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“I don’t see a ring.”

“Best leave that one alone, Dev. Trust me.”

“Oh well.” I shrugged. “Heard Trip is going to be released in a few days. Still can’t believe that idiot finally woke up. Should have known he’d never miss a party. So how did the talk go with George?”

Snapping her folder closed, she sighed. “It didn’t.”

“What do you mean? I thought you went to the barbeque,” I asked, glaring at my friend.

“I did go.”

“Then what happened?”

Poor Josie had been head over heels for the town’s scrumptious Dr. Feelgood and, if my source was correct, which he was, the good doctor felt the same way. Anyway, both idiots friend-zoned each other and both were too damn chickenshit to do anything about it. Well, fate stepped in after Mr. Munson’s funeral. After some steady drinking and a heartfelt talk, the two lovebirds did the nasty, and all was well, until Josie friend-zoned the good doctor again. When my all-knowing source confided in me, myself and a few others cornered Josie to find out what gives. After a heartfelt talk, Josie was supposed to attend the Sons of Hell barbeque and set things right with Dr. Feelgood, but like most things in this town, shit hit the fan and drama ensued.

“Craaap.”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “I got there and managed to say hi before all hell broke loose. I haven’t seen him since.”

“You will see him tonight,” a familiar wispy, soft voice said, and I stiffened. Oh hell no! What the hell was she doing here? I thought she hopped on her broom with the other one and flew far, far away!

“Oh crap!” I gasped, looking around the room for the nearest escape. “Athena? What the hell are you doing here?”

“The planets are merging,” the flighty woman replied, as if that clarified everything.

“Uh-huh,” I whispered, backing away from the woman. “Cool. I need to go. I’ve something to do.”

“Run all you want, Devlyn. He’s coming for you.”

“The hell he is!” I snapped, running from the ballroom as if my ass were on fire.

Chapter Four

New Orleans, Louisiana, that same day...

“GO AWAY! THE BAR IS CLOSED!” I shouted, leaning against the doors. Ain’t no way, no how was I gonna let in that street urchin! I’d heard the tales. The mass destruction he caused.

Nope.

My life was plain and simple, and I aimed to keep it that way. He could march his little ass back to the great state of Virginia where he belonged. Let him cause trouble there.

I was doing fine here all on my own!

“You open this door right now, Wade Crawley!” Mrs. Martha Steiner shouted. “I know your momma, boy, and I’m not afraid to call her!”

Yep. She sure did know mymôman. They were Facebook besties to boot. Physically, they’d never met, but socially, on the internet, well, that was different.

Mymômanwas a big-time book reader.

Not just any books, either.

The dirty ones.

You know, the ones that would make any gentile Southern woman blush scarlet red and faint to the heavens? Those books!

Well, not mymôman. She devoured them faster than Sunday service standing in front of a pot of gumbo! And thanks to my cousin Tilly, who showed her how to reach out on the web, mymômanfound her people... the dirty book people!

And their ringleader was currently banging on my door!

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