Page 17 of Unloaded
“Marley!” Dalton calls out from the back door, causing both of us to jump. “You’re ruining my rep. Don’t go telling the ladies I’m a teddy bear. They’ll take advantage of me.” He folds his hands together, pouting out his lips, and flutters his eyes like a damsel in distress. I like seeing this side of Dalton, picking at Marley like an annoying brother.
This is what I love about working forBaby Girl’s. Getting to see up close and personal how they all interact, joking and teasing one another. It’s like a family, one the boys and I haven’t had in so long.
Dalton pulls a lock of my hair, gently. “Don’t listen to her,” he whines, “I’m very manly and a complete asshole.” He winks at me. I cackle at his antics, until I see a pissed off Rosco just behind him.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Rosco scowls at Dalton, who shrugs his shoulders.
“Nope!” Dalton pops the word. “Just here to watch over the ladies.” Another wink in my direction, and he slips his arm around my waist. “I’m thinking they need to be guarded closely. You know, in case the catty, rich snobs out there get out of control.” I can’t hold back another laugh. Dalton grins at me like he’s pleased as punch he’s been able to make me laugh.
“Fucking hell,” Rosco grumbles, pushing between Dalton and me before storming off out of the kitchen.
“Well, that went well,” Marley comments, staring after Rosco.
“What?” I ask. Surely, she isn’t implying she and Dalton had planned this little interaction to make Rosco jealous. “Marley?”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Marley says distractedly, before turning her focus on me. “I’d just hoped when I saw Rosco at the door maybe he’d get jealous of Dalton being flirty with you and get his head out of his ass.”
“Hey! Don’t drag me into your matchmaking schemes,” Dalton protests with a grin. “Duke doesn’t need another excuse to kick my ass. He’s already pissed at me for pushing him to talk about whatever’s bothering him.”
“Duke?” I ask.
“Yeah, that’s his nickname from the teams,” Dalton informs me. “You know because they’re all named after characters from the old television show,The Dukes of Hazzard.”
“Seriously?” This is a new one on me. I’ve never seen the show, but now that he mentions it, I see what he means.
“Yeah, their mom was obsessed with the show, and their father’s name was Jesse so she named all the kids after the other characters.” I look to Marley for confirmation. She grins and nods.
“It’s true, Luke told me all about it when he prepared me to meet their mom, Joyce, for the first time,” Marley chuckles. “She can be a bit much. Daisy can’t stand the fact that her mother named her after a character on a television show. They don’t get along at all, but I kinda feel sorry for Joyce. Even if she’s a bitch sometimes.”
“I think she’s a very unhappy woman,” Shelby says joining the conversation. “Bo says she wasn’t always like she is now. She changed after their dad left.” I’ve heard the stories about her snide comments and how she blames Daisy for Luke’s car accident that left him in a wheelchair, but I’ve never met her.
“What happened to him?” I ask realizing none of them have ever really mentioned him.
“No one knows,” Dalton answers. “He left for work one day and never came back. Disappeared without a trace. Luke remembers his parents fighting the night before he’d left, but Joyce has refused to talk about it.
“I’m surprised they haven’t tried to look for him, now that Invictus is doing so well, and they have all kinds of connections.I know it’s been more than twenty-eight years since he went missing, but with today’s technology, I think it’s worth a try. After all, all of the issues the Robertson men have stem from their dad disappearing.”
My heart breaks for Rosco and his siblings. How could a man just walk out on his family and disappear? Why would he?
“We better get back out there,” Marley says reluctantly. “Time to get this party going.”
“Marley, dear!” Mrs. Cruise calls the moment we enter the dining room. “Would you mind coming with me? I want to introduce you to everyone. They’re all dying to meet the genius behind the catering magic.”
“I’ll be right there!” Marley agrees, rolling her eyes when Mrs. Cruise turns away. Marley lowers her voice to a whisper. “Lord only knows what that hateful old woman is up to now. I don’t believe for one second it’s just to introduce me to her friends. She always has an ulterior motive. Will you come with me, Rachel? I could use the moral support. Besides, Shelby and I couldn’t pull this off without you.”
“That’s not true!” I deny. “I merely follow your lead, but you know I’ve got your back.”
Marley grins at me as we begin to follow Mrs. Cruise. Shelby sees us and walks toward us. “Come on, Mrs. Cruise is wanting a minute,” Marley grumbles, taking Shelby by the arm to drag her along with us. Shelby drags her feet. I can tell talking to Mrs. Cruise is the last thing Shelby wants to do, too.
7
ROSCO
“Grrr, damn fucker,” I growl to myself—startling one of the hostesses—as I enter the event venue through the front doors. I’d stormed out of the kitchen a few minutes ago to keep from throttling my closest friend. I’ve made two loops around the building in an effort to burn off some of my frustrations, but it isn’t helping.
I’m still pissed at the way Dalton had been flirting with Rachel, how he had his hands on her. First Enos, now Dalton. Who’s next? Kelvin? Will he take another shot at her? She’d shot him down the first night we’d met her, but now that she knows us all a bit better, maybe she’ll take him up on it. Who else is going to hit on my girl?
No!I shake my head hard.She’s not my girl! She’s not my anything!
