Page 88 of The Jackpot Screwer
“Moving here, from L.A.? Woah that’s one hell of an uproot.” I shook my head wondering why anyone would choose Dayton Valley out of all the towns in the state. I loved the place, but it was my hometown and L.A. it was not.
“Apparently, she’s from around here originally,” Hunter said. “Katherine Hallahan, you know her?”
“Nope.” I shook my head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
“Yeah, and I reckon you know most of the ladies from around and about.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the grin. He was right, I’d had a great time with the ladies.
“Anyone home?”
Melinda pushed through the door flicking her long, glossy dark hair over her shoulder. Henry followed behind carrying a huge casserole dish with a plate of muffins and cookies balanced on top.
“Honey, you could have carried the sweet stuff at least,” he complained. “Hey guys. Hunter, will you take the plate before it falls?”
Hunter took it with one hand and the casserole dish with his other. “I’ll take them through to the kitchen.”
“The casserole is for you guys and the cake and cookies for when the Wedding Planner gets here. It’s all from Darcy,” Melinda offered before dropping onto the couch next to me and kissing my cheek. “You ready for this, big guy, our kids getting hitched?”
“Can’t say I am,” Henry interjected. “She’s my baby and no disrespect, buddy, but he’s your son.”
“Hey, I hear ya,” I replied. “But Hunter isn’t me and I’m not really the me you’ve seen the last couple of years. You know that.”
Henry snorted. “Like you weren’t a dog during high school.”
“Yeah, I heard all about you and Tracee Wickerson.” Melinda raised her brows. “Does our local pig farmer know you banged his daughter under the bleachers?”
“No,” I cried. “And he doesn’t need to. The point is that once I met Sondra, I was done. I loved her and no way would I have done anything to hurt her.”
Melinda took in a deep breath and rubbed my arm. Sondra’s death had hit her hard too. They, with Darcy, were best friends, but even before Darcy started to date Jim, Melinda and Sondra were real tight.
“Okay,” Henry said lightly, breaking the sadness threatening to smother the room. “I vote we quickly do shots before she gets here. The alcohol running through my veins might lighten the damn load of cash she’s going to tell me I’m going to have to hand over.”
“Hey,” I said, pushing up from the sofa. “I told you, we’re going half and half. He’s my son, half those guests will be our friends and family.”
“Whatever, buddy. We’ll sort something out.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll go get us some drinks.”
Before I had a chance, I heard the sound of car wheels on the gravel outside. It sounded like our wedding planner had arrived. The way her tires screeched I guessed she thought she was running late.
“Ellie, Hunter, your lady is here,” I called.
Within seconds, giggling like two little kids, they came bundling into the room.
“Oh my God,” Ellie gushed. “I’m so nervous. What if I hate everything she suggests?”
Hunter stood behind her and massaged her shoulders. “You’re the client. She has to do what you want.”
“I guess so,” she breathed out.
“I’ll go let her in.” Henry said, as he was closest to the door into the hallway which led to the front of the house.
The rest of us stood around, looking at each other, all anxious as if we were meeting the Queen of England, not a wedding planner.
I heard the door open and Henry say hello, followed by the click of heels on the tiles and a sexy rasp of a voice. Whoever she was, she sounded like she ought to be singing in some smoky jazz club.
“So sorry, the damn traffic was an absolute bitch and I thought I was going to be late. I had to give some guy in a brown truck a little encouragement, he was driving so damn slow through the center of town. Oh, hang on can you give me a second, I need to run back to my car for something.” All of it was said in what seemed like one breath, without any response from Henry who entered the room and stared at us, wide-eyed.
