Fireflies and Magnolias (18 page)

“Do I need to remind you
again,
Rye Crenshaw, how much your mama disapproved of me?” Tory asked, taking the muffins from Amelia Ann and setting them on the small table she’d covered in a green damask cloth.

“But…she’s in school,” he protested, reaching for a muffin.

“Not only have we talked about this, we’ve talked it half to death.
I
was in school,” Tory said.

Her sister-in-law was bustling around the kitchen while she spoke—a constant for Tory—setting out plates and cups, filling the tea kettle with water. The sight filled Amelia Ann with warmth as she watched them volley back and forth.

“This woman has an answer for everything,” Rye muttered.

“I heard that, and if you say Clayton has too much of a reputation, let me remind you of what yours was when we got together.”

Amelia Ann couldn’t help but smile. She had found an unexpected advocate and a good one at that. Tory would make a hell of a lawyer. Too bad she couldn’t sic Tory on Clayton. Clearly his guilt had spurred this confession, and she would have to do battle with him soon.

Her brother leveled his wife a glance. “Fine. I’ll only say this one thing. If you two decide to…move forward…and he hurts you, Amelia Ann, he answers to me. Understood?”

Tory pushed him into a chair and slid him a plate so he wouldn’t make a mess with the muffin he was tearing apart.

“No, you won’t. Your friendship is too important. You’d do best to remember how well it turned out for Tammy and J.P.”

Spinning the plate, he looked up at the heavens like he was begging for divine intervention. “He’s a preacher’s kid for heaven’s sake. I’d let my grandmamma date J.P. if she were still alive.”

Now that made Amelia Ann laugh. “Oh, Rye. When are you going to realize I’m all grown up?”

He stood up and hugged her tight. “I’m trying, really I am. It’s just…you’re my little sister. I want to look out for you. No one did that for me when I was growing up…I thought it might be nice if…well, if someone had.”

Her heart pinched. Rye could be overly protective, but he made up for it by being downright sweet. “I still have to find my own way. Clayton included.”

“I know, sugar.” He kissed her cheek and settled back into his chair. “So are you going to tell the rest of the family then?”

What was she supposed to tell them? “What exactly did Clayton tell you?”

“That he
kissed
you, kissed you,” Rye muttered. “And don’t ask me how much I didn’t need that image in my head.”

Tory slid him a small jar of honey butter she must have included in the basket and a knife. “We’ll leave it for you and Clayton to decide on the next steps. We only wanted you to know that we won’t be standing in your way if you two decide to pursue a relationship. Right, Rye?”

“You’re going to have to make me muffins every day to get me to agree to that,” he said sullenly.

Tory narrowed her eyes at him.

“Fine! But I stand by what I said earlier. If he hurts you, he’ll answer to me. He’s still one of my best friends, but he damn well knows it’s different when you’re…oh hell…interested in your friend’s baby sister.”

“Stop calling me your baby sister, Rye,” Amelia Ann told him, reaching for a plate and grabbing a muffin. Usually she didn’t add butter to her muffins, but Tory’s honey butter would make the angels weep.

“I’ll try,” he said and then tore off a chunk of the muffin and plopped it in his mouth. “Muffins every day, honey.”

“Not when you say it like that,
honey,”
Tory said as she calmly cut her muffin in half and buttered it. “And don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“I just want you to be happy, Amelia Ann,” Rye added after he finished chewing.

Tory gave her a wink, which made her smile.

“I know you do. I appreciate your willingness to trust my judgment, Rye.”

“It’s Clayton’s judgment I’m worried about, and he knows it,” he said. “You’re not the kind of woman he usually—”

“Clayton’s judgment is just fine, if you ask me. It was brave of him to come to our house and tell you what he did, expecting you to slug him, fire him, or both. He doesn’t have much family, Rye. You’re brothers, and nothing can get in the way of that. That’s why he’s so hung up about his feelings for Amelia Ann.”

Had Clayton admitted his hesitancy or had Tory intuited it? She didn’t have the courage to ask. She would know soon enough when she saw Clayton again.

Rye stroked his chin. “He had reason to expect I’d slug him or worse, us being
brothers
and all.”

