Close Cover (Masters and Mercenaries #16)(67)

He’d lied to her. He’d used her. Hadn’t he? He couldn’t love her and still have taken all that money from her family. Could he?

“Rene’s family has been here since long before this was US land.” He snagged a couple of glasses from one of the vendors and poured two cups. “You want one of these? Wine will make this evening much easier to get through.”

She never turned down wine.

“Sure.” Lisa took Red Solo Cup #1.

Remy took one, too. “Thanks for walking around with me. It would be awkward to be here alone.”

Yes, it would, and they were stuck here for weeks probably. Maybe even months. “I think we should try for friendship. I understand why you did what you did.”

“And I’m glad for that, but Lisa, I don’t want to be your friend. I want to be your man. I want to walk you through this fair and have everyone know that you’re mine.”

She couldn’t go that far. Not ever again. Not with him. “I’m trying.”

He stopped for a moment, seeming to think. “And I’m pushing when I should be patient. You need to understand that I won’t lie to you again. I’m in love with you and I’ll do anything to make sure you don’t ever leave this town again.”

“That sounds really stalkery.”

A brilliant smile crossed his face. “There’s my girl. Let me be more romantic. I want this to be your home, here with me. But I understand you need time, so here’s to friendship. You can always, always count on mine, Lisa Daley.”

He held up his cup.

Could she ask for more? She wanted some peace between them, but this was a slippery slope. He was too beautiful, and she knew exactly what that man could do to her body. She would be smarter to retreat. And yet her hand came up, touching her cup to his. “You have mine, Guidry.”

“Then let’s have some fun, chèrie.”



Red Solo Cup # 2



“Hi, I’m Seraphina and this is my mom, Delphine. It’s nice to meet you. I’m surprised, though, since big brother never even mentioned you until he said you were coming home with him. I guess that’s a lot like Remy, when I think about it. He plays everything close to the vest. Probably because we teased him mercilessly as we grew up. I was a horrible little sister.” Seraphina was a lovely blonde in her mid-twenties.

Remy had walked Lisa around the town square. She’d learned she loved po’ boys and gumbo. She’d foregone the corn dog in favor of a meat pie that had been the single greatest thing she’d ever put in her mouth. And yes, she’d said that and Remy’d had a witty double entendre that made her blush. She’d moved on to crab pistolettes and boudin balls and finished up with beignets before they’d found Remy’s family sitting around a table on the far side of the square.

She was ridiculously full of everything except wine. She could use more of that.

An adorable toddler sat on Seraphina’s lap. The boy, who couldn’t be more than two and a half or three, sat up straight when he saw Remy. He had a mop of dark hair and seemed fascinated with the big man in front of him.

Not that Remy had a chance to greet his nephew. The minute they’d walked up, his mother had been all over him. Delphine was far too busy doting on her firstborn child. Delphine Guidry looked an awful lot like her son. She was tall, with dark hair and a feminine, older version of Remy’s face. She put her well-manicured hands on either cheek. “I prayed for this day. Three long years, I prayed that my baby would come home. I told you all this day would come. I told you we hadn’t lost him forever to that hellhole called Dallas.” She pointed at some of the people watching the reunion of mother and son. “You doubted me but the saints spoke to me. They told me the time and the place and here he is. My son, the heroic soldier.”

“But I called you and let you know I was coming home,” Remy said under his breath.

“This is the day the lord made,” his momma continued, her voice rising.

Sera looked up at Lisa. “She didn’t need Remy to tell her when you were coming through town. I have this app that watches where his phone is. Why the hell did you need to go to Malaysia? What is a Malaysia? I told the sheriff I thought it was one of those made up countries.”

Remy shook his head, patiently allowing his momma to hug him. “I was guarding a businessman who had meetings there. It’s a real country, Sera.”

She turned back to Lisa. “It sure sounds fake to me. I totally watch Zep’s phone, too, but it never gets farther than New Orleans. I was worried in the beginning that Zep’s phone would give mine an STD, but Rene told me it doesn’t work like that. And don’t mind Momma. She’s about to launch her new business. She reads tarot cards and palms and specializes in magical fixes. So when you get the whammy put on you by Miss Marcelle, Momma can give you some herbs and say some words and make you feel better.”

“She is not planning another con,” Remy said, shaking his head. “Damn it, Momma, you promised.”

“It’s not a con if it works,” Delphine insisted. “Those people seriously feel better. I’m helping them.”

This was completely different than her family. Her family got scandalized when someone made a C on a test. The most scandalous thing that happened was when Lila mistakenly read Bridget’s manuscripts and asked what figging was.