The Pepper in the Gumbo (Men of Cane River #1)(56)

“No? My Papa used to say that. He’d rock on the porch and watch the afternoon storm, and every time he’d say ‘love and thunder always go together.’ He knew a lot about love, bein’ married to my mama for sixty years.”

Alice rubbed her arms and wished Paul would get there already.

“He said he could tell a man in love at fifty paces. Didn’t matter the age or the circumstances. It was something in the way he acted.” She tipped her head to the side. “I think I might have inherited that gift. At least where my boy is concerned.”

Alice almost swallowed her tongue in surprise. “Oh, no. It’s not like that.” Alice held up a hand. “We just met.”

“That’s no account. Love doesn’t care how long you been knowin’ each other. But are you saying you don’t have feelings for my boy? Maybe you were expecting something else when you kissed him t’other night?”

Awkward. Alice would have been offended except that Mrs. Olivier’s tone was light. There was no condemnation, just a big dose of sass and a hint of teasing. But she still didn’t want to talk about it. Not on the steps of her church with all her neighbors milling around. “Mrs. Olivier―” she started.

“Call me Rosie,” she interrupted.

“Okay, Rosie, I know Paul is wonderful.” Alice let out a sigh. “He’s charming and really handsome and everyone loves him. Apparently, he’s also some sort of genius, too.”

This time, Mrs. Olivier waited patiently for her to finish.

“But there are so many differences between us.”

“He’s Creole like you. That should cover a lot of differences,” Mrs. Olivier said.

Alice bit her lip. “Yes, fine. He’s Creole and a great dancer and a good Catholic guy and protective and generous and everything I’ve ever looked for. I’m sure he’ll make a wonderful husband and a really great dad and―”

She broke off suddenly. Mrs. Olivier was looking somewhere behind her and Alice had a terrible suspicion that she wasn’t looking at Paul pulling up to the curb.

Alice turned slowly, afraid to see what she already knew. Paul stood right behind her, his expression a mix of total surprise and something else she couldn’t quite read.

He cleared his throat. “I tried to get your attention but you all seemed to be having such a good chat.”

Alice closed her eyes for a moment. He’d heard all of that and probably thought she was sending out wedding invitations. She couldn’t imagine how many women had tried the same thing. One kiss and then they’re picking bridesmaids. Well, not her. She certainly wasn’t looking for someone who lived in New York City and was constructing the ugliest building the historic district had ever seen, while seducing the nation’s young people with mindless video games that contributed nothing to their development. But that wasn’t anything she could say in front of the man’s mother. Even Alice had her limits.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling her sweetest smile, and following his direction toward the car. She could almost feel Paul and his mother exchanging looks behind her back. There was nothing she could do about it now, but as soon as possible, she’d excuse herself back to her own apartment. Nothing good could come from this. Especially since she’d resolved that Monday was the day she would file a complaint with the city over the construction of Paul’s new store. If she could get them to stop construction, even for a few weeks, he might just decide it was better to take his business to some other town.

***

Paul flopped backward onto his bed, arm over his eyes. The lunch had gone well, surprisingly. His mother and Alice seemed to get along just fine. They spent most of their time in the kitchen talking about food and avoiding him. Well, his mother kept trying to drag him into the conversation, but he stayed out in the living room with Andy.

Right before they had sat down to eat, a thunderstorm hit and the power flickered. Alice didn’t seem to think anything of it, but Paul wondered how old the electrical system was. He hadn’t wanted to ask her right then, but outdated electrical could be downright dangerous. The storm passed, Alice left for her own apartment, his mama left with a promise to come back in a few days, and Andy passed out on the couch in a food coma. Paul was left to his own thoughts. He paced the living room and watched the storm pass outside.

Everything I’ve ever looked for, I’m sure he’ll make a wonderful husband and a really great dad. Alice’s words kept echoing around in his head. Of course that sentence was going to continue with a but that included every detail she absolutely hated about him. Despite that, those words settled somewhere in his heart and he couldn’t shake them loose. He got a lot of compliments from women, but none of them had been particularly interested in whether he was a good person or if he’d make a solid partner and father. It seemed as if Alice didn’t care at all that he owned a huge company and had more money than almost everyone in the country.

Now hours later, he sat up and rubbed his face. It had been a long time since anyone thought those things didn’t matter. A few days ago he would have been outraged. He’d worked years to build his company, missing out on vacation and birthdays, putting in the long nights and most weekends. His fortune represented the entire decade of his twenties. But if he stripped away the company and the money, who was he? And that was why he sat on his bed in a darkened room at two in the morning, unable to sleep. He didn’t want to be that guy who didn’t have much to offer the world. He wanted to be the kind of person Alice saw when she looked at him.