A Perfect Mess (21 page)

I met his gaze. The sheriff was an okay guy, but authority, like Langston, didn’t really scare me. I’ve talked myself out of plenty of tickets. “He’s a buffoon.”

“Maybe so, but a dangerous one.”

“Thanks, Sheriff for the advice. You know how bullies are. They push until something snaps.”

“Trouncing him isn’t the answer.”

“I’m not interested in fighting. Langston is the one carrying the grudge.”

“Hmm. Watch your step. He’s got a powerful daddy.”

I nodded and headed back to find Aubree.

#

When I got home, Brax was there at my stove, bare-chested and stony-faced. Of the three of us, he was more prone to bouts of moodiness. I think in the movies he would have been one of those smoldering brooders women found so hot. He, Boone and I were tight knit. There was no doubt about it. But when it came to women, they could tie us all up in knots. I knew from experience. He tended to use us as punching bags to let off steam. Boone and I didn’t mind, especially when we ganged up on him.

“How is the little woman this afternoon?”

He didn’t even turn his head.

“Aw, come on, Brax.”

When I came around the counter, I realized he was wearing a frilly pink apron tied around his waist…and nothing else.

I almost bust a gut.

“You fucking moron!” I could barely get it out.

Brax was laughing so hard. It was amazing he’d kept a straight face all that time.

“I’ll never be able to look at another frilly pink apron again.”

“Yeah, serves you right.”

“You going to let River Pearl trounce you like that?” I couldn’t help poking the bear.

“That’s girl’s a bona fide ball-buster. I’m not touching that.”

“Okay. Could you get dressed, now?”

“Hey, guys, what’s up?”

Boone came around the bar and stopped short. He looked at me then at Braxton. He walked to the fridge and grabbed a beer. “I’m not asking.” He shook his head and went out to start the grill.

“That was unexpected.”

We burst out laughing again and Braxton put his pants on. “By the way, here are your fucking cookies. I hope you choke on them. I want the plasticware back.”

An hour later people started to arrive. Most of them we’d met through the bar. Some out-of-towners, others who had moved to the town in just the last few months. There was only one person I was waiting for. Finally I saw her come into the foyer along with three other people.

She walked up to me, face all serious, but her eyes were sparkling. “You better have my
boudin
or I’m walking.”

“Yeah, yeah, I made the
boudin
. No, thanks to Booker,” Brax groused. Aubree smiled at him.

“Well, that’s a good thing, because your gumbo was the best I ever tasted.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He sniffed. “
Fresh pomegranate and lemon verbena scent revive body wash with exfoliating crystals.”

She looked quizzically at me, then back at Braxton. “That’s right.”

“Thought so.

He gave me a knowing look and walked away. “Don’t listen to him.”

“How did he know that?”

“He was at the market today, giving me a hard time.”

“Oh, okay. I was about to be impressed.”

There was a commotion at the front door and when I looked over a smile split my face. “Remy!” I strode over and gave him a fist bump.

“Where you at, Book?”

Aubree had followed me over. “Aubree, this is my cousin, Remy Beaupre.”

“
Chere
,” he nodded.

“He’s my good-for-nothing Cajun cousin on my Ma’s side of the family. Where are Dempsey and Creed?”

“Right behind ‘im, Coonass.”

I laughed and greeted them. When we were growing up there was nothing I enjoyed more than heading over to their house to enjoy the good times and there were a lot of them. We were all about the same age. Remy was the oldest at twenty-three with Dempsey the middle child twenty-two and Creed was twenty-one bringing up the rear. “You going to play and sing for us tonight.”

“I think that’s the plan. Brax wanted a real Cajun back-up.”

“Ha! It’s good to see you. Boone’s outside and I think Brax is in the kitchen.” The three of them walked off and I heard Boone shout from the deck.

“Let’s go get some food.” She looked at me, then at my cousins as they walked away.

“There are definitely gorgeous genes in your family and their accents. Oh, my.”

“Are you trying to make me jealous again?”

“Ummm.no…but, geez Booker, I’m not dead. Three strapping men like that—all of them can whisper French nothings. Well, it does make a girl pause.” She rubbed her hands together. “
Boudin
.”

“Okay, we’ll get that first, but you have to have some of the frog legs we caught.”

“Okay, wow, everything smells heavenly.” She grabbed a plate on the table in the dining room and started to load it up.

“How’s your aunt?”

“Oh, the sheriff is with her tonight.”

“Really.”

“Yes, he asked her out.” She leaned close and I decided then and there that I loved the smell of pomegranate and lemon verbena, whatever the hell they were. “She told me not to worry about her tonight,” she whispered.

“Way to go, Aunt Lottie.”

“I know.”

“Wait a second. All night?”

She gave me a soft look and then spied the
boudin,
and I lost her again…to a sausage.
Damn
. She followed me into the living room, then out back to the benches wrapping the deck. I noticed her glance towards the stack of pillows that were now off to the side to accommodate more people.

“It’s beautiful out tonight,” she said and settled on one of the seats. I sat down next to her.

