Page 22 of Bourbon and Secrets

“She’s not.”

Lily claps back this time. “How do you know?”

I don’t plan on telling her the exhaustive list about how Faye is not the “nice” person my girls believe her to be.

“I just know.”

“People don’t talk to us like that. It’s either sad eyes about Mom or fancy voices about you,” Lily says. My stomach lurches at how I know exactly what they mean. “I heard the moms from Girl Scouts talking about what the curse means for us.” Hearingthatpisses me off. Fiasco loves its gossip, but the people in this town wanted to pin a reason on why our family had to deal with so much tragedy and loss. It was a ridiculous thing to say:Every woman a Foxx loved ended up dying.But bringing it up around my kids wasn’t going to go unanswered.

Lark gazes out the side window, looking sad and contemplative, and the only thing I want to do is make sure she’s okay. If I don’t pull out some kind of motivational moment here, I’m going to regret it.

“Hey,” I say, trying to get her to look at me through the rearview mirror. “Lark.”

She gives me a side-eye that reminds me so much of her mother it has me swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Listen to me right now.” I turn off the radio and step on the brake. “You’re Foxx girls.” Raising my eyebrows, I sit taller. “That’s strength, darlin’. There isn’t a single soul in this town or the next who’s as strong, and smart, and beautiful as the two of you.”

Lark’s chin wobbles at that affirmation, and it takes everything in me to keep my shit together too. We talk about their mom often. The good things. The things that made Olivia lovable and kind. The things I hope they somehow get from her, because those things aren’t me. They’ll get strong and loyal, smart and aware, but the parts that had made me fall in love with my wife are the things I hope my girls somehow absorbed.

Lark gives me one nod, as Lily throws both arms up high, fingers out as she repeats those words. “We’re Foxx girls.”

Lark cracks a smile. “Fine. We’re Foxx girls.”

I pull up the rest of the way in my brother’s driveway, throw it into park, and turn in my seat. “Alright, Foxx girls.” I look between the two of them. “No more skipping school, even if it’s to see the pretty new neighbor.”

“See? You just called her pretty,” Lily retorts with a giggle.

Dammit.

Grant opens the front door to his place. There are only three things that make my baby brother smile like that: my sister-in-law, making barrels, andmygirls.

“Are my little flowers turning into weeds? Why’d we skip school today?” he yells out, with a little too much amusement.

“That doesn’t sound even a little bit like tough love,” I tell him.

He crosses his arms as Lily rushes out of the Jeep telling him all about her newest rocks and gems. “Alright, Uncle Grant, pick your favorite.”

My brother points to a small opaque white crystal.

Lily palms it and says as I walk closer, “Dad, how long are we going to be here today?”

Grant falls for the ploy to look away. That’s when my daughter pockets the rock and I play along.

“Later this afternoon.” I glance at Grant for confirmation. “That okay?”

He nods. “Fine with me. I’m all yours today, my little flowers.”

She smiles wide as he turns his attention back to her. With her closed fists still held out, she says, “Okay, now. Pick a hand.”

It takes him a second to choose her right hand. The same one she initially closed the rock in, but when she opens it, it’s gone.

He barks out a laugh. “Lil, how’d you do that?!”

“Alright.” Smiling, I clap. “Now, where’s my new favorite Foxx?” The easiest way to rile him up is to flirt with my sister-in-law, Laney.

“She’s helping Hadley again today. I would have thought you’d know that since you three are all up each other's asses.”

“Is that new territory for you, baby brother?” I lower my voice so my girls won’t hear. “You having trouble being up your wife’s ass? Need me to step in for some pointers?”

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