Heartwood (11 page)

“Nope. If he was, I would have been able to see it wasn’t you.”

“That seems...very strange.” His frown deepened, and he seemed to contemplate this detail. “Do you think he worked there?”

“I don’t know what to think.” I couldn’t take the look of trepidation on his face. “Joe, I’m sorry. I would have clawed his eyes out if I’d known he wasn’t you.”

He pulled me against his chest and when he spoke, the reverberations of his deep voice rumbled against my cheek. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about, baby. Let’s get you to bed.”

“We’re going, baby girl.” Joe called, as he and Mac appeared in the kitchen door. Mac was carrying lifejackets and fishing poles. Joe had a tackle box under one arm. In his snug Cowboys t-shirt and worn jeans, he looked good enough to eat.

“Don’t forget the sunscreen.” I said, looking up from the centerpieces Dan and I were working on for the reception. “If y’all are fixin’ to be out on Lake Travis all afternoon, you’re gonna look like a lobster. I don’t want you peeling at the wedding.”

“Where is it?” He asked, and I pointed to the microwave. He sauntered over and snatched the sunscreen up, tossing it to Mac. Then he popped open the microwave and laughed.

“Molly.” He snorted.

“What?” I asked, looking up from the tabletop full of mason jars.

Joe pulled my coffee mug out of the microwave and I rolled my eyes.

“Shit.” I said.

“You still have that old cup I bought you in San Francisco?” Dan smiled, pulling the twine tight around the blue jar in front of him.

“Of course I do. It’s my favorite.” I replied.

“This coffee is stone cold.” Joe remarked, pulling his pinky out of the liquid. “Now, if I heat this back up, will you remember it’s in here?”

“No promises.” I admitted, and I tilted my head back for him to kiss me.

“See ya, darlin’.”Joe smiled.

“Aren’t you gonna set some ground rules for him? Give us some ultimatums? We
are
going to his stag party.” Mac scoffed.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the ceiling as if for inspiration. “Don’t get arrested and don’t bring me home crabs.”

Mac’s eyes widened, but Joe and Dan just laughed.

“No drinking tequila, little girl.” Joe pointed at me when he said it.

“Ahhhh...” Dan whined and tossed a string of twine at Joe. “Why can’t she drink tequila?”

“Ever heard that song ‘Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off?’ I’m pretty sure it was written about Molly.” Joe replied, and his eyes swept me and his lips twitched as if remembering the last time we’d had a few too many margaritas.

“Again, no promises.” I retorted, but a smile hovered on my lips.

Mac heaved an exaggerated groan. “Don’t have too much fun. We’re gonna be too drunk to come bail y’all out of jail. And don’t let Kelly re-injure her leg.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. Bar hopping on crutches is probably a really bad idea.” I frowned.

“And the party bus isn’t exactly handicapped accessible.” Dan clicked his tongue and looked at me for a solution to this new dilemma.

“Nah, it’s all good. She’s just got the walking boot now. The doc says she can take it off in a couple of days.” Mac replied, a lopsided grin appearing on his bearded face. “It’s all good. She’ll be able to do ‘The Macarena’ at your wedding.”

“If they play that fucking song at my wedding, so help me God...” I sassed, and Mac cackled.

“Oh, I’m
so
requesting it now. Right after ‘The Chicken Dance’ and ‘The Electric Slide’.” He held his stomach as if the laughter was working muscles he hadn’t used in years.

“Apparently we’ve been transported back to the 1990s,” Dan quipped, his dry Louisiana drawl as thick as honey.

Joe’s phone chimed, and he pulled it out of his pocket. “It’s Mason. They’re waiting for us at the marina.”

“Be careful.” I called, as they headed out the door.

Since Granny and mom came to get the twins bright and early, Dan and I finished the centerpiece prepping for the reception. We stood and admired our handiwork. Half the jars would have crème colored candles floating in them, the other half were ready for nosegays of fresh flowers when the time came. I showed him all the old pictures of our parents’ weddings that Robin and I had placed in wood and silver frames for the guest book table, and he gushed about what a charming idea it was. For such a non-conventional man, Dan sure had a sentimental streak.

We spent the rest of the day watching bad reality TV, eating junk, and catching up on gossip. He told me that business was good at Madeline’s, and that his half-brother, David, was very pleased with how his Wrapgamic franchise was performing. The place had certainly been swamped when Joe and I had taken the twins down for the official grand opening. It seemed there was room for another kitchy restaurant in Galveston after all. As silly as it was to have people ask me to autograph t-shirts with my picture on them, I smiled every time I looked at the balance in Eva and Logan’s college fund.

“I’m still jealous of your view.” I said, handing him a glass of sweet tea.

“Y’all come down anytime. We’ll take the babies to the beach now that they’re older.”

“I think we’ll wait a little longer for that.” I laughed, imagining Logan eating fistfuls of sand.

He shrugged but he laughed along with me.

“You seem happy, Dan.” I narrowed my eyes, perusing his tanned features. “Are you seeing anybody?”

“I’m seeing
all sorts
of somebodies.” He joked, but seconds later the smile was gone. He pursed lips and pulled them up to the side. “But nobody special.”

“I’m sorry.” I replied, plopping down next to him on the couch.

“I’m alright.” He heaved a casual sigh. “It’ll happen when it happens. I’m holding out for quality. Not all of us are lucky enough to marry our childhood crush.”

I smiled brightly. “I am lucky. I never thought this type of thing existed.”

‘What type of thing?” He asked.

