and that he’s turned you down every single time. So don’t be starting trouble where there ain’t none to be had, ’specially when you ain’t ready to finish it. Because I am.”
“Hmmph,” Loretta snorts as she hair flips away with her drink.
“What was that all about?” I ask.
Unc sighs. “Just what I said. You got a man that a lot of people like, and a lot of people don’t. Both for no good damn reason I can see. And some people are sad sacks who want everyone to be as miserable as they are. Loretta’s all right. She just never had nobody tell her no, about anything, if you know what I’m saying, so it sticks in her craw a bit.”
I glance over at Loretta. She’s pretty, at least on the outside. Not so sure about her insides, though. They seem a bit sketchy.
“Not a thing to worry about with that one, girl. Or anyone else. That Tannen boy ain’t never followed no one around the way he does you.” He nods like that’s that and goes back to pulling beers.
A little while later, the door creaks open and a group of women I do know come in. Shayanne, Sophie, Katelyn, Rix, and Allyson all walk directly to the bar and me.
“Hey, Willow!” Shayanne yells. “Round of Girly Beers, please!”
“Sure thing. Where you gonna sit? I’ll have Olivia bring them over.”
Rix points to a stool. “We’re sitting right here with you. Brody’s orders, Bobby’s too.”
The other girls laugh like she said something ridiculous. I don’t know what it was until Katelyn manages to huff out around her giggles, “Brody’s orders? As if you take orders from anyone, much less Brody.”
Rix’s grin says Katelyn might be on to something. “Well, I take his ideas into consideration, at least.” She shrugs, and I get the feeling nobody tells Rix what to do. Ever.
I set the beers onto cocktail napkins in front of each woman. “What was the part about Bobby’s orders?”
Shayanne jumps in. “Oh, he told us to check in on you since he was gonna be gone. Pretty sure he wanted to make sure you didn’t make a run for it while he was distracted. You’re lucky he didn’t tie you up and just leave enough water and sandwiches on the nightstand to last till Monday.”
“That is oddly specific and concerning that you’ve considered kidnapping enough to have a meal plan for it.” I couldn’t explain it if I tried, but her outrageousness makes her more endearing somehow. She says crazy things, but they come out more amusing than terrifying.
She frowns, feigning sadness. “Lessons learned the hard way. I always forget to feed and water the hostages.”
Unc appears at my shoulder. “Sophie, where the hell is Doc tonight? You leave him high and dry at the clinic?”
Sophie bites back defensively, “You know I didn’t. When I left, he was petting a new kitten and watching Andy Griffin reruns.” Her voice softens. “We had a mama cat birth four today. They were feeding okay, but Doc said he’d probably sleep over to make sure they didn’t need to be bottle fed.”
“Aw hell, you know he’ll be there every night for a week then. Never seen a man like cats as much as he does.”
Rix snorts first, then Shayanne, then the rest of us catch what Unc just alluded to accidentally. Unc grins big when he realizes why we’re laughing. “You ladies, and I use the term loosely, need to straighten up.”
We try. We make a truly valiant effort for about two seconds before we all bust out again.
God, I needed that. Silly giggles about a stupid, accidental joke. I feel like my whole body is bathed in champagne, bubbly and warm.
Unc rolls his eyes, fighting his own laughter to appear sternly authoritarian. “Actually, I got another plan. Shayanne, you go get that table right there,” he orders her, pointing across the bar to a round booth that just opened up.
She doesn’t question it, zig zagging her way over to flash a thumbs-up.
He dips his head in recognition then sticks two fingers in his mouth. The whistle is loud and unexpected, quieting the bar in an instant as all eyes turn to him.
“Y’all know my niece, Willow. She’s been in here putting up with your shit for a while now, without so much as a fuss.”
What is he doing? I hate being the center of attention and this little speech of his has everyone in the room, and that’s a lot of people,