Hot Summer Nights (Lucas Brothers #7) -Jordan Marie Page 0,11
says.
“You do that and let me tell you something, son, once I get Bryant’s head out of his ass and my girl straightened out, you’re next,” she warns.
“I’m fine. You should concentrate on Cyan. He’s the one pissed at the world since Alice turned him down,” he says, offering up his brother—not that I can blame him. Anytime you can divert an all-out attack from Ida Sue, you should. Which is why I’m pissed at Blue. Instead of dicking around, he should have told me his mother was on her way.
“See you soon,” Ida Sue singsongs, which tells me Blue is fucked. Ida Sue is going to wade in on his relationship with Meadow. I don’t know much about it, just from the small stuff that Maggie has told me, but if I was Blue, I’d be scared.
Hell, I’m scared for me right now.
Blue lets out a grunt and walks out—closing my door a little louder than he had to.
That leaves me and her staring at one another in the silent house.
“You’re wasting your time, Ida Sue,” I finally mutter, feeling damn tired.
“You mean like you have for the last six years?” she asks, sitting down and letting me know that she’s not going anywhere.
“I’ve not been wasting my time,” I deny, even though she’s right, at least in one sense.
“Please, don’t hand me that hog wash. I’ve heard it all before. I’ve been leaving you and my Magnolia alone because I thought you would eventually work your crap out. You thinking about moving tells me that’s not going to happen, and I’m tired of waiting for you to stop burying your head in the sand. So, I’m here.”
“Ida Sue,” I start, rubbing my hand against the back of my neck. “Whatever happens is between me and your daughter, and—”
“Involves my grandson and that involves me. I have one question, Bryant Matthews, I’m just wondering if you’re going to find your balls enough to answer me honestly.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“I didn’t have one when it came to getting you as a son-in-law.”
“Ouch, that hurts, Ida Sue.” She stares at me, not relenting the slightest inch. “Fine,” I sigh, deciding giving in is easier than trying to fight her. Ida Sue has always been a force to be reckoned with and I’m just tired. “What’s the question?”
“Are you going to sit there trying to find your manhood while some guy in Dallas gets your woman, or are you going to man up?”
Some guy in Dallas? What is she talking about?
Fuck.
5
Bryant
“Maggie’s seeing some guy in Dallas?” I growl. Fuck, I know I don’t have a right, but jealousy is clawing inside of me. Maggie and I mutually agreed that as long as the two of us were sleeping together there would be no one else. It sounds stupid, but I was happy with it. I even hoped it might be enough to make her move home.
“Praise Jesus, you do have a little jealousy inside of you.”
“You’re wrong,” I respond, refusing to believe it. “Maggie would tell me if she was interested in someone else.”
“Oh please. I love my daughter, but she’s a runner.”
“I’m sorry?”
“She’s a runner, honey. When the walls start closing in, she runs. I know because that girl is so much like me I live in fear of what she’s going to do next.”
“Maggie’s a smart woman, Ida Sue,” I defend. “She’s just a little broken. Besides, I think all parents worry about their kids.”
“You’ve just started with Terry. You wait and see, Bryant. Raising children is like slowly being pecked to death by a chicken.”
I would laugh, but I’m still worried about the fact that Ida Sue thinks Maggie is seeing someone.
“What makes you think Maggie is seeing someone else?”
“She’s been getting calls from Dallas the last couple of weeks on her cellphone—”
“Ida Sue, that doesn’t mean she’s seeing someone,” I mutter.
“And for each of those calls, she’s left the room and whispered. Plus, she’s now made three trips to Dallas, including this latest one which was last minute.”
“That still doesn’t prove anything,” I insist, stubbornly. It sure as hell doesn’t sound good, though. Could Maggie be dating someone else?
“You seem concerned, Bryant. If it matters so much, then why were you set to go to Washington?”
I frown. Leave it to Ida Sue to see through my shit. I could deny everything, but there’s just no point.
“Hell, Ida Sue, I wasn’t going to leave Mason. I was just hoping maybe if Maggie thought I was leaving…”