Sweet Nothings (40 page)

She stepped through the door and turned loose of it as Bert answered, “Probably not today. He didn’t come back from Atlanta yet.”

The door swung closed and she turned around to stare through it. Were they talking about Nick? What would he have to do with her mother leaving town? When she caught Bert’s eye, both he and Sam ducked their heads, ignoring her.

Well, son of a gun. They were talking about the bet on her. They still thought she was going to fall victim to the curse?

Great. Way to squash a good mood.

She dumped three aspirin into her hand and headed across the street to get lunch, scowling as she went. As she stepped inside the diner, she couldn’t miss her mother sitting in the center of the restaurant, yakking it up to whoever would listen. This was perfect.

Screw lunch, she had something else to do.

As she neared, she heard her mother putting down the fact that the town only had one stoplight, as well as the summer festival that had started to be advertised that week. It was more than a couple months away, but the town council liked to draw tourists back whenever they could, so they got the information out early.

Joanie couldn’t believe someone would dis the Firefly Festival. No one else had synchronized fireflies like their area. Seeing the flashing light patterns match up over an entire hillside was an attraction that made the region unique.

What a heartless woman.

Marching up to her mother’s table, she was taken aback by the flat look turned her way. How could someone dislike her own daughter so much? Joanie shook her head slightly. It made no sense, but the odder thing was, she didn’t care. She felt free of her in a way she never had before, and she knew that once she showed her the will, she would likely never see her again.

Which was exactly what she wanted. Not because she hated her, but because she had no use for her. At all.

“I have something for you, Mother,” she said.

“Did you get a buyer already? I heard it was a good open house.” She smiled, the move unnatural-looking. “I’m counting on a top price, so we may not want to take the first offer.”

The whole room had grown quiet. Every single person in the place seemed to be leaning toward them, not to miss a single word.

Joanie practically quivered with excitement. She reached into her bag and pulled out the copy of the will that she’d made. “Actually,” she said. “You won’t be getting any money.”

Joanie slapped the will down on the table. “Unless you sell the bed that was left to you.” She smiled, the expression containing as much love as her mother’s. “That’s all you got.”

“What are you talking about?” Grace jumped from her seat.

The crowd closed in as Grace picked up the papers and started reading. When she got to the good part, she jerked her head up and shook the papers at Joanie. “This is fake,” she shouted. “There was no will. You made this up yourself.”

Joanie shook her head. “Not fake, mother. The house is mine. Should I help you pack your bags?”

“You ungrateful little—”

“Now, now, Ms. Bigbee.” Brian had stepped out from the kitchen. He put an arm around Joanie’s shoulders. “I’m not quite sure what you were about to say there, but I have the feeling it wasn’t going to be too polite. I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”

Joanie tried to hide her smile.

“You need to back off, Brian Marshall.”

“No, ma’am. You need to get your purse and get on out of here. I’m afraid you aren’t welcome at this establishment.”

Grace’s cheeks flushed. “Does your mama know how you talk to your customers, boy?”

“My mama taught me everything I know.” He picked up her purse and gripped her by the elbow. “Now let me show you the door.”

The crowd quickly parted, leading a path to the door. When Grace and Brian got there, Grace looked back over her shoulder and spewed. “She always did love you more. That’s why I left. She loved you so much I told her she could deal with you. Told her you were no better than me, though. You just pretend better. You don’t even like these people who’re protecting you.”

The door closed on her as she continued to rant. Brian barred it so she couldn’t come back in.

When he turned to face Joanie, the entire room turned with him.

“You okay?” Brian asked.

She nodded. She actually was. Her mother had it wrong, she was nothing like her. And thanks to GiGi, she hadn’t had to spend the last twenty years of her life with Grace as an example.

Her mother was an idiot. Which explained her issues with men. Certainly not some lame curse Joanie had been teased with her whole life.

She smiled, looking around at all her friends and pulled in a deep, lung-filling breath. She had never been so good.

Now if only Nick would come home. She suddenly wanted to see him very much.

She’d just learned that she did know how to love.

And she wasn’t going to lose her man without a fight.

“Not interested.”

The blunt words caused Nick’s fork to slip and clatter to the gold-trimmed plate in front of him. The intrusive noise echoed in the politely muted dining room, and he gave a tight smile to a frowning woman at a nearby table.

He and Cody had finally managed to catch up with Zack the previous afternoon on his way out of his building, but he’d looked at them both as if seeing two people who looked nearly identical to him—less polished, of course—meant nothing in the world.

Not completely discouraged, they’d left their cell numbers then hung around town for the night, hoping he’d change his mind. They’d been spot-on in waiting because the phone had rung at ten that morning.

“I can do dinner at eight if you want to meet.”

The cryptic words had been most of the conversation, but here they were at the tail end of a meal at one of Atlanta’s finest restaurants, working to convince Zack to visit Sugar Springs. The conversation
throughout dinner had been more about the exquisite wine and the medium-rare elk tenderloins than about any of their pasts.

“I hope you’ll reconsider,” Cody said. As dinner had progressed, learning more about Zack’s privileged upbringing, and realizing he had little interest in what had happened to either of them, Cody had shut down. Seeing him now reenter the conversation lightened Nick’s mood. “We’re not talking about moving there, of course,” Cody pointed out. “Just visiting. It’s small, but it’s a good town.”

