place teemed with people. Neely clung nervously to Raif's arm. She recognized many famous faces in the crowd—local media, several political figures, and some celebrities. Neely tightened her grip on Raif's arm as a medium-height, milk-chocolate-skinned man headed their way.
She whispered, "Raif, is that Dupree Parks coming over here? He's a famous R & B singer."
Raif laughed as he realized he had never explained Dupree was his son-in-law. Dupree hugged Raif and said, "Dad, you look great."
Dad? Neely's eyes widened as Lindsay joined her husband. Raif said, "Neely, I'd like you to meet Dupree and Lindsay Parks, my daughter and son-in-law. Dupree, Lindsay, this is my Neely."
Neely's heart skipped a beat as she tried to focus on the people she had just met rather than the fact Raif considered her his . She did not even notice the society-news photographer snap her and Dupree shaking hands and him leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Patrick came over and greeted Neely in a friendly manner. She started to ask him about the girl that he had brought to Amile's when Trista barged in.
Raif arched an eyebrow and Patrick rolled his eyes when the girl said, "I'm Trista," without so much as offering a handshake. "And you're Dad's reason for leaving me alone all the time."
"Um…" Neely began. But Trista just shook her head and joined her cousin, Courtney Reynolds, to make a plate of food.
"That went well," Raif muttered.
"I don't think your daughter likes me," Neely whispered.
Raif took her hand and kissed it. "I don't care what Trista likes or doesn't like. She's a child who has forced herself to become an adult."
The voice that haunted him growled, "Of course you care."
Well, yes, but she's pushing my buttons lately.
By evening's end, Neely had met every member of Raif's family except Townes, who was still at sea, and Larkin, who had tried to stay out of the limelight as a famous author.
Ray viewed every painting, but stopped dead in his tracks at "The Serpent."
"Jesus," he said under his breath as Larkin stopped beside him.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"It looks like the tattoo Robert had." He shivered as the temperature around the painting seemed to plummet. "Angel, Neely told Raif this looked like the tattoo one of her attackers had. What if?"
"Kyle?"
"We haven't seen them since Deanna and Saul married. The blue eyes and the tattoo."
"Surely not. They live in Baton Rouge, not New Orleans. And he could not have gotten a legitimate tattoo at his age. Let it go for the evening. We still haven't greeted the honoree."
Finally, Ray and Larkin approached and the flashbulbs started the strobe effect. Ray hugged Neely.
"Hello, Ray," she said sweetly. "It's been a long time, but you haven't changed a bit."
"You've gotten more beautiful," responded Ray.
Neely turned to Larkin. Why this one woman's approval meant so much to her she did not know. "So, you're Ray's guardian angel," she said with apprehension.
Against the glare of a flashbulb, Larkin took Neely's hand and kissed her cheek. "Hello, Neely. It's good to finally meet you. Your paintings are outstanding."
"Thank you," Neely breathed with relief.
As the patrons trickled out, Colleen and Amile said good-bye to the young woman they cherished. Pierre danced up, his face aglow. He proclaimed, "My girl! You are a smash! Twelve of your paintings sold tonight."
"Thirteen," corrected Raif. "You didn't sell my painting, did you?"
"No, of course not, although it was in high demand."
"Raif," said Neely, "you don't have to buy a painting. Anything you want is yours."
Raif sighed at the thought of what he wanted.
Arriving back at Neely's place, she sprang from the car and shrieked, "Raif! Something's wrong! Colleen's door is open!"
"Inside, now!" commanded Raif. "Go inside, Neely," he repeated as she hesitated. "Call 9-1-1 and get your gun."
Neely did as Raif requested, and Raif reached into his glove box and got the .38 Ray had given him. He had not held the gun
She whispered, "Raif, is that Dupree Parks coming over here? He's a famous R & B singer."
Raif laughed as he realized he had never explained Dupree was his son-in-law. Dupree hugged Raif and said, "Dad, you look great."
Dad? Neely's eyes widened as Lindsay joined her husband. Raif said, "Neely, I'd like you to meet Dupree and Lindsay Parks, my daughter and son-in-law. Dupree, Lindsay, this is my Neely."
Neely's heart skipped a beat as she tried to focus on the people she had just met rather than the fact Raif considered her his . She did not even notice the society-news photographer snap her and Dupree shaking hands and him leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Patrick came over and greeted Neely in a friendly manner. She started to ask him about the girl that he had brought to Amile's when Trista barged in.
Raif arched an eyebrow and Patrick rolled his eyes when the girl said, "I'm Trista," without so much as offering a handshake. "And you're Dad's reason for leaving me alone all the time."
"Um…" Neely began. But Trista just shook her head and joined her cousin, Courtney Reynolds, to make a plate of food.
"That went well," Raif muttered.
"I don't think your daughter likes me," Neely whispered.
Raif took her hand and kissed it. "I don't care what Trista likes or doesn't like. She's a child who has forced herself to become an adult."
The voice that haunted him growled, "Of course you care."
Well, yes, but she's pushing my buttons lately.
By evening's end, Neely had met every member of Raif's family except Townes, who was still at sea, and Larkin, who had tried to stay out of the limelight as a famous author.
Ray viewed every painting, but stopped dead in his tracks at "The Serpent."
"Jesus," he said under his breath as Larkin stopped beside him.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"It looks like the tattoo Robert had." He shivered as the temperature around the painting seemed to plummet. "Angel, Neely told Raif this looked like the tattoo one of her attackers had. What if?"
"Kyle?"
"We haven't seen them since Deanna and Saul married. The blue eyes and the tattoo."
"Surely not. They live in Baton Rouge, not New Orleans. And he could not have gotten a legitimate tattoo at his age. Let it go for the evening. We still haven't greeted the honoree."
Finally, Ray and Larkin approached and the flashbulbs started the strobe effect. Ray hugged Neely.
"Hello, Ray," she said sweetly. "It's been a long time, but you haven't changed a bit."
"You've gotten more beautiful," responded Ray.
Neely turned to Larkin. Why this one woman's approval meant so much to her she did not know. "So, you're Ray's guardian angel," she said with apprehension.
Against the glare of a flashbulb, Larkin took Neely's hand and kissed her cheek. "Hello, Neely. It's good to finally meet you. Your paintings are outstanding."
"Thank you," Neely breathed with relief.
As the patrons trickled out, Colleen and Amile said good-bye to the young woman they cherished. Pierre danced up, his face aglow. He proclaimed, "My girl! You are a smash! Twelve of your paintings sold tonight."
"Thirteen," corrected Raif. "You didn't sell my painting, did you?"
"No, of course not, although it was in high demand."
"Raif," said Neely, "you don't have to buy a painting. Anything you want is yours."
Raif sighed at the thought of what he wanted.
Arriving back at Neely's place, she sprang from the car and shrieked, "Raif! Something's wrong! Colleen's door is open!"
"Inside, now!" commanded Raif. "Go inside, Neely," he repeated as she hesitated. "Call 9-1-1 and get your gun."
Neely did as Raif requested, and Raif reached into his glove box and got the .38 Ray had given him. He had not held the gun
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