Authors: Michele Grant

Heard It All Before (20 page)

BOOK: Heard It All Before

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Tammy snickered behind her. Jewel handed me a wet wipe.

I decided to play it off, buckling said belt and wiping my hands with the wet wipe. Smiling, I cleared my throat. “Yes, well.” I thought about extending my hand before going with a nod. “A pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I'm Roman Montgomery.”

“I should certainly hope so. Might as well call me Cleo,” she retorted, returning my nod and raking me up and down with a look that could have cut glass. If it weren't for the look she was giving me, I would say she was still a nice-looking woman. Pretty. Still looks nice in a cotton shirt and denim shorts.

“Mom.” Jewel had recovered her composure and walked over. “Leave him alone and come sit down.” She hugged her mom and turned to the man. “Vince.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I'm glad you could make it.” She reached a hand out for me, and I took it. “Roman, this is Vince Williams, my stepdad.”

I smiled and shook his hand. “Vince.” Lord have mercy. What a way to meet the folks!

She smiled at the other woman and leaned forward for another hug. “Roman, this is Trudy Capwell, my stepmom. Trudy, where's Dad?” I shook Trudy's hand too. She was very fly. Long hair perfectly done up, nails on. Nice outfit, sandals that matched her belt. Makeup just so. Wonder how she looks so cool when it's already ninety degrees out here. She reminded me of an older Renee, always styling and profiling.

Trudy smiled. “He'll be back; he went round to the liquor store. You know your fatherâsaid you never keep good scotch around.”

Jewellen laughed. “If he means hundred-dollar bottles of Chivas, he's right!”

Cleo shook her head. “That sounds just like Claude.”

There was a brief lull in all the meeting and greeting. Wouldn't you know that Chase saw it as an opportunity to speak his mind?

“Daddy, I saw you kissing Miss Joo-well! But Uncle Beau told me never to interrupt a man when he's getting some. Getting some what, Daddy? Hi, Miss Joo-well.” Little Chase didn't have a shy bone in his body. Tammy snickered again.

I knelt down to catch the little badass as he ran forward. But instead of running to me, he launched himself into Jewel's arms. Well, damn, I guess I saw where his loyalties lie.

She caught him with a smile, and they shared a kiss. “Hello, LaChayse. Meet my mommy.” He wrapped his arms around her neck and stared at the new people. “Y'all come on out to the deck. Roman, check the ribs, honey.” Halfway over, she threw a glance over her shoulder and smiled. “Hey, Tam, show Aaron where everything is. Oh, and hello, Uncle Beau.” She sent him an I'll-get-to-you-later look.

Beau smirked. “Hey,
chÃ¨re
.”

I grabbed Beau by the neck and dragged him over to the grill with me. “So, what else did Uncle Beau share with my four-year-old son?”

“Teachin'
mon neveu
man thangs, ya know, bro?” The thought of Uncle Beau teaching his nephew anything struck a little fear in my heart.

Beau was one inch taller than me, ten pounds heavier, and three and a half years older, and still I thought of him as a little brother. Beau had more of the Cajun in him than I did, played it up for all he was worth, and he was real big on
Laissez le bon temps roulez.
That “let the good times roll” attitude was his way of life. He wove Cajun French in and out of his conversations, just enough to be charming or exasperating, depending on how you took it. Real good with charm. 'Til I started a company and gave him a job, his primary occupation had been seducing beautiful rich women and living off of them. Women loved Beau. Everybody loved Beau. Hell, I loved Beau, even if he was a pain in the ass. And Beau loved himself that much in return.

Beau was the life of the party. When the party ended, Beau disappeared. I looked at him smiling what Madere called his “corn pone” grin. You knew it was no good for you, but you had a big old helping anyway. I shrugged. Beau was Beau.

“Want a grab a couple beers out of the cooler while I turn these?”

“Yeah, brother,
pas de problÃ¨me
.” He pivoted toward the back porch and stopped dead in his tracks. “
Qui est cette jolie fille, mon frÃ¨re
?”

“Who is what pretty girl, Beau?” I turned and looked. “Tell me you ain't talking 'bout Renee?” Renee had just walked in with Gregory. She was fly, as usual. Who the hell wears silk to a barbecue? Soul Sister Fly Girl, dat's who.