“I really thought I’d be alone after Draven. I figured all the good guys in my age bracket were taken...that I’d just focus on taking care of me. Sometimes, I look at my life now and what I consider to be ‘problems’ and I just shake my head. I’m so fortunate. The twins...Joe...the success of the trucks...things couldn’t be better. We have this lovely house now—”

“That you do...” Dan interjected. We both took large swallows of our tea and I passed him the Cool Ranch Doritos we both knew we shouldn’t be eating.

“And yet I still find things to bitch about. I just need to get something going work-wise. I’m bored as hell, Dan. If you aren’t growing...your just aging, ya know? Stacy keeps saying we need to build up the dessert side of things. We had so much success with the holiday treats we sold last year, she thinks a store front for carry-out sweets is the next big thing. She even developed a business plan for one in one of her online classes.”

“But...” Dan offered, seeming to know that was the direction I was headed.

“But I’m not a pastry chef.” I chomped into a Dorito.

He huffed. “That doesn’t seem to matter. They were
your
recipes that sold so well.”

I leaned my head back against the sofa and kicked my feet up on the coffee table. “I guess I just don’t want to.”

“Then let her do it. Develop the recipes and have her give you a cut of her profits.” Dan shrugged. “It worked with David and Emmanuel. It’ll be more money rolling in for you and Joe without having to leave the twins.”

“It’s a thought.” I shrugged, thinking it might placate Stacy long enough for me to sort out my next move with Sanchez. I wanted to keep them happy, and whatever I was going to do next, I knew I needed them on my team. “I could develop new recipes seasonally for her and help her during busy times.”

Dan nodded. “You said you’ve wanted to get out a little. Will your mom be able to watch the twins?”

“As long as she’s free after school for Mason and Mac’s kids’ activities.” I nodded, starting to get excited. I could feel that rush of an impending adventure blazing through my veins. “It’s not a bad short-term plan. Thanks, Dan.”

“It’s my calling. I’m an ‘ideas man’.” He replied. “Now pipe down. It’s time to watch some rich white girl problems that aren’t ours. And we’re having lots of bread for lunch. You need to carb load for tonight’s drunkfest.”

“Oh my God, is that a stripper pole?” Joe’s sister, Tamryn snorted, as she climbed aboard the silver party bus. I was two steps behind her and I chuckled when I saw Robin swinging around on the pole with a cup in one hand.

“Lord.” I shook my head.

“Welcome to The Cherry Bomb!” Dan called from his seat near the front. A large spread of liquor bottles gleamed from inside a stainless steel ice chest in front of him. The makeshift bar was housed between the first seat and the large TV screen on the wall behind the driver’s seat. Dan was occupied, handling a martini shaker as if he’d been bar tending his entire life.

“Holy shit.” Stacy said from behind me. I turned and saw she was decked out in a silver top with a plunging neckline and a sinfully short mini skirt. “This bus is bigger than my apartment.”

“Y’all didn’t have to do all this.” I cried. I really wished they hadn’t. I would have loved a quiet night at a pub just having a few beers and laughs. When Dan said he had to leave to go get the bus, I knew I was in trouble.

“Only the finest for my very best friend.” Dan murmured, and he poured a martini and handed it to Tamryn. He turned to me. “What can I get you to drink, Miss Bachelorette?”

“I’ll just have a beer.” I replied. I was not about to let them get me drunk enough to be hungover. I’d have two babies to deal with in the morning, and they weren’t known for being particularly reasonable.

“Of course you will.” He huffed.

He popped open a bottle of Land Shark with a giant penis shaped opener and handed it to me. I shook my head. The ridiculousness of their collective verve was amusing. The whole ‘last night of debauchery’ bit had always struck me as bizarre. If I wanted to play the field, I would have and I certainly wouldn’t be getting married. That being said, I knew that the party was more for the entertainment of my friends than it was for me.

I noticed Jay and Lisa seated all the way in the back behind Robin and her beloved pole.

“Why are y’all hiding out back here in the back of the bus like second class citizens?” I asked, dancing my way past Robin and her tall, freshly frosted hairdo.

“Oh, you know...Dan’s up there.” Lisa rolled her eyes as she twirled a strand of her curly dark hair. “Jay and Dan have to stay on opposite ends of the party. It’s all a part of the treaty they signed after the baby shower.”

“Yes. Two gay men can’t occupy your orbit at the same time, Mollykins.” Jay agreed. He had his back to the rest of the party and wore an expression of utter disdain. “It’d be a paradox. We might open a wormhole to another universe or some shit.”

“Have some sherry, honey. It’ll make you feel better.” I replied, hoping gay on gay violence wouldn’t put a damper on our evening.

“Or maybe a little
Gary
...” Lisa laughed at her own joke and Jay held his glass out so she could clink with him.

“Oh! Molly! We have something for you to wear.” Robin exclaimed, and she frolicked over to a seemingly empty seat.

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” I looked down at my red blouse and dark denim jeans. My pointy red stilettos were my favorite, and they’d have to kill me for them.

“Ta da!” She shouted, holding up a white t-shirt with a large ball and chain on it. Next to the picture was what looked like a to-do list and I could read the heading from across the bus.

BACHELORETTE! DARE ME!

“What the—” I started.

“No arguments.” Lisa snapped. “Put the damn thing on. You can take if off when you’ve accomplished everything on the list.”

“No.” I scowled at her and sipped my drink. She stared me down.

“Hey, everybody!” Kelly called from the front of the bus. She was hopping on one foot. I saw my cousins, Slut One and Slut Two trailing after her. As usual, they looked like streetwalkers and I nudged Lisa with my knee.

“What?” Lisa whispered.

“Did Dan invite The Slut Sisters?” I asked.