonbread is good tonight,” he says over a mouthful.

On my second bite, my ears perk up.

“We don’t serve anything more than water here,” Marla says, her voice slightly elevated. I saw off another piece of the meat and glanced toward the far end of the counter at the tourist. Tall and thin, with nothing in particular that stands out about him. Slicked-back black hair, silver taking over the sides. But it’s the hair on the back of my neck that stands that has me nudging Del’s leg. I see him look past me—a quick glance and nothing more.

“Looks like you serve prime rib,” he says with a northern accent.

“Like I said, water is the only thing on the menu for ya,” Marla bites back.

I give him another glance, taking in the bold and gold ring sitting on his pinky finger. He grabs a toothpick from the holder at the register, then lets out a low laugh, like he’s not enjoyingthe attitude. “Mind telling me if you happened to see my sister passing through?”

Aside from the news playing on the television, everyone else here is quiet and listening to this conversation.

Marla gives him one of her bestAre you fucking kidding me?stares. “If she looks like you, then it’s a no. Haven’t had anybody new around here.”

“Looks more like our mother. Blonde little thing. Answers to the name Laney or Eleanor.”

I keep my breathing even and shovel another piece of the prime rib into my mouth, but I feel sick doing it. The only thing I can think about is that I left my phone in the car. Wiping my mouth with my napkin, I say to Del, “Gotta take a leak. See if she’ll wrap this for me.”

I don’t look at Marla. I only walk past the two of them and toward the bathroom in the back. When I turn the corner, I hear Marla answer, “Like I said, haven’t had anyone new around here.” I don’t catch what else is said as I move as fast as I can through the back exit and around to where my truck is parked.

I throw it in drive and call Laney, but she doesn’t answer. When I try her again, it goes to voicemail after a few rings. “Baby, listen to me. Take Julep and head up to the main house. You stay there until I come to get you.”

With my heart in my throat, I send a text to Bea.

GRANT

911. He’s here.

BEA

Calling it in. Take her and get her out of there. I don’t care where.

When I call Del, it picks up before it even rings. “He left a couple of minutes after you.”

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