Hotter than Texas (Pecan Creek) - By Tina Leonard Page 0,79
And then I thought what a great idea it would be to start sort of preselling your business, Sugar. We need a bigger platform, a national platform, if we’re going to sell anything. And goodness knows we weren’t ever going to get any support here in Pecan Creek.” She glared at Jake.
That was true. Lucy had thought of a great way to get traction for the business, before she’d ever known whether or not it would be successful.
Jake had done everything he could to shelter Pecan Creek from her business and her family.
“I’m so sorry, Sugar,” Lucy said, and Sugar said, “Why? Except for the dead body, you’ve given the business a great advertising vehicle.”
Jake stood. “Bobby and I are going upstairs for a minute. We don’t want anybody in the house until we say so.”
“Why?” Sugar looked up at Jake, curious. He looked dark and determined, not his usual devil-may-care self.
“We’re going to do a run-through of the house. Stay down here.”
Jake’s tone implied he was in full landowner mode, and to be honest, Sugar appreciated it. She had a full-blown case of the creeps. She watched as he and Bobby went inside.
“Think I’ll join the boys,” Lassiter said, rising.
Sugar looked at her mother. Maggie’s red hair flew in mussed red puffs from her plucking at it. She’d had a long, stressful day, and this was no celebration to her good news. “Lassiter, would you mind taking Maggie to your house?” Sugar asked. “There’s no reason for her to be here.”
He looked at Maggie. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get you a drink and a warm bed.”
Maggie got up gratefully. “I feel like I’m abandoning my daughters.” She looked worried.
Lucy got up to hug her mother. “Mom, we’ll invite you to the next haunted house party we have, promise.”
“That’s right,” Sugar said. “Go with Lassiter and spend the rest of the evening staring up at the stars.”
“I shouldn’t leave you here,” Maggie worried. “I feel like a bad mother.”
Sugar got up, gently pushing her toward Lassiter. “Maggie, we have two strong guys and a sweet dog to comfort us. We’re fine.”
Maggie went off with Lassiter, who guided her toward his truck.
“I love you both!” Maggie called.
“We love you too!” Lucy and Sugar called back.
“Oh my God,” Sugar said, sinking onto the porch with her sister. “This is weird even for us.”
“Sugar, I am so sorry.” Lucy put her hand in her sister’s, just like she had when she was a little girl. “I never dreamed some freak might want to come see our house. This is going to do nothing for our reputation in Pecan Creek,” Lucy told her. “You realize we will never, ever be invited to the fine homes and gatherings of the PC elite?”
“Oh, screw that,” Sugar said. “We weren’t going to be, anyway.” She pulled her sister close to her, and Lucy rested her head on her shoulder.
“Were you scared when you found him, Sugar?”
Sugar closed her eyes. “I think it’s safe to say I’ve had better surprises.”
Lucy shuddered. “Guess it’s better that he was dead instead of alive.”
“Dear God.” Sugar blinked. Pecan Creek had a minimal rate of crime. Everybody left their doors unlocked; some of the farmers even left their keys in their trucks. There was occasional vandalism, high school mischief, and that was it. The Pillars kept such a tight clamp on everything that nobody bothered to question the chain of authority. “It never occurred to me to think of how he got in the house. We keep our doors locked tight like Fort Knox.”
“Yeah,” Lucy said. “Except I think I forgot to lock up when I left. Truthfully, I had my mind on Bobby. Something about him just seems to make me so giddy.”
Sugar smiled, tucking Lucy closer. “I know,” she said. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Jake and Bobby came out on the porch, carrying a couple of large garbage bags.
“More bodies?” Lucy asked.
Bobby carried the bags to Jake’s truck, tossing them in the back. “The sheets and bedding,” Jake said. “The comforter, everything. You spend a couple nights at Bobby’s, Lucy, and in a few days, that room won’t look the same. No more Belle Watling room.”
“Damn,” Lucy said. “I kind of liked the décor.”
“Pick out something else,” Jake said, “anything you want. Look at catalogs, on the Internet, whatever.”
Lucy looked at him. “I’ve never gotten to decorate a room before.”
He pulled her up from the porch, giving her a tiny push toward Bobby. “You do now. Spare no expense,