“Renee, hmm? Think I'll go get that beer now.” He walked away like a man with a plan.

I watched the women watching Beau approach, and I shook my head. Whatever it was about a man that made women stop and stare, Beau had it in abundance. Beyond the 6'4” 230 of it all, Beau just looked like a man who loved women, and women responded to it ... repeatedly and with enthusiasm. The only one who ignored him was Jewel, God bless my baby. From the moment they met, she saw right through what she called the “yada-yada” of Beau. She told him straight out, “Don't even shovel it this way, playboy. I've heard it all before.”

I watched as Jewel opened the Igloo for Keisha and Arthur. Then she came over to me with Chase on her hip. When she reached my side, she handed me a beer. “He's got nothing on you, player.”

“Oh, yeah?” Baby was starting to get to know my moods and read my mind a little bit too well.

“Except maybe that sexy way he has of sliding those French phrases off his tongue.” She grinned mischievously.

“Comme Ã§a, ma petite douceur?”
I let the simple sentence roll from my throat.

She almost dropped Chase. Her eyes went wide and she flushed. “I didn't know you spoke like that.”

“Ya all right, Joo-well?” Chase fanned her face with his little hand.

“Just a little warm, sweetheart,” she reassured him before turning her attention to me. “What did you say?”

“I said, âLike this, my little sweetness?' ” I grinned at her expression. Women were suckers for a foreign language. No need to tell her that for Madere and Pops, bayou French was their first language; English was secondary. Let her be dazzled by the patois every now and again.

She shifted Chase and looked me up and down. “Standing there with sizzling pork in your hand, talking that talk, mmm, we are gonna need an encore of that patio table action, player.”

I smiled at her. “You liked that, huh?”

“Oh yeah, I liked it a lot. Right up until the woman who gave me birth was a spectator.”

“Definite buzz kill.” She and I shared a laugh.

“When we eating, girl?” Roni Mae had arrived. She ignored Aaron and sat down next to Jewel's mom.

“Soon,” Jewel said with a smile. “We'll talk again later, Frenchie.” Jewel set Chase down and sent me the Look. You remember that time-to-get-wild-and-loose thing I told you she does.

“Patrick, I didn't know you were in town!” Cleo's voice carried across the yard. The joy in Cleo's voice was obvious. It immediately set my teeth on edge. Talk about killing the mood.

“Okay, he was SO not invited,” Jewel reassured me.

“I know.” Sooner or later, I was sure I would get over the need to put my fist in Tricky Rick's face.

Jewel and I turned to look. Sure enough, Patrick stepped out on the porch with Stacie on his arm and Kenneth right behind him with a twelve-pack of beer in his hands.

Cleo sprang up and I watched while she and Patrick hugged like long-lost relatives. I sent a look to Jewel. “Yeah, we'll talk again later.”

We both sighed deeply. As Beau would say, “
Laissez le bon temps roulez.”

Not Gonna Sweat It

GregoryâSunday, September 8, 1:12 p.m.

Y
eah, I spotted Captain Trouble when we stepped out onto the porch. Believe it or not, I'd met Beau a time or two before. Back when I was into the club scene, Monsieur Montgomery was a regular. If I hadn't seen him here, I'd never have connected him to Roman. As different as night and day. Though seeing them side by side, I suppose they did favor each other.

So what was my problem today? Why did I give a damn about the Bayou Romeo?

Hell, I got problems enough with Renee without dropping this zero into the equation. I knew Renee. I might have her wrapped up now, but the first hint of trouble, she would get those eyes to roving again.

Beau was most definitely her type. Type her roving, restless eye would land on. Pretty boy with a little bank behind him.

So what if it described me too? At least I possessed some substance, some sense of responsibility. Look, I was at the point in life where swinging and flinging was a thing of the past. Much as I resisted itâhell, I was tired of the gameâI needed to settle my black ass down, start working on the wife and kids angle.

Hey, I had been around enough women to knowâBeau was a fantasy come to life for most women. He was 6'4”, light brown skin but not too light, easy smile, and that damn accent. I had witnessed him and that accent in action. He stared right into a woman's eyes when he talked to her (a little trick I actually use now and again), made a woman think she was the only thing on his mind. But tell me how
he
had an accent and Roman didn't. Help me with
that
fake-assed shit, if you can?

