Close Cover (Masters and Mercenaries #16)(69)

“Give it some time. Let yourself get back into a groove and I think you’ll be all right. Some things do change, and it seems like these people know they didn’t treat you right the first time around.”

“They were angry,” he admitted. “From what I can tell, Jean-Claude did things differently after I joined up. He was angry with me for leaving him there alone. Hell, the whole town was. They expect more out of my family. If we fail, the town fails. I do get that. I hope you can teach me some business sense before you leave.”

She didn’t like that word. Leave. She’d just gotten here. She didn’t want to think about leaving. “I think we’ve got some time. And you probably know more than you think you do. Did I mention I really liked the wine?”

He chuckled and pulled her close. She loved it when he wrapped those big arms around her and squeezed like he couldn’t help himself. She loved how big he was, how her head settled on his chest when he swayed and moved them across the dance floor.

He stiffened suddenly, all that grace stopping on a dime.

Lisa turned and realized they weren’t alone. They’d made it to the edge of the dance floor and a lovely woman wearing what had to be a designer dress stood looking at Remy like she was something out of a gothic painting—the tragic heroine, the one who’d lost her lover to the evil villain’s plans. She was only a few inches shorter than Remy and had the kind of blonde hair that Swedish supermodels wished for. Coupled with the ridiculously banging bod and classically beautiful face, she was one of the most stunning women Lisa had ever seen.

“Hello, Remy,” she said.

Even her fucking voice was lyrical.

“Hello, Josette.”

The world was a little on the hazy side. Remy was right about the wine. It was strong. So were her feelings about Remy’s ex-wife, the tragic beauty.

“I was hoping we could find somewhere quiet. I think we need to talk,” she said, completely ignoring Lisa. “You’ve been ignoring my calls. You can’t ignore me forever.”

“He can try,” Lisa said. His ex-wife had been calling him? Seraphina tracked his phone. It was time for Remy to get a new damn number.

“Maybe some other time,” he replied politely. He glanced around, seeming to understand that they were drawing a lot of curious eyes. “I probably need to get this one back to the wharf. Rene gave us some of his grandpere’s strawberry wine. You know how hard that can hit you if you’re not used to it.”

She smiled, a wistful expression that belied the watery look to her eyes. Shimmering. Tears shimmered in her eyes. When Lisa cried nothing shimmered. She went red as a tomato and her nose turned Rudolph shiny, but Josette managed to shimmer.

“Yes, I remember many nights sitting with you on that big front porch and drinking strawberry wine until you carried me to bed,” she replied. She put a hand on his arm. “Remy, I was wrong. I know that now. Please let me talk to you. Away from your friend.”

Oh, that was not happening. “Hey, hands off.”

“Lisa, maybe I should handle this,” Remy said, getting in between them.

“Do we still have a contract?” Lisa asked. In the moment it seemed like a really smart thing to say. They had signed a contract.

He leaned over, whispering in her ear. “What happened to you never trusting me again?”

“Do we have a contract?”

“I did not tear it up and have been keeping up my responsibilities,” he replied. “I want that contract and you know it.”

Miss Too-Pretty-For-Words put a hand on her slim hip. “Who is that, Remy? I’ve never seen her before. She is not from around here.”

“Her name is Lisa,” he began, his voice wavering a bit. “She’s…”

“I’m his fiancée so you better back off or you’ll find out how Texas women deal with poachers,” Lisa promised. Yeah, that felt right in the moment, too. No one here would understand the Dom/sub thing, and Remy needed to look respectable. Engaged was respectable. Right? The wine was totally with her. The wine thought it was a brilliant idea.

“Fiancée? You aren’t wearing a ring, fiancée.” Josette seemed to drop the fragile act, her voice losing the ethereal tones.

Oh, she knew she was in trouble, but the words kept coming out of her mouth. “Well, that’s what happens when wife number one is a skanky bitch who steals her husband’s hard-earned business and runs out on him, and now he can’t afford an engagement ring.”

“I can totally get you an engagement ring. I want it to be special. That’s all.” Remy’s hand was suddenly in hers. “Baby, you should calm down and maybe think about this.”

“You won’t last a week in this town. And you don’t look right with him. You’re too short for him. He likes tall women,” Josette replied.

“She makes up for her lack of height with her vivacious and constantly surprising behavior.” Remy started to tug her away, but a crowd had formed. It looked like every single eye in the place was on the new girl vs the ex-wife.

It was time to make a ladylike retreat. She wasn’t tipsy. She was drunk and the last few days had been hard on her. This was not the way to take out her stress. She needed sleep and then she could face the fact that the whole town now thought she was about to become a Guidry.