Page 40 of Crazy Rich Cajuns

“I might need—”

“I have a woman coming to do a manicure and pedicure for you in about thirty minutes.”

Okay.Maria Baxter was good.

“Why won’t Bennett return the mayor’s phone calls?”

“The governor,” Maria corrected.

“Right.Sorry.”Shit, she needed to pay more attention.She didn’t want Maria to think she was a flake.“Why doesn’t Bennett want to talk to him?”

“Because Governor Ray wants to talk to Bennett about running for state legislature.”

Kennedy frowned.“Oh.”

“Of course, he’s not the only one.Or the first one.But he’s gotten closer than anyone else in getting Bennett’s attention with the environmental legislation William—Governor Ray—has been working on.Bennett wants to ignore it all, but he can’t.He’s far too passionate and knowledgeable about it all.And he has all the right contacts.I think he fights with himself nearly every day about picking up the phone and putting his two cents in.”

“Why does he fight it?”Kennedy asked.

“Because he doesn’t think that he wants to be a politician.”

Kennedy studied Maria’s face.“You don’t believe that?”

“Bennett is perfect for that role in every way.”

“Unless he doesn’twantthat role.”Kennedy knew a little about doing things other people wanted her to do or expected rather than because she wanted to do them.Not on the same level as this, maybe, but she did know that it was damned hard to do well at something you didn’t like or feel proud of.

“He wants to make things better.He wants to influence decisions.He wants tomakeimportant decisions.He wants to educate people about issues that matter to him,” Maria said.

“Okay.”

“All of that means hedoeswant this role.He’s just resisting it.”

“Why would he do that?”Kennedy asked.

“He hasn’t talked to you about this?”Maria asked.

That was a fair question.If Kennedy and Bennett were actually a couple.“We haven’t.We actually don’t…talk much…about that kind of stuff.”

That sounded fishy.And Maria’s expression in response said she thought so, too.“You don’t talk much,” she said.

“We talk about Boys of the Bayou,” Kennedy amended.Otherwise it sounded like they spent their time together doing things other than talking.And they didn’t.Not yet, anyway.“We talk about the business.And just kind of give each other a hard time.He knows a lot about my family and stuff.”

“Oh, I know all about your family,” Maria said.“It’s just…interesting…that you don’t know much about ours.”

Interesting?Was it?“He talks about us?”

“Of course.The Boys of the Bayou and the Landrys are the main reasons he gives for not being interested in Georgia politics.”

Kennedy lifted her chin.“And you don’t believe those things are important to him?”

Maria gave her a smile, but it lacked warmth.“Oh, honey.”

God, Kennedy really hated when people she didn’t know well called her honey.Especially in that condescending way Maria Baxter was doing it.

“He thinks you all are important.But you’re…summer camp.”

Kennedy felt a twist in her gut.She also had been telling herself that the bayou and everything down there was just playtime for Bennett.A break from his real world.And that his interest in her was just the connection she had to all the rest of it.But hearing Maria say this was making her stomach hurt.She swallowed hard.“Summer camp?”

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