Hearing Rye talk like that, she finally understood the depth of Clayton’s dilemma. They had worked together for a long time and been best friends longer still. Being with her could jeopardize their relationship, and the tightness in her chest returned with a vengeance.

“Rye, promise me one thing. Whatever happens between Clayton and me, you won’t fire him. Or lose him as a friend. I don’t want to come between y’all.”

Rye stared between his knees and took his time answering. “I won’t fire him, and God knows I don’t want to lose him as a friend. But you’re my sister, sugar.”

“But like Tory said, and you moments ago, he’s your brother,” she fired back.

His mouth turned up at the corner. “I can’t win with you two. Now, how about you go get dressed while we fix the tea?”

She eyed the clock. Since she only put on light makeup when going to the clinic, it wouldn’t take her long to get ready. Her mind spun. Now might be the best time to tell them about Community since she was demanding they see her as an adult. Delaying the inevitable would be cowardly…and it would put Clayton in a worse position when the truth finally got out.

And maybe, just maybe, it would help ease this hesitation he was feeling with her.

“I’ll only need a few minutes,” she said, clenching her hands in her lap. “Since you’re talking about respecting my judgment, I wanted to tell you I’m volunteering at a community legal clinic in the city.”

Something flickered in Rye’s eyes. “Where in the city exactly?”

In for a penny… “In the east part.”

Even Tory blinked and bit her lip. She put a hand on Rye’s arm as if to transfer strength and composure to him.

“East Nashville?” he asked in a soft voice.

She nodded briskly.

His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. “Well, now, I don’t expect I need to tell you that’s a dangerous part of town. You’re a smart woman. Tell us why you decided to work there.”

The tea whistle blew, rather like her brother was about to. She rose, happy to escape Rye’s intense stare for a moment.

“I wanted to make a difference, and they have a lot of need. I help out where I’m needed, but the main concentration of my volunteer work is domestic violence.”

“That’s wonderful, Amelia Ann,” Tory said, and it was obvious from her tone that she meant it. “You’re so smart and compassionate…I can’t think of anyone better equipped to help women out of those terrible situations. Right, Rye?”

He didn’t say anything, and Amelia Ann realized her hands weren’t steady as she poured the hot water into her teapot.

“You wouldn’t believe the women I’ve crossed paths with,” she said. “Just this week, one of our clients finally decided to fill out a protection order and separate from her husband. He’d been abusing her for their entire relationship. Her kids are four and seven. I helped them get into a women’s shelter. They got out. Not everyone chooses that.”

Tory’s eyes filled with tears, and she crossed the kitchen to hug Amelia Ann. “Thank you for sharing that with us. I know it’s silly, but I’m so proud. You’re making a difference.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “The only thing I want to do with the law is help women like Tammy and any children involved. When I think…”

She couldn’t continue, tears clogging her throat.

A chair scraped. Rye approached them and wrapped his arms around them both. They stayed that way for a good minute, and the moment was sweet enough to send tears down her face. When they finally released each other, she saw tears on her sister-in-law’s face too—and ones in the corners of her brother’s eyes.

“I won’t tell you not to do it since I understand
why
you’re doing it,” he said. “But I will ask you to be careful. Would you consider letting me hire a bodyguard to accompany you to the neighborhood? I don’t like the idea of you going by yourself—especially in that fancy BMW of yours.”

“I’ve leased a used car, Rye.” This was not the time to mention the new one sitting out front. “And I dress down. Keep my hair pulled back. Trust me, I’m taking every precaution.”

Especially after the incident at Jasinda’s apartment. She and Felicia had discussed some new protocols with the other lawyers and volunteers. Though everyone agreed they couldn’t eradicate the possibility of another dangerous situation, they could at least minimize it.

“Promise you’ll call me if you need anything,” Rye said.

How to handle that request? “Rye, given my…err…closeness with Clayton recently, he knows about the clinic. He insisted that I tell you and the family, but he left the timing up to me. We agreed I would call him if I ever need any help while I’m on the job.”

She hoped that would help put things on the level between Clayton and her brother. As much as was possible. They would still have to talk about the events at Jasinda’s house, but right now, she didn’t want to worry Rye any more than she already had. He seemed shell-shocked as it was.

