Page 55 of A Little Bit Whiskey
“And go where, exactly?” Noir asked.
“Here. But not until after we’ve added a few extra bedrooms for when grandkids come to visit. A bigger kitchen. A den for myself. But we sure as shit don’t need a six-thousand-square-foot home,” Carter said. “We’d like you and Tamsyn to have it.” He held out his hand. “Now, it will be about six months before construction on this place would be done, and I doubt you want to live with us, so we’ve taken the liberty to ask Chablis and Dax about their garage apartment. You can stay there while we rebuild the cottage.”
Tamsyn’s body went numb. She couldn’t feel her toes. Her fingers. And her brain did not function. It registered the words, but she couldn’t store them. On the one hand, she comprehended that Carter and Weezer were giving their son a home. A different place to live.
She remembered when Toby and Zinny moved into Carter’s other house. The one that had belonged to his parents. It had been a gift. A generous one. And Carter helped out all his kids in different ways, depending on where they needed it.
Dax and Chablis didn’t need money. Neither did Trey and Reisling. But Carter was still generous.
However, Tamsyn wasn’t a member of this family, and she shouldn’t be part of this discussion. “I should excuse myself.” She planted her feet on the floor.
Noir curled his fingers around her wrist. “Dad, why don’t Tamsyn and I stay here after the renovation. The main house is your home. You’ve lived in it forever.”
“We’re too old to take care of it,” Weezer said. “It needs youth. Energy.” She leaned over and took her son’s hand. And then Tamsyn’s. “It needs a couple that’s going to fill it with children.”
Tamsyn coughed. “That’s putting the big old cart before a very tiny horse.”
Weezer laughed. “Are you moving in with my son or not?”
“Well, yes.” Tamsyn narrowed her eyes.
“Do you love my son?” Weezer lowered her chin.
“I do.” Tamsyn swallowed. Hard.
“Okay, then. Wedding bells are just around the corner.” Weezer patted her cheek.
“That’s going a little too far, Mom.” Noir eased off the bed. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“We are.” Carter pulled Noir close, giving him a big hug. “We love you, son. That house is yours, if you want it. We’ll talk more about it later.”
“Come on, old man. We have a busy day of preparing for the Holiday Showcase and dealing with idiots who like to gossip. Let’s go.” She damn near hoisted Carter off the sofa.
He grabbed their coats, helping his wife with hers before pushing his arms through his. “We’ll be in touch. Let us know if anything happens with the case, okay?”
She flung herself backward on the bed. “Oh my God. Your parents are insane.”
“You don’t want to live in my childhood home?” He sprawled out next to her, resting his arm on her middle.
“Not even the point. It’s so very presumptuous—”
He pressed his finger over her lips. “That might be true, but they are right. I love you and sooner or later we will get married.”
She blinked. “Are you proposing? Because that would freak me out more than everything else that’s happening.”
“No. It is way too soon for that.” He kissed her shoulder. “But I have thought about our future. There isn’t anyone else for me. I love you and I wish I could make all this go away. I can’t stand to see you hurting.”
“You’re a sweet man and I’m going to need you to trust me.” She rolled. “I’m going to get Fred to let me work the Holiday Showcase. It’s going to be awkward and I have the feeling that things might get worse for your parents, but no matter what happens, I need you to not listen to the words that come out of my mouth.” She pressed her hand to his chest. “Hear your heart. Please. Can you do that?”
“I’ve ignored my heart half my life. I’m not going to do that anymore.”
Tamsyn had no idea if her plan would work to flesh out whoever was trying to set up Carter and Weezer, but she hoped she didn’t lose her boyfriend in the process.
Tamsyn
“I want to work the showcase.” Tamsyn squared her shoulders, holding Fred’s gaze.
“After the stunt you pulled today? I have half a mind to suspend you.” Fred folded his arms across his chest and leaned back. “What the hell were you thinking? Giving a statement is one thing. I have no issue with you cleaning up the shitshow that’s your paternity. But to do it at The River Winery? Where your mother’s body was found? Are you trying to stir the pot? What could you seriously have to gain by doing that?”
