Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
“I got Mrs. G chocolate and cheese and fancy pears,” Prue told me, then looked at her mother. “She really loved her present when she opened it, Mom. Lots of kids got her gift cards and lotion and soap, but I did super good.”
“I’m so glad she liked it, love.”
Cami patted my arm, and I leaned over so she could whisper in my ear.
“Mrs. G told me to tell Mama that my gift was the best.”
“Oh yeah? What was it?” I whispered.
“It was a bottle I couldn’t drop and couldn’t show anybody,” she said gravely. “Mama put a big bow on it.”
And now I knew where the bottle Georgine had bought last week had gone. The Weller Antique 107 was for her daughter’s teacher. It was a very nice gift and would definitely make her holidays merrier. There was no doubt in my mind that Cami had won the gift-giving in Mrs. Guidry’s class.
Driving to the club took nearly twenty minutes, no surprise with the rush-hour traffic.
“So, Chris,” Luke began, glancing over at me, “if you’re not busy, we’d love to have you over for our holiday party next weekend.”
“We can’t be away from the club on Fridays and Saturdays,” Dawson chimed in. “Chris is supervising, and I’ll be on stage—oh, sorry. I just assumed you meant me too,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
I leaned forward and pinched his side, but he wasn’t paying attention to me, laser-focused on Luke.
“Yes of course,” Luke said quickly, sounding a bit flustered. “If you two can’t make something on the weekends, then we’ll have to set up a time to do something during the week. Nicole and I don’t want to lose track of such charming new friends.”
“Absolutely not,” she agreed. “And we will support you by coming to listen to your enthralling house band at every…every…”
“Love?” Luke asked, turning to his wife.
“Luke, I think that’s Cami’s mother right there waiting for us. I can’t wait to meet her.”
And Georgine was there, smiling as Luke pulled the car into the parking spot right in front of La Belle Vie.
SIX
Nicole scrambled quickly out of the car, dying to meet Georgine. I watched my friend take her hand as Nicole reached her and they started talking.
Dawson and I got out of the car ahead of the girls, and when Luke got out and offered to help, my ex quickly turned him down, assuring him that we had help. Which we did. My people were there on the sidewalk, greeting Cami, who held court like a queen, directing everyone, explaining about her loot. She made certain that her assorted gift bags, gift boxes, and the cube of dried bedding for the rabbit did not get mixed up with anything of Prue’s.
“It’s so good to be home,” Dawson said, standing on the sidewalk a second, breathing in the cool air of the Quarter.
“Home my ass,” I grumbled under my breath as I walked by him toward the door of the club, back to schlepping the rabbit cage.
“What was that?” he teased me, catching up quickly, moving up beside me, so close that I could again, as I had earlier, smell whatever was on his skin, leather and musk, a trace of spice I couldn’t place, and sandalwood. I wanted to inhale deeply, so I put distance between us instead. He wasn’t having it, and since I was carrying a heavy cage, he was back beside me in seconds. “I didn’t hear what you said.”
I would not make a scene. I didn’t want to get into it again as we had on our walk, but I suddenly couldn’t help myself. I stopped walking and rounded on him, rabbit cage in front of me. “What’re you really doing here?”
Those bottomless blue-black eyes of his were all I could see. “You know,” he rumbled, and his gaze swept over me from head to toe before returning to my face. When Luke had done it, I felt uncomfortable, maybe even a bit gross. But when Dawson did the same, I could feel the heat on my skin from his admiring gaze. “I want what’s mine, Chris.”
Again, that overwhelming urge to punch him came over me, but I settled for a growl because what a bunch of shit! I started for the bar.
“What is that?” Darcy gasped, sounding both curious and horrified.
“It’s a rabbit. Can’t you see it’s a rabbit?” I snapped at her.
“Of course I can see it’s a—what is wrong with you?” she nearly yelled. “You were in a better mood when you left.”
I was not in a better mood when I left. I had been in flight mode, annoyed and uncertain.
Heading toward the kitchen, I suddenly veered off, thinking that if for whatever reason, we had a health inspector visiting, having a rabbit where food was prepared was a bad idea. I diverted toward the hallway leading to the offices.