“He did. He graduated, but it didn’t seem important to him,” Sera argued. “He didn’t even go to the graduation.”
“Was anything going on that might have distracted him from that?” Roxie asked. It was clear to her that someone needed to give Zep’s family a jolt when it came to him. Maybe she would be that someone.
“She’ll get there,” Harry said, watching as Luc climbed on the chair beside him and waved at everyone walking in.
Sera teared up. “I was pregnant and scared, and he didn’t go to his graduation because he wasn’t going to rub it in my face.”
“There she is.” Harry pulled his wife close and kissed her head. “Your brother has quietly done more for this town and this family than anyone realizes.” Harry leaned over and caught Roxie’s gaze. “It’s good he has someone who sees him. I’m happy for the both of you.”
Up ahead, Sylvie Martine was taking her place at the long table onstage, and Armie greeted her. There were three microphones. One of those was for Zep.
They didn’t really need the microphones. It was a small hall, but Sylvie had told her once it made them seem more professional.
Roxie stared straight ahead because she was worried if she didn’t, she might get emotional. “And Zep would never replace water with vodka. He’s a whiskey man. Or rum when he wants to dance.”
Harry nodded. “She’s right about that. He is not into the clear liquors. Speaking of the man. Hey, brother. How’s it going?”
Zep looked surprisingly respectable in his church clothes, but she couldn’t help but think about how he’d looked without the shirt on. She’d sat on the bed with Daisy and Sunny and watched him get dressed. He’d been nervous, but he had nothing to worry about. Not looks-wise. He was a gorgeous man dressed up or dressed down.
He had a notepad in his hand. She’d helped him carefully craft his statement, and they’d gone over a few of the questions he would likely be asked.
He deserved to be taken seriously.
“Good,” Zep said, his eyes finding hers. “I think it’s going to go . . . it’s going to go as well as it can.”
His brother had followed him in. “It’s going to go great. He’s ready.”
At least she didn’t have to go up against Remy. “He is.”
“Hey, Zep. Haven’t seen you in a while,” a feminine voice said. Debbie Griffiths worked at the courthouse. She was a pretty woman in her early thirties, and Roxie had always gotten along with her. Sure, she sometimes got drunk off her ass and liked to pit men against each other, but who didn’t have a hobby? “You look good, boy.”
Zep nodded her way. “Debbie.”
Remy settled in on the other side of the chair Luc was currently bouncing his body up and down on. He was talking to the kid behind him about his dog. Remy formed a secondary barrier to keep Luc from straying off.
“I hear you’re practically on the force now,” Debbie said, giving Zep a long once-over.
If Zep noticed, he didn’t show it. He merely shook his head. “I’m just helping out. I should go—”
Debbie put a hand on his chest. “Hey, maybe after this meeting, you want to go grab a—”
“Move along, Debra.”
Every head in earshot swiveled Roxie’s way because she’d used her cop voice. And not her happy, “let’s not scare the kiddos” cop voice. She had one of those, too, but she’d used her “let’s scare the crap out of everyone and force them to comply” voice. It had served her well over the years.
Debbie’s eyes had gone wide, and her hand had moved right back to her side, where it should have been all along. “I . . . I was going to ask Zep if he wanted . . .”
“He doesn’t have the time to party tonight. And he’s got things to do for the foreseeable future. You should take your seat.” Roxie didn’t move from hers, merely stared at the woman, who should know better than to touch a man who didn’t belong to her.
Debbie nodded. “Yes, of course. I’ll go join my friends. It’s about to start.”
She hurried off.
“Damn, Deputy,” Lisa said with a whistle. “I need to work on that. There are women in this town who think my husband is on the menu, if you know what I mean.”
Zep grinned at Roxie. “Thanks. She can get handsy.”
She better not. Was she already possessive? That was a stupid question, given the fact