Page 22 of Merry Mayhem
“Before great-grandma died, right?” Ruth asked.
Bebe nods. “Right. Bruce was always a good friend. Then, after my mom died, slowly Bruce and Harley realized they loved each other more.”
“Well, it wasn’t so slow for me,” Bruce says with another wink. “It took your great-grandpa a little time.”
Ruth has clearly heard this story before. She just smiles and keeps eating.
“You’ve known Ellie and Leo a long time, too?” I ask Bruce.
“Grew up with Ellie and Harley,” he says with a nod. “And I’ve known Leo since he and Ellie met.”
“You’re notfromAutre, though?” Bebe asks me.
“No. I’m from Nebraska. Grew up in Omaha.”
“You’re a long way from home. What brought you to Louisiana?” she asks.
Oh boy. Well, I’m supposed to let them get to know the real me. “Honestly,” I say. “A woman.”
I shoot Thea a glance. She’s watching me now.
“Really?” Harley asks. “What happened there?”
He doesn’t seem a bit apologetic about asking.
“I followed her here when she relocated for a job.”
“Were you engaged or something?” Ruth asks.
“No. We weren’t even dating. But I was crazy about her.”
Everyone smiles at that. Ah, theyarerelated to the Landrys. Everyone in Autre loves my love-sick story as well.
Okay, everyone except Thea smiles at that.
Her eyes are back on her plate now.
“What happened?” Harley asks. “You’re not together now, obviously.”
“She got married a few months ago,” I say.
Bebe gasps.
Harley leans onto the table and points his fork at me. “Please tell me you at least told her how you felt.”
I nod. “Yes, sir. I showed up at her work the day after he proposed to her and declared myself in front of an audience of about thirty people. Flowers, her favorite ice cream, and a big diamond ring. Told her she had options.”
Bebe is covering her mouth now.
Bruce is also leaning in. “What did she do?”
“Turned me down flat,” I say with a nod. “That was well over a year ago.”
“Would you say that you’re prone to going over the top?” Harley asks me.
I think about my past poker addiction, some of the stupid shit I’d done with the money I’d won—I’d beenverygood at poker—the way I’d uprooted my life to move to Louisiana in one day, the way I’d showed up at Fire Academy the day training started basically begging them to let me in, and the way I’d jumped into this situation with Violet.
I nod at Harley. “Yes. I’m afraid so.”