“Cody spent a year there as a teenager, then came back a few months ago. That’s where I found him.” Nick sorted through a mental list of the town’s highlights that might interest Zack, but crossed each of them off. Not because Nick thought they weren’t good incentives, but because Nick found he had no desire to beg the man to give them a chance. They were all brothers, all equal. Even though Nick and Cody’s upbringing hadn’t been as prestigious, Zack was no better than them. The least they deserved was his respect.

Zack balanced his fork on the edge of his plate and settled his hands together in front of him. “Surely you two don’t think there would be any reason I would want to visit. I’m not seeking long-lost family, and I don’t need to see the backwoods of America to know that Atlanta is where I belong.”

What an ass. Nick hid his irritation as Zack once again dismissed everything about them. “We thought you might enjoy spending some time with us.” Nick shrugged. Nick had to return to Nashville, but he hoped to be back in Sugar Springs permanently soon. Assuming Joanie didn’t thwart his plans. “Get to know us a little. We are your biological brothers, after all.”

Zack peered at them both for two seconds before lifting his hand to a passing waiter. “Check please.” He turned back to the table, his tone that of mild tolerance. “Forgive me if I don’t have the same interest in jumping into some forced
brother bonding
that I can see you two have become quite good at.”

Nick glanced at Cody and was taken aback at the anger he saw there. Cody had checked out. Nick couldn’t blame him. If he wasn’t so groomed to beg for love—

His thoughts came to a screeching halt. Groomed to beg for love? Did he really think that of himself?

He thought through all the times as a child he’d done whatever he thought would please his mother, trying to get her attention, hoping she’d do something that implied she loved him. In reality, she was a drunk and only cared if he cleaned up her vomit and brought her beer.

Suddenly, he didn’t feel guilty about leaving her the way he had. He’d done nothing wrong. If he hadn’t left, who knows how screwed up he’d be by now.

Then he thought about Joanie. She hadn’t wanted to date him in the first place and yet, he’d done everything he could to force just that. Had that been him begging yet again? Close to it, probably, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t fallen in love with her along the way.

Dinner was over. He and Cody did not need this crap. He pulled his wallet out but Zack held up a hand. “Let me. It was, after all, my suggestion to dine here.”

Zack pulled his own wallet from the inside pocket of his sports jacket, a gold crest pressed into the soft, black leather, and withdrew some bills. He threw down three hundreds and rose before either of them could say anything else.

“Gentlemen.” Zack dipped his head but didn’t offer to shake hands. “It was interesting meeting you. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

With that he walked away, leaving Nick and Cody sitting at the table, staring at the asshole’s hundred dollar bills tossed carelessly on the table. Irritation threatened to erupt into what Nick was certain wouldn’t be appropriate behavior in the trendy restaurant.

Cody picked up the bottle of wine and emptied it into Nick’s glass. “I’ve got to drive, but no need letting this go to waste. It cost too damned much. Drink up, brother.”

Nick picked up his glass and waved a silent toast, then chugged it as if it were a cheap bottle of beer. He managed to keep the belch inside, though. When finished, he looked at Cody. “Sorry I offered to buy you
a kitchen.” They were family without need of anything else. “You’ll be getting a blender. If you ever want to upgrade, though, give me a call. I’ll be glad to lend a helping hand.”

A fast smile covered Cody’s face. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.
That’s
what brothers do for each other.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

J
oanie sucked the thick chocolate shake through her straw, and enjoyed the feel of the warm water bubbling on her feet. She and Lee Ann had gotten shakes and come over to the salon for pedicures. She should probably be at the store preparing cupcakes for the coming week, but she’d been unable to focus since waking up that morning.

She’d stayed at the Barn again last night, wanting to surprise Nick when he returned, but he hadn’t come home. Lee Ann had confirmed he and Cody had arrived back in town sometime after midnight. Their brother hadn’t been interested in getting to know them, and Nick had stayed at Cody’s instead of coming to her. Joanie didn’t quite know what to make of that.

Worry had her chewing on her lip. Had she pushed him away too many times?

“Did you talk to Nick today?” she asked Lee Ann, who had her head leaned back and looked as if she was almost asleep. Her shake tilted at a dangerous angle. She’d admitted earlier that Cody had snuck over to the house for a while after the guys had gotten in last night.

“No.” Lee Ann yawned. She lifted her cup and took a drink. “Cody said he said something about a job he had to take care of.”

“Okay.” Joanie let out a nervous little breath and caught Linda Sue smiling up at her from where she sat at her feet. The new girl, Katy, was
taking care of Lee Ann, and gave her a sweet grin, too. Whatever was said there today would be out on the streets before she even left the building.

“Anyone know if Grace left yesterday?” she asked, not caring who answered, but certain at least one of them would know.

Lee Ann nodded, but didn’t open her eyes.

Linda Sue spoke up, “Brian saw her drive away about thirty minutes after he kicked her out of the diner. I heard he went out the back when no one was looking so he could keep an eye on her. Wanted to make sure she left town.” She sighed. “Isn’t he the greatest?”

Joanie had to laugh. Brian had so many of the women twisted around his little finger. He was the greatest if you didn’t get your heart involved. But he was the best kind of friend a person could ask for.