Bluegrass State of Mind (14 page)

"Please, allow me the honor of
escorting you to dinner tonight."

"That is very kind of you, your
Highness?" June questioned him.

"Mo, please." He said with another
slight bow of his head.

"Oh, that's so nice, Mo. We'd love to,
but I had promised a friend of ours I would bring Kenna back to
Keeneston for dinner tonight,” June quickly inserted.

Kenna shot a questioning look to June
who politely ignored her.

"I would never dream of interfering
with your plans. However, I am so pleased to hear you mention
Keeneston as that is where I live. Maybe I can take you to lunch
sometime this week."

"Thank you. That would be a lovely
study break for me. How about the day after tomorrow?" Kenna
noticed that when he smiled, he smiled with both his mouth and his
eyes.

"Perfect. I will send a car for you.
Where are you staying?"

"At Miss Lily's Bed and Breakfast on
Maple Street. It was such a pleasure to meet you." Kenna and June
said their goodbyes and watched Mo walk off with a confidence she
figured was bred into royalty.

"Well, that doesn't happen every day."
June was still watching Mo walk toward the sales arena.

Kenna just laughed. "True. And I
didn't think royalty would be so nice." Kenna smiled
again.

In all her life there had only been
real sparks with Will. Life was playing one hell of a joke on her
by placing a nice, handsome, wealthy man in front of her and then
giving off the friend vibe. "Let's go find your husband." Kenna
said to avoid thinking about it any longer.

June and Kenna finished walking past
the paddock and headed towards one of the barns. Kenna heard a
sharp whistle, the kind she made when hailing a cab. Reflexively
she looked around for the source and saw William Ashton walking
toward her with a beautiful woman on his arm.

"Oh, it's William and Betsy!" June
squealed as she raised her arms in a wave to make sure they were
heading her way.

Kenna was instantly impressed with
Betsy upon introduction. She was about Kenna's height. Her once
dark blonde hair was now starting to lighten with age. She had it
pushed back with a headband and ended at her shoulders with a neat
flip. She was dressed in a gorgeous pale blue pants suit accented
with diamond earrings that were outshone by her sincere
smile.

Betsy placed her hand on top of
Kenna's, "I have heard so much about you over the years, my dear. I
feel as I am seeing a long lost friend again. Granny would talk
about you constantly." She patted Kenna's hand and then let go,
"You simply must join us for dinner soon. Mustn't she
William?"

"Of course, my dear. Any time our new
Assistant D.A. has to spare, we'd love to have you," William winked
at her.

"Everyone is tuned into the grapevine
then. I probably don't even need to have cards made up! Of course,
I won't jinx myself by doing that before I take the bar exam in two
weeks. June is being nice enough to give me my last day of freedom
before I lose myself in the study guides and text
books."

Betsy gently took her hand again and
the warmth made Kenna want to hug her. When she met William for the
first time, it struck her how much of a father figure he instantly
took on. Now, she found it was the same with Betsy.

Betsy opened her mouth to speak when
Kenna noticed her eyes dart to over her shoulder and she felt
Betsy’s hand tighten on her own. "Damn! Double damn!" Betsy cursed.
Everyone turned to see what elicited such a response from Betsy
when Kenna felt her right shoulder being knocked forward by a large
Coach bag.

"So, you're the one trying to replace
me. Moving on to the parents already? Boy, do you move fast." Kenna
turned and encountered the most beautiful women she'd ever seen.
She was everything Kenna was not. She was tall and her platinum
blonde hair fell in perfect waves down her back to her shoulder
blades. Her make-up was perfect and she had a body straight off the
catwalk. Suddenly, self conscious of her curvier figure, Kenna
didn't know what to say. She just took in the perfect nails, the
designer miniskirt with lace up boots, and the light tank that left
nothing to the imagination. "I can't believe you had the nerve to
show up here and then move in on William and Betsy. He won't give
you a dime, you squatty little tramp." Kenna's mouth fell open,
shocked by being attacked by someone she had never seen
before.