He had that poor-boy-done-good thing down. Didn't bother him a bit that it was Roman who put in the years and the sweat. He was happy enough to ride along in his wake, collecting a paycheck for whatever he did at Montgomery Design.

And that bad-boy-looking-for-a-good-girl-to-come-save-me act. We had been here only five minutes and I was beyond ready to beat him down. I sighed and decided not to sweat it so hard. Renee walked over to the pool to talk to Jewel, so I turned to talk to Jewel's mom.

“So, you're Renee's beau?” I winced at Mrs. Capwell-Williams's terminology.

“Yes, ma'am.” I sat down next to her and watched Tammy strip down to her bathing suit. If you could call it that. More like a few carelessly placed triangles of fabric connected with string.

“Call me Cleo, Gregory.”

“Okay, Cleo.”

“How long have you known this group, honey?” We watched as Aaron sidled up to Roni Mae, and she walked away. Besides trying to run shit and act like Mr. Big, Aaron had been cold busted with some little hottie. Roni had kicked him to the curb two weeks ago. Heard her saying she forgot to rescind the invitation or he would not have been here.

I sighed. “Seems like a long time, Cleo. But it's only been about five or six months.”

“My, my, my! Who are all these beautiful grown-up women in my daughter's backyard?” A tall man with salt-and-pepper low-cropped hair came in through the back gate.

“Daddy!” Jewel got up and ran over to him, greeting him with a hug.

“Hi, Mr. Capwell!” Stacie, Roni Mae, and Renee called out.

Cleo looked at me. “Gregory, let me tell you something. With some people, one minute seems like an hour. An hour seems like a day. And every day lasts a month and a half.”

I took my eyes off Renee, who was now lounging in a chair with Beau crouched by her side like a leopard waiting to pounce. She wasn't hardly objecting to the attention.

“Care for a drink, Cleo?” I volunteered, sensing a kindred soul.

“Cleo, is that you up on the veranda?” Jewel's father belted out.

“Feel I'm gonna need one, Gregory?” she asked me, ignoring her ex-husband's exuberant greeting.

“Can't hurt.” We shared a smile. I reached over to the Igloo and handed her a wine cooler before getting a cold beer for myself. I've never been a heavy drinker, but that beer sure felt good going down my throat. I had a feeling that one or two wasn't going to cut it. I was thinking about how to play this whole scene here when Cleo spoke again.

“I like you, Gregory. If things don't work out with you and Renee, you keep my Jewellen in mind.” She patted my hand.

Rome stepped onto the porch. “I think Jewellen'll be pretty much tied up for a while.” The expression on his face was grim. I sympathized but I wasn't getting in the middle of all that mess.

I threw both hands up. Last thing I needed was Roman for an enemy. “Hey, I've got my own woman to worry about. Wanna call off your brother?”

Rome quirked a brow. “Beau's his own man. Besides, Renee's no fool.”

I refrained from snorting as I watched Beau brush something off Renee's bare shoulder. I decided to play it cool. Hell, she still had to come home with me, right?

“Hey, Romeo, which one of these ladies is your Juliet?” a smooth female voice said from behind me.

I damn near dropped my beer in my lap. The most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life stood in the doorway. She had on a halter swimsuit and a long silky thing wrapped around her waist. Her hair was long and glossy. Not a weave either. Her eyes were a haunting shade of gold. She was a six-footer, sleek and gorgeous. She glided forward and hugged Rome. She moved sinuously like a ... “Kat. You must be Kat, Rome's sister. I'm Gregory.” I stood up and took her hand.

She smiled up into my eyes. “If I must be, it's a good thing that I am, huh, Gregory?” My God, she was aptly named. Soft and feline, sexy as all hell. I forgot all about Renee's difficult ass cooing over Beau. I was too busy being dazzled by a Montgomery of my own.

“My, those Montgomerys are a handsome lot, aren't they?” Cleo was murmuring to her husband.

“She's damn gorgeous, that's for sure,” Vince answered. I agreed.

Roman smiled. “Katrina, let me introduce you around.” He took off down the steps with her, and I sank back into my chair.

Cleo looked over at me. “You all right, dear? You look like a hit-and-run victim.”

I came out of my trance and smirked. “She must be the model Roman's always talking about.”

“Has to be.”

“Cleo, old girl, weren't you even going to say hello?” Jewel's dad came up on the patio with his arm around Trudy.

