The Yellow Rose Beauty Shop (Cadillac, Texas #3)(23)

“I think maybe he does, son,” Jed answered.

Piper blushed when she saw Luke wink at Tanner. Surely those two weren’t playing matchmaker. They’d been devastated when their father left. They’d really acted out when they went to stay overnight with him the first time and Rita had been there. Gene had been so angry at the way they’d treated his girlfriend that he’d told Piper they couldn’t come back unless she taught them some manners.

“You look mighty pretty tonight, Piper,” Rhett said.

“Thank you, sir.” She smiled. “You boys get one of those wipes from the container over there and clean your hands.”

“Jed, you want to say the blessing over this food before we start?” Boone pulled off his ball cap and laced his fingers in Charlotte’s.

Jed laced his hands behind his back and every head bowed. No one, not even Piper, saw Stella slip her hand over his during grace.

“Amen, now let’s eat!” Agnes said the minute he finished.



Charlotte sat between Boone and Stella. Piper was across the table beside Jed with the twins bookending them.

“Looks pretty good, don’t it?” Charlotte whispered into Stella’s ear.

“I always love fish cooked outside,” Stella said.

“Not that. Piper and the preacher.”

Stella shrugged. “Oh! I don’t think she’s ready to date.”

Jed had kicked his sandal off under the table and ran a foot up the inside of Stella’s calf. Her whole body tingled at his touch. She looked across the table and caught a quick wink.

“What are y’all whispering about?” Piper asked.

“My wedding dinner. Shall we have a buffet or sit-down dinner?” Charlotte said quickly. “And the barbecue ball. Can you believe that the prayer group is doing that? Now this whole thing is going to last for weeks, not just until Heather takes that sign down.”

“What thing? What barbecue?” Boone asked.

Charlotte leaned over and kissed Boone on the cheek. “Looks like Cadillac is having a festival this summer. It’s going to be a formal ball where barbecue is served.”

Everett slapped the table. “Don’t tell me your mama and those women in that damned club have come up with this shitty idea in hopes of finding you a husband, Stella Joy. Lord, I about burned down the church this morning when I saw that damned sign. I don’t know what in the hell your mama was thinkin’ but I’ll tell you one thing, she’s mighty sorry she ever stirred up this pile of shit. She was hoping it would be over after that damned bake sale tomorrow.”

Rhett picked up a gallon of sweet tea and filled plastic glasses. “Well, Stella, darlin’, you know that you are getting long in the tooth. Lord, how old are you? Forty?”

She pointed a finger at him. “Not even near thirty and you’d better be careful, buster. They might put you on the list next. Marryin’ you off would be a real feather in Heather’s marriage ministry cap.”

“They’d wear calluses on their knees if they started praying for me. Marriage ministry? Sounds like an Internet dating service for the religious folks, don’t it?” Rhett laughed.

Agnes blew on a piece of fish and waited for it to cool. “Looks to me like them stupid hussies might as well just round up all the unmarried women like cattle and slap a brand on their asses. I’d ask for your pardon, Jed, but I really don’t give a shit what you think of my language. But I’m here to tell you three girls that I’ll need bodyguards to keep Violet from killin’ me at that barn dance. She’ll be all up in the middle of this ball since her niece is ringleading the new wedding preacher shit.”

“Well, you can bet your sweet southern ass I’m not going to be a part of such shenanigans,” Everett said.

“But Daddy, you make the best barbecue in the whole state and you know Mama has probably already volunteered you to do all the smokin’,” Stella said.

Everett’s eyebrows drew down in one heavy line across his green eyes. “I’ll smoke the brisket if I can tear that damned sign down and use the wood for the fire.”

Stella gasped. “It’d taste like shit, Daddy. You have to have your special wood to make good barbecue.”

“I’ll go without a fuss if you’re doin’ the cookin’,” Boone said. “Only thing I like better than fish is your smoked brisket and turkey. Oh, and your chicken and pork loin, too.”

“You might as well suck it up, Everett. Nancy won’t give you a minute’s peace if you refuse to cook. Smart thing to do is to volunteer before she can tell you that you are going to do it. That way you win and them women lose,” Agnes said.

“Well, I’m damn sure not gettin’ all dressed up. If I can’t go in my jeans or overalls, I ain’t goin’,” Everett declared.

“Mama,” Luke piped up. “Me and Tanner was wonderin’ if we could invite Brother Jed to come to supper at our house tomorrow night? We want to show him our train set. I bet he’d just love to play with it.”

“Sorry, boys,” Everett said. “You’ll have to take Jed home with you another night. Tomorrow night me and him are goin’ fishin’.”

“Well, rats! When me and Tanner get big enough, will you take us fishin’ at night?” Luke asked.