“I can’t imagine having anyone better in your corner.”

Tory reached for Rye’s hand, and he gave her a wink like he was trying to assure them both everything was okay. She knew they would worry. It was what close families did.

“But you know you can call me too, right?” he asked seriously. “That I’ll always have your back?”

More tears came into her eyes. How many years had she longed to hear those words from someone, anyone, growing up? Now she was grown up, and two men she dearly loved had both offered to come through for her in a pinch.

“I know that, Rye.”

He grunted, reminding her of Clayton. “Good.”

“Now if I don’t run upstairs and get ready, I’m going to be late. I’m sorry I didn’t pour the tea.”

Tory patted her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll have a cup waiting for you when you come down.”

As she passed him, Rye grabbed her hand. “I mean it. We’re always here for you.
Always
. No matter what.”

“Thank you,” she whispered from the deepest part of her heart.

Susannah was just pulling into her brother’s driveway when she caught Jake Lassiter coming down the front porch. It was a shock to see him in person, and she braked to a stop, helpless to do anything but take in the view.

His long, muscular legs were encased in worn denim, and his massive shoulders filled out a navy T-shirt. He’d served in the army for ten years before leaving it and coming to Nashville, and he had a soldier’s body. After playing only a few of the smaller joints around town, he’d been discovered at The Bluebird Café like so many others. With his fabulous voice—which matched his fabulous looks—it was no wonder.

Like Rye Crenshaw, Jake Lassiter
was
star power.

And he must be working some of it on her because the mere sight of him made her fumble with the stick shift of her car. She ended up putting her Audi in reverse before jamming the gear into park.

When she grabbed the keys, she noticed Jake hadn’t gone directly to his truck, which was parked ahead of hers. He stood there waiting for her. There was plenty of room for him to get past her, so what could he want?

Oh, God, did he expect them to have a conversation?

Then he smiled and strode forward, leaning down at the waist to look at her through the window. “Hey!”

Her mouth went dry.

Oh my.

“Hey,” she managed back, and shaking herself, grabbed her purse and climbed out of the car.

Acting like an idiot around a star wasn’t her thing.

“You’re Susannah, right? We didn’t meet at your brother’s party at summer’s end, but he pointed you and your sisters out to me.”

Hearing her name on his lips was a shock. His voice was like a salted caramel dipped in chocolate. Then she blinked. What in the world was she acting like such a ninny for?

“Yes,” she responded, a forced smile on her face.

“We should make proper introductions. I’m Jake.”

“Susannah. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Up close, he made her want to dive into a bag of dark chocolate caramels and not come up for air for a long, long while. Some people were a tall drink of water. Jake Lassiter was a tall drink of hot chocolate. Then she kicked herself. Every woman who saw him thought that.

“J.P. and I were going over the new song he’s writing for me,” the country music star said, acting like he had all day to chat. Like talking to someone like her was a regular occurrence. “Your brother had to go inside and call Tammy. He said to come on in.”

J.P. must have heard her car. Then she remembered her brother saying Jake was down to earth, and she forced herself to relax and converse with him like a normal person. Surely she wasn’t that far gone. So what if he was good looking and reminded her of chocolate? The world hadn’t come to an end.

“How’s the song coming?” she made herself ask.

“Wonderful. That man surely has a way with words.”

“Yes, he’s pretty talented.”

“I hear you’re pretty talented yourself.” He inclined his head toward the house. “Your brother tells me you decorated his place before the lovely Tammy came into his life. And I saw your paintings in the tree house out back. They’re awesome!”

She nearly winced. “Ah, those are kid’s drawings. I can do a lot better than that.” Oops, had she really blurted that out?

His laugh was filled with gusto. “Well, I’m a simple man, so it impressed me. I couldn’t even make a stick figure look appealing.”

“Everyone has their gifts,” she said, stumbling on her words a little. She knew she was a talented artist, but his compliment had unmoored her. “Yours is your voice and music.”

“Indeed.” He tilted his head to the side, studying her. “J.P. tells me you’re volunteering for Rye’s upcoming concert.”