The House on Prytania (Royal Street #2)(67)
Author: Karen White
Sarah shook her head. “No. But she knew Bernie. Maybe his mom?”
“Maybe.” My phone beeped with a text. When I saw it was from Michael, I responded with Call u back ltr? and dropped the phone into my backpack. I didn’t need Sarah overhearing anything that might get repeated to our parents. Or anything that might make her question my motives, making me second-guess them all over again.
“What’s it like to have three hot guys interested in you? I haven’t met Michael, but Jolene said that despite his ‘low-down cheating ways’ he’s ‘hotter than fish oil,’ so I guessed that meant he was smoking hot. And I’m asking in all seriousness as your little sister who’s looking for advice, and not being judgy in any way. Not that Dad will let me date until I’m at least thirty, but I figure it’s not too early to get some pointers.”
It took me a moment to come up with an answer that would make sense to both of us. “First of all, I don’t have three guys interested in me. Michael is, well, not a viable candidate, for reasons I’ve already explained.”
“Basically, because he was paid to date you,” Sarah said matter-of-factly.
I frowned. “Thanks for putting it in those terms, but basically, yes. And I just saw Cooper for the first time in years, so we really don’t have a relationship right now. That could change, but for now, we’re just friends.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, sounding a lot like Jack when he was listening to my explanation as to why I was coming home after curfew. “What about Beau?”
“Well, he’s . . .” I stopped, still unable to define our relationship. Or forget the unforgettable kiss we’d shared on the couch in my living room. “He’s in a serious relationship with Samantha. Besides . . .” I shrugged as if that should explain all the other plausible reasons why Beau wasn’t interested in me.
“Besides?” she prompted, reminding me of Melanie when I’d tried to explain to her why steel-cut oatmeal was a better breakfast option than doughnuts.
“We’re incompatible.” I turned to face her, eager to change the focus of our conversation. “Why are you asking? Is there a boy you’re interested in?”
She shook her head. “No. Just something Adele said to me before she ran away.”
Despite the warm coziness of the heated backseat and my sweater, an icy chill swept through me. “Adele?”
Sarah nodded. “There were two things, actually. One was just a name. Does the name Buddy ring a bell?”
“That’s Beau’s dad. Did you see him, too?”
“No. Adele wanted me to notice that he wasn’t with her, but that’s not what she wanted to talk about—something about choices. I don’t think it was about you specifically, just something she wanted you to know. And she kept saying Beau’s name, like she needed him to know, too. I don’t know why she won’t tell him herself.”
“Because he won’t talk to her. He’s still angry with her for leaving him. But I can tell him. Do you remember exactly what she said?”
Sarah sucked in her lips, a way of concentrating for her since she was a baby listening to conversations nobody else could hear. “Something about choosing what’s worth the fight.”
“And letting the rest go,” I finished for her.
She turned her head in surprise. “That’s spooky.”
I nodded in agreement as the full body chills began, and we rode the rest of the way back to my apartment in a silence interrupted only by the soft sounds of the local jazz station, WWOZ, playing on the radio, and by the jolting thump and squeal of the car as its driver attempted to swerve around potholes and dipped into others that were either too big or too unexpected to avoid.
CHAPTER 24
Jolene dropped me off at the Ryans’ house on Prytania on her way to take Sarah to the Past Is Never Past. Not a big fan of antiques, for obvious reasons, Sarah was there mostly to meet Trevor when he showed up after school and to walk through the Quarter with Jolene. I strongly advised them both to avoid Bourbon Street. Thank goodness it was fall and the eau de Bourbon stew wasn’t as strong as in the summer months, but there were still things on Bourbon Street that I warned Sarah would scar her for life. Granted, it was a weekday afternoon, but still. Not only cockroaches mated out in the open if given the opportunity.
Sunny ran down the walkway to greet us. “So happy to see y’all,” she said, then winked at Jolene. “Did you hear how easily I slipped in that ‘y’all’?”
“I did,” Jolene said. “I’d say you’re hovering right below the Mason-Dixon Line, which is better than last week.”
“Where was I last week?”
“Maine,” Jolene said with a straight face, making Sunny laugh.
She laughed easily despite the last few traumatic months, which was a relief given her childhood nickname. But right now, with the sun glinting off her golden hair (which was still the wrong shade, according to Jolene), all she needed to do was add a yellow ribbon to look exactly the way one could imagine the grown-up version of Sunny should look.
Sunny opened the hourglass gate for me, and surprised me with a hello hug. Turning back to the car, she said, “Don’t y’all want to come in for a bit? Mimi and I were in the back garden, and I was helping her get it ready for the big party. I bought us matching monogrammed gardening gloves, but Mimi has a huge collection in her gardening shed that y’all can borrow. She taught me how to make sweet tea, and there’s a fresh pitcher in the fridge if all y’all would like some.”
Jolene grinned. “Your correct usage of ‘all y’all’ is very impressive, Sunny. Sounds a lot more like me than Mimi, but I figure you already know that and can slide into her accent, too. That’s a talent, by the way. I guess my own accent is too strong to disguise. My high school French teacher gave me a passing grade halfway through the semester just so that I’d stop coming to class and butchering the language. She said there hadn’t been that kind of a French slaughter since Waterloo.”
“Isn’t that an ABBA song?” Sarah asked.
“And you’re one of the few people under fifty who knows that,” Jolene said. She turned back to Sunny. “We would love to join you, but Sarah and I have plans. Hopefully we can come back before Sarah leaves on Sunday.”
Sunny moved closer to the car. “Have you come up with a plan for your beach house visit?”