The Guests on South Battery (Tradd Street #5)(97)

It took me a moment to realize that she’d just said something nice to me, most likely taking advantage of the fact that my eyes were closed and our positions made it difficult for me to hug her. “Thanks,” I said.

She responded with a grunt. After a moment, she said, “I wish you’d go talk to Jayne. She thinks her dress is too revealing and wants to bring a sweater to cover her shoulders and cleavage. I’m thinking it’s a pretty conservative dress and no sweater is needed. She’ll just look ridiculous.”

I remembered having the same conversation with my mother about the red dress she’d picked out for me for my fortieth birthday party. Jack had really liked it. I blushed a little at how much he’d liked it, sobering quickly when I remembered it had led to JJ and Sarah.

“If she feels more comfortable in a sweater, then she should bring it. It’s still a little chilly at night and she might need it.”

I felt Nola pull back. “Open,” she commanded. She examined me closely, a small frown on her face. “Close,” she said, then leaned toward me again with the eyeliner wand. “As soon as I’m done here, I’ll go pack my overnight bag. I just hope Alston and her mom don’t get here before Detective Riley. I want to be able to hear Jayne say hello to him.”

She pulled back again and I opened my eyes. “Awesome!” She closed the wand and placed it on the vanity. She paused for a moment and then said, “Lindsey is spending the night at Alston’s, too.”

Nola didn’t sound excited. “You like Lindsey, don’t you?” I asked.

“Yeah. It’s just . . .” She began picking at her cuticles and I had to bite my lip to not tell her to stop, as I’d found that usually made it worse. “It’s just that she’s always asking me about you. About when you’re going to help her mom find out what happened to her aunt.”

I remembered the uncomfortable conversation I’d had with Lindsey’s father, something I’d only shared with my mother, since it didn’t involve Jack and I didn’t think he needed more stress. “It’s not that easy, Nola. My brain is pretty much fully occupied with the issues at the Pinckney house, not to mention my career and family. I promised my mother that I would help just as soon as I scraped off a little more from my plate.”

“Yeah, that’s what I keep telling her.” Nola paused. “She wants to bring the Ouija board to Alston’s house tonight.”

I sat up. “Don’t, Nola. That’s definitely a bad idea. It’s like opening a window—you never know what might fly inside.”

“I’ll tell her.” She opened the door to leave.

“Will Cooper be home this weekend?”

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m not sure. Alston acts funny when I ask about him, and I don’t want to be the kind of girl always texting a guy to find out where he is. I like to keep him guessing.”

“Smart girl. Don’t forget to kiss the twins good-bye—especially JJ. He’ll keep looking for you if he doesn’t know you’re gone. My mom and dad should be here in about fifteen minutes to pick them up; if you could, please let Mrs. Houlihan know.” I’d asked the housekeeper to watch the babies while we got dressed, knowing that if JJ were let loose we’d have food stains or holes somewhere on our dresses and need to change.

“Will do,” she said, then closed the door after a quick wave.

I lifted the lid to my jewelry box and pulled out the necklace my mother had given me and slipped it over my head. I picked up the ring and slid it on the middle finger of my right hand, admiring its shape and glossy black stone. I brought it closer to my face, studying it, a stray memory pinging in my brain. I was pretty sure I’d seen it before. Most likely when I was a little girl and my mother still wore it. I stared at it for a little longer, trying to remember a moment from my childhood, but couldn’t. I closed the jewelry box and stood.

I entered my closet and took the black sparkly gown from the padded hanger, wondering not for the first time how I’d let my mother talk me into buying another sexy dress. At least this one wasn’t red. I slipped it over my head, then spent about five minutes doing all sorts of yoga poses to get the zipper all the way to the top.

“Can I help?”

I startled at the sound of Jack’s voice, then melted into him as he slid his warm hands under the open zipper, caressing bare flesh. “If you wouldn’t mind,” I managed.

He bent to place a kiss on my bare neck. “You look beautiful in this dress,” he whispered in my ear, sending my nerve endings into a stadium-size wave of excitement. “But you’d look even better out of it.”

“Hold that thought,” I said. “I think I just heard a car pull up and it could be Thomas or my parents.”

“Your mother’s coming?” Jack pulled back.

I twisted in his arms. “Yes—don’t you remember? I told you that the twins were staying with my parents tonight.”

He frowned. “Yes, of course. I remember. I guess I was thinking that Jayne would have brought them over earlier or something.”

“Jayne had to get dressed—hair, makeup, and all that. I didn’t want her to have to pack up the twins and bring them over to my parents’, especially since my mother said she’d be happy to do it.”