“Hello, Claude.” Cleo inclined her head. “You remember Vincent, don't you?”

Claude stuck a hand out, “Vince, how's Mile High City?”

Vince shook his hand. “Mighty fine. How's the Crescent City?”

I sat and watched the two couples, wondering what it must feel like to be them. Married and divorced with grown kids and new spouses. They seemed amicable enough. Of course, according to Renee, the divorce had been years ago, and they only had to see each other once or twice a year. No reason not to be pleasant. I looked up in time to see Renee throw her head back and laugh at some mighty hilarious thing Beau said.

“Mr. Capwell, I'm Gregory Samson. Nice to meet you.” I shook his hand before turning to Cleo. “Cleo, it was nice talking with you. Will you excuse me?” I took my beer and headed over to the pool, determined to break up the cozy little duo. I mean, damn, I was cool, not invisible.

“Jewel, I need a tray for these ribs, baby,” Rome called out. “And bring out the chicken when you come back.”

Jewel got up. “Yessir! Right away.” She took a look at my face and slipped her hand around my elbow. “Greg's gonna help me.”

She shanghaied me inside, pausing on the porch to say, “I want no trouble out of you four today.” Her dad burst out laughing.

“We're grown folk, girlie. We know how to behave.” Claude winked at us.

“That's what worries meâhow you'll behave.” She smiled at him fondly before pushing the back door open.

When we reached the kitchen, she pushed some spices and a pan of chicken in front of me. “Can you sprinkle those with some seasoning, Gregory?”

“Sure.” I picked up the first container I saw and started sprinkling.

We worked in silence for a minute.

“What's wrong?” I asked her.

She looked up in surprise. “Nothing, why do you ask?”

“You don't usually single me out, Jewel. Matter of fact, I get the feeling you don't like me much.” It was true. She always looked at me like she knew something I didn't. Hell, maybe she did.

She laughed. “Gregory, I like you well enough; I just don't trust you. There's something a little too slick about you. But I like you.”

Too slick? Me? I'm the original Mr. Low Profile. And I said so. “Jewel, I'm strictly low pro.” I turned the chicken over and went on sprinkling.

She smiled. “Exactly. Now, you gonna chill out over Beau or do I have to make you peel potatoes?”

I laughed. “I'm chill.” She was good people.

She picked up an empty tray and motioned for me to pick up mine. “I don't usually jump into Renee's business, because, truthfully, I don't want her too close up in mine, but let me give you a word of advice, Greg.”

I raised a brow. “I'm listening.” My ears were wide open. I doubted anyone knew Ray as well as Jewel. I sometimes suspected Jewel knew Renee better than Renee knew herself.

“Don't give her an inch. Don't relax your guard. Renee is a restless and greedy soul. I love her and I hear you say you do too. But when something in Renee's life blows up, she's usually the one with her finger on the explosives, you feeling me?”

I nodded, having always suspected this about my baby. Not surprised to hear it confirmed. “I hear you, but I can't stay on her twenty-four-seven. I won't.”

“And I hear you, but she needs twenty-five-eight. You take the risk.” With that, she swept out the back door. What choice did I have but to follow?

Handing the tray over to Roman, I went over to the pool. There was an empty lounger in between Roni Mae and Aaron. I took it. Roni Mae flashed me a smile of gratitude.

“Hey, Greg, how's it going?” Roni Mae asked me.

“Can't complain.” I smiled back at her. Roni Mae was a little flighty but just about the sweetest girl I'd ever met. Just plain good people. I liked her; she was a straight shooter. These days I could appreciate that. I flicked a glance over to Aaron. He was in an argument with Arthur. “How about you?”

She grinned. “I could complain, but why bother?”

I glanced over to Renee and kept my gaze on her until she dragged her eyes off Beau and looked up. My expression said, “I'm watching you, girl. Don't slip up.”

“A little constructive complaining every now and again never hurt anyone,” I told Roni Mae. “By the way, I've been meaning to tell you how great you look lately.” And she did. She'd lost a lot of weight and was really putting herself together.

She looked surprised that anyone noticed. “Thanks, Greg.”

“So tell me, how are things at the station?”

I had one eye on Renee and Roni Mae had one on Aaron, but we managed to navigate a decent conversation anyway.

BOOK: Heard It All Before

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