"That's enough, Whitney. Will's
expecting you down at the barn," William roared.

So, that was Whitney Amber Bruce
Ashton. Kenna knew there was no way she'd ever compare to her
physically. But June was right, she was a witch. Whitney's nose
went up in the air as she floated past Kenna and strutted to the
Ashton Barn. Kenna closed her mouth and watched Whitney as she
disappeared into the Ashton Barn. Guilt for flirting with Will hit
her, causing her cheeks to turn bright red.

"Don't worry, dear. You did nothing
wrong. She's just, well, she's just not a nice person." Kenna knew
Betsy had mistaken her red cheeks for embarrassment, but she still
felt bad. "I know there is that cliché about mother-in-laws and
daughter-in-laws not getting along, but in this case it was true.
We clashed on everything from turkey or ham for Christmas to her
continual whining about my son. She was so mad when he stopped
playing football. She enjoyed the photos of her in the wife box and
the fame she got through Will. Her daddy is in D.C. too, Senator
Bruce. She got to hobnob with sports figures, politicians, and
celebrities on a daily basis. Then Will wanted to retire and move
to the middle of nowhere. At least that is what Whitney considers
Kentucky. But that doesn't stop her from coming here a couple of
times a year to annoy us," Betsy sighed and looked to the barn.
"Oh, here comes Will. I thought for sure she'd have him by the ear
by now."

Kenna turned and watched Will's easy
gait as he walked towards them, a smile lighting his face and
showing off the adorable dimple on his cheek. His broad shoulders
tapered so nicely to a trim waist. And how those jeans fit his
legs! Kenna had to mentally shake herself. The man's wife was here
and she was still drooling over him!

"Hey, Kenna! I see you met my Mom." He
came up to Betsy and slung his arm around her shoulder and gave her
a peck on the cheek. Betsy all but glowed for her son. "Congrats on
the job. I had no doubt you'd get it," he winked at her. "You want
to catch dinner tonight to celebrate? I am sorry I couldn't make it
last night. As I am sure as you heard, we had another accident at
the farm."

Was she misreading signals? Maybe he
was such a snake that he'd hit on her in front of his mother with
his wife yards away. No, he just didn't seem like the type. She was
pretty sure it was just meant to be friendly then.

"Sorry, Will. But you have to get in
line," June laughed. "I already have a girls night planned starting
with some shopping at Paige's and then we're taking her to dinner
at the Blossom Cafe."

"Well, I don't mind being next in line
then," he said with an easy smile.

"Oh? How about third in line? The
Sheik has already asked her to lunch. But, I am sure you don't mind
waiting until after that." Kenna observed that June had a devilish
glint in her eye and if she had not been watching closely, she
would not have noticed the subtle look between June and
Betsy.

"That's right, dear. Kenna is the
toast of the town as we used to say." Betsy said. She and June were
definitely up to something, Kenna thought. She just didn't know
what.

"William! I need you, now!" A shriek
came from the Ashton Barn. Everyone turned to see Whitney standing
by the barn doors, arms crossed and pushing up her huge, yet
plastically perky boobs. Her foot was tapping to demonstrate her
annoyance at being kept waiting.

"Shit!" Will blurted. "Sorry about
this, I have to take care of something. I will see you all later."
He turned toward the barn and took off an agitated pace.

"Well, I think this is the perfect
time to go see a man about a horse. Come on, Kenna. Let's go spend
some money. I will even let you name the horse. Then it's off to
Southern Charms!"

* * *

A couple hours later, Kenna had helped
June buy a beautiful filly and they had discussed names all the way
to Paige's shop. Southern Charms was a beautiful old house turned
into a boutique. It was a two story brick building, painted a
cheery pale yellow with highlights of white and light pink. Blue
accents on the window treatments finished off the welcoming vision.
Upon walking into the shop, the bright colors and arrangements had
Kenna flitting from one item to the next. Quilted purses trimmed
with beautiful ribbons and embroidered initials drew her attention
until she saw the hats.

