Gin Fling (Bootleg Springs, #5)(41)

Me: You too.





I looked up from my phone to see Jimmy Bob Prosser give my mother a sample of his ice cream cone.

“What the hell?”

“You glaring at anyone in particular?” Gibson scared the hell out of me, and I almost dropped my frozen yogurt.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“You stupid? It’s summer. This is an ice cream shop.”

“Sorry. I’m distracted. Tell me everything you know about Jimmy Bob Prosser,” I said, pointing my spoon in his direction.

Gibson followed my gaze. “Huh. You got a problem with your mom being human?”

I blinked. “No. I wish her a happy and healthy sex life that I hope to never know anything about. I just want to make sure he’s good enough.”

“He took over the hardware store from his parents. His wife, Misty Lynn’s mama, skipped town a few years back to follow her dreams of being a singer or an actress. Some shit like that. Heard she never made it farther than one of those restaurants where the servers sing and dance.”

“Is he the reason Misty Lynn turned out the way she turned out?”

Gibson shrugged. “Some eggs are just hatched rotten.”

My mom threw her head back and laughed at something Jimmy Bob said. She brushed her hand down his arm.

“Uh-oh,” Gibson said. “That’s definitely female interest there.”

“I want her to be happy,” I said, reminding myself it was true. “But is it too much to ask that I get to pick who she’s happy with?”

“They’re just flirting,” he cautioned. “No need to freak out.”

“Why is he getting out his phone?” I asked. “What the hell? Did she just give him her number?”

“Okay, a slight reason to freak out. Want me to have Cass run him for you? Background check, known priors?” he offered.

My phone buzzed.

Shelby: Bigger emergency than I thought. Can you get over here?????





“Shit. Five question marks. That’s not good.”

“What’s up?” my brother asked.

“Shelby has an emergency. But I can’t leave my mom in the clutches of someone named Jimmy Bob.”

“I’ll hang,” he volunteered. “Keep an eye, make sure she gets back to the inn.”

“Alone?” I pressed, already backing away.

He cracked a smile.

“Alone,” he promised.

“Thanks, man. I owe you.”

Me: On my way.





22





Shelby





I was wandering around June and GT’s front yard whistling and clapping my hands when Jonah pulled up. My body was still stiff, still sore, but at least I was ambulatory. Another hot bath was definitely in the cards for me tonight, I decided.

“What’s the emergency?” he asked, climbing out of the car looking six shades of delicious. I’d had breakfast with the man this morning, let him talk me into bed—alone, unfortunately—for a nap before lunch, and I still got the little dip and slide in my stomach when I saw his gorgeous face, concern written all over it.

“Oh, thank God, man,” my brother said jogging around the side of the house. “I fucked up. Big time.” GT shoved his hands into his hair.

“This doesn’t involve a body, does it?” Jonah asked.

“Oh, God. Shel! What if she makes a run for the road?” GT said, letting his imagination off its leash.

“She’ll be just fine, GT. Calm down,” I said, scouring the underbrush.

“Did you maim someone and hold them captive?” Jonah asked.

“No, she just got loose. Marshmellow scared her, and she just bolted right out the door. Oh my god. June’s at the office for a meeting today. What if she finds her on the road? What if June finds her hit on the road? What if June hits her on the road?”

“GT, take a breath. She’s not going anywhere near the road, and Juney isn’t going to find her.”

“Someone please explain so I can decide if I’m helping or avoiding becoming an accessory,” Jonah said.

“GT got June a potbellied pig as a surprise,” I explained. “His bunny Mellow scared the crap out of the poor pig, and she bolted.”

“She doesn’t even have a name yet. I mean, I think it’s gonna be Katherine. But I didn’t tell her yet,” GT said. “We can’t call her by the name she doesn’t have. This was supposed to be the best surprise. Now there’s a pig running around becoming a bear snack.”

“I knew there were bears here!” I said triumphantly.

Jonah held up his hands. “Let’s deal with one problem at a time. Did you see which way Nameless Pig went?”

GT paced. “She ran out the back, and I tripped trying to avoid Mellow.” Mellow weighed maybe two pounds in my estimation. The fact that my gigantic football hulk of a brother twisted to fall on his girlfriend’s breakfast table—breaking it in half—rather than squish a bunny was adorably sweet and oh so GT.

There were woods behind the house and a trail. It was as good a place as any to start.

“What does she eat?” I asked my brother.