him. “The Babineaus.”
The grin melted away. Rico was no fool. “Whose idea was this? Not sure it’s a good one.”
“I don’t necessarily disagree, but Charlotte wanted me to ask . . . before things got aired in public.”
That brought panic and anger into the mélange of Terriot’s fast-changing emotions. “Her past is no one else’s business.”
“Our circles are too small here in this city for them not to cross. Your mate’s been hiding from something that wasn’t her fault for long enough. She has nothing to be ashamed of.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Rico agreed, voice quiet, thoughts turning hopefully in the right direction.
“You’ve got yourself a fine family. Babineau wants a chance at that, too, and I guess he deserves it.”
Broad shoulders rose and fell. “Yeah, he does, after what he did for me. He’s not the bad guy here. Be easier if he was.”
Max pressed the only advantage he had, not liking it as he did so. “The only bad guy is Brady, and together we’ll bring him down. Don’t let him do any more damage than he already has.”
“Screw him.” Rico stabbed fingers back through crisp-cut red hair and paced another small circle before facing Max again. “I tell her first, and if she wants no part of it, that’s it.”
“Fair enough.”
“Okay then. What time?”
– – –
Watching their guests arrive—the Babineaus gathering silently in the parlor and the Terriots in the hall—Cee Cee questioned her wisdom. With emotions so high and raw, a civil outcome was no guarantee. She clung to her belief in the two women involved, both quiet yet strong, both guilty of nothing beyond circumstances they’d been too young and helpless to control. The same way she’d been when she first met Max.
Was that what this was about, this sudden need to put these two families together? A chance to pull two deserving souls from secrets and darkness into a world of acceptance? Or a way to make amends for not saving her best friend, Mary Kate Malone?
Cee Cee’s first impression of Amber James hadn’t been kind, believing the chestnut-haired beauty waitressing at CdC to be a gold-digger out to snag their clan’s new leader away from her. Cee Cee couldn’t blame her now that she understood Amber’s history, that of an unmated teen mother from a brutally abusive home. She’d bravely come forward to help place a truly evil man on the hot seat, putting herself and her child in danger, and was a grounding influence on Rico, one of their strongest allies. Amber James had grown in her estimation from that nameless victim needing sympathy to a strong female determined to protect her own.
“Thank you for having us, Detective Caissie. You’ve a beautiful home.” Tall and newly confident in her position at Rico’s side, Amber offered her hand and a hopeful smile, relaxing as the detective accepted both without reservation. Her grip was strong and so was the impression she made in the fitted black sweater dress and sleek boots with heels high enough to bring her nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with her mate.
Oh, to wear heels again . . .
“It’s Cee Cee. And you have a beautiful daughter.” She smiled at a rather awestruck Evangeline, who at all of twelve teetered on the precipice of young adulthood. The girl stepped from the protective drape of Rico’s arm to offer her hand. A subtle cant of her gaze proved it was more likely to get a glimpse of Oscar Babineau in the other room than to be polite. But her words were far from frivolous.
“Thank you for taking care of that man so we don’t have to hide anymore.”
Then Amber placed her palm at Rico’s low back and gave a push. “Let’s go say hello to the others.”
As the newly aligned romantic pair moved forward, Max caught Cee Cee’s elbow to hold her back. At her quick look, he murmured, “They don’t need our help.”
Released from chaperone duty, she leaned into his sturdy frame to confide, “I think I’ll stick close in case there’s any arterial spray to clean up.”
Though he chuckled, his position was as primed and ready for interception as a Saints cornerback. Level heads couldn’t be counted upon when the emotional terrain was unstable.
As the two wary trios met in the middle of the parlor, surprisingly it was Rico who made the first overture, stepping forward with hand extended to the detective.
“Babineau. Thanks again for backing my brother when he came to my rescue. Mighta kept what few brains I got from leaking