"What are these?" Kenna walked over to
a room full of nothing but hats. They ranged from small to large,
plain to elaborate, dark colors to near neon. She picked up a
white, wide brim straw hat, tightly woven, with a black satin
ribbon tied around the base of the hat. The ribbon ended on the
back in an elaborate bow with the ends then hanging down almost
like a train.

"I love designing hats. Some are for
everyday, like this one.” She held up a tan cowboy hat any man
would like. “Some are for church,” she said pointing to a small
brimmed hat simply decorated. “And then some are for the Derby,”
she said pointing to a hat beside Kenna. Kenna turned to look at
it. It was massive hat with a brim that started on the left at a
normal height and then looked like a rolling wave to where it ended
cheek level. The hat was covered in bright pink silk and decorated
with a couple of huge black feathers mixed in with what looked to
be pearls along the black silk trim. It was outrageously gorgeous
and she could just imagine it with the perfect little black
dress.

"So, are hats big for the Derby?" she
asked as she eyed some of the more elaborate hats.

"Huge. The bigger, fancier, and more
complex, the better." Paige said as she pointed to another hat that
had to be over a foot tall with red roses all over it and a horse
featured on the front looking as though it was running to the
roses.

"Wow. These are all so
cool."

"Come on, girls, let's get down to the
cafe and talk. We have a lot of gossip to cover." June walked over
to where Paige and Kenna stood looking at hats, "Kenna met Whitney
today." June looked pointedly at Paige.

"Eww. Sorry, honey. For that kind of
trauma, I say we skip dinner and order a whole bunch of desserts.
Let me just race upstairs and get my coat." Paige turned to head up
the ornate staircase that sat in the front of the shop.

"What is upstairs?" Kenna asked as
Paige started up the stairs.

"I am. I live upstairs. Very
convenient. Almost never late for work."

The ladies arrived at the cafe and
were shown to a booth in the back by Miss Daisy. "I heard that
Henry ordered your sign today, Kenna. Should go up next
week."

"How on Earth could you know
that?"

Miss Daisy just smiled and patted her
head like a little girl, "I never reveal my sources. Now, what
would you ladies like to drink? You know what you want for dinner
yet?"

"Kenna got to meet Whitney today,"
June piped in.

"Then I know exactly what you want. Be
back in a jiffy." Daisy took off to the kitchen, stopping at every
table to spread the word of what was being called 'the meeting'.
Heads turned toward her as people gave her sympathetic looks. Daisy
trotted back out with three tall glasses of what looked like iced
tea. "Bless your heart. If you had to meet Whitney, then you need
this. Now, what would you like to go with it?" Daisy set down the
glasses and took out her pad.

"We were thinking of a dessert dinner.
Let’s start with the bread pudding with bourbon butter sauce as an
appetizer. Then move to chess pie for dinner. And peach cobbler
with ice cream for dessert." Paige looked to Kenna who stared
blankly at her and to June who was just nodding her head in
approval of the choices.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed with the
dinner menu for tonight, Kenna took a sip of her iced tea and
choked. "Daisy Mae, what on earth is in this ice tea? It's kinda
burning a little."

"That's the bourbon, dear. Now ladies,
may I also recommend the chocolate silk pie, freshly made this
afternoon for an appetizer?"

"Sounds great," June took a sip of her
drink. "Ohhh, this is heavenly. I love the touch of mint you
added.”

Daisy nodded her thanks and took off
to the front of the cafe spreading the news of 'the meeting'. And
the fact Kenna needed a stiff drink, bless her heart, and dessert.
Seeing that she was once again the focus of most of the patrons she
took another big sip of the bourbon spiked ice tea. This time it
wasn't nearly so bad.

Kenna looked down at her glass and
realized it was almost empty. "Wow. It does go down smooth after
the first sip. And it feels good. I am all warm, and I think I am
already tipsy. Why haven't I had bourbon before?" Paige and June
looked at each other and then down at their glasses. All three
broke out into giggles as they realized each glass was now
empty.