“It’s gorgeous,” I said, not able to take my eyes off her.

She blushed and forked up a bite from her plate. She closed her eyes in bliss. It was a pleasure to watch her eat. “Shut up! I’ve never tasted
boudin
like this. Your brother is very talented.”

“Don’t tell him that. It’ll go to his fat head.”

“I heard that.”

“What did you put in this? It’s not pork, right?”

“Nope,” Braxton said. “Chicken. Cluck, cluck,” he said giving me a wry sidelong glance. “And can you tell what else I put in it?”

She took another bite. “Stuffing instead of rice.”

“You’re good.”

“Sourdough?”

“She is good.”

“Do you think you’ll have any of this left over?”

“Aubree, did you come to see me or the
boudin
?”

I heard Brax laugh.

“Umm…”

“Aubree?”

“I’m just kidding. It was you.”

“Excuse me,” River Pearl said as she pressed between Braxton and another party-goer.

Brax stiffened and released a quick breath.

“Hey, Aubree, Booker…Braxton.”

“River Pearl. You have to try this
boudin
, Braxton made. It’s delicious.”

“Okay, give me two minutes to settle.” She plopped down next to Aubree.

Brax tried to be cool, but I couldn’t mistake the longing in his eyes for some validation of his skill from River Pearl.

She took a bite while everyone waited. “It’s interesting.”

“What?” Aubree said. “I think it’s amazing.”

“Doesn’t taste traditional.”

When I looked for Brax, he’d disappeared into the crowd. If River Pearl wanted to hurt him, implying his food was mediocre was certainly the way to do it. I thought about going to find him, but he would most likely play it off like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Where’s Verity? I thought she was coming with you.” Aubree said.

“She’s…not feeling well,” River Pearl replied.

“Oh. That’s too bad.”

I thought about that discussion Boone and I had the other day about Holy Mary Verity. I had to wonder if the reason Verity hadn’t shown up was because of Boone, or because of our reputation.

Maybe both.

“I heard you kicked Daniel Langston’s ass in the market today, Booker,” River Pearl said with a smile. “I would have loved to have seen that.”

Aubree looked at me, immediate apprehension in her eyes. “What?”

“I didn’t kick his ass…well I did, but it was just a shove.”

“Booker?”

“When I went to get the caviar, he was in the aisle. We exchanged pleasantries and he took a swing at me. I ducked, came up behind him, and he said hello up close and personal to a shelf of caviar.”

“Things in this town get so exaggerated when it comes to you Outlaws.” Aubree set down her plate and disappeared into the crowd.

I glared at River Pearl, but she gave me that I’m-completely-innocent look.

I went after Aubree and found her near the baby grand.

“Hey, you can’t expect things to change, Aubree. We’re never going to get a fair shake in this town.”

She turned into my arms and I wrapped mine around her. She nestled against me.

“He’s not going to give up.”

“Who?”

“Langston. He wants answers about his brother. I’m scared, Booker.”

I kissed the top of her head and tightened my arms. “Langston is harmless. He’s not going to do anything to jeopardize his cushy life.”

“Hey, how about some music?” someone yelled.

“Right, we were promised entertainment.” More voices joined the chorus.

I sighed. “Sit next to me while I do this?”

“All right.”

I sat down at the piano. Boone had his guitar and Brax his fiddle. I stretched my fingers over the piano keys, and pounded out the opening notes of “Great Balls of Fire.” People hooted and yelled. I grinned. Best feeling in the world. I leaned over the keyboard, but locked my eyes to Aubree’s. She stared right back at me, and the seductive lights in her eyes almost made me mess up the next part. I took the intensity of her look and channeled it into the music. I was panting by the time that number was done, but segued right into Cajun music. Brax was really good on his fiddle with those tunes. The accordion player from the bar joined us.

Then Brax graced the audience with songs in Cajun French performed in his own unique gravelly voice with my cousins offering their special flavor.

As the night wore on, I got more and more impatient for people to leave. Right around midnight there was a grand exodus. I was still sitting at the piano fooling around with melodies. Aubree was talking to River Pearl on the screened deck. Brax and several other people were cleaning up. One by one they dwindled until all that was left was me and Aubree.

“Brax wrapped up the rest of the
boudin
for me.”

I chuckled. “That’s good. He couldn’t have had a happier fan.”

“Well, it’s going to mean more trips to his bar. I want to try some of his other dishes.”

“That’s fine with me,” I said, reaching out and running the backs of my fingers down the side of her soft face.

She reached up and cupped her small hand around mine. I straddled the bench and pulled her down. With her back to me, I placed soft, slow kisses on the back of her neck, my other arm snaking around her small waist.

“You going to play me, Booker?”

“You’d make a beautiful song.”

She turned and draped her long, supple legs over each of mine, her forearms resting loosely across my shoulders, and scooted up against me until we were close, hip to hip close, whisper close. “Pretty words.”

She nuzzled her face against mine and heat shot everywhere at once while my heart just tumbled and tumbled. “They’re not just words.”