Griffin on the shoulder.
Julie found herself in the arms of yet another Luckadeau. She could spot them now and they were everywhere. Blond, tall, sexy, broad-chested, with big biceps, nice smiles, and a dent in their chins. Just like Griffin, only he had dark hair with a sexy white streak instead of a head full of blond hair. She wondered if there was a single ugly duckling sitting in the family tree.
"I'm Beau, Griffin's cousin. Live up by Ardmore, Oklahoma on the Bar M. My wife is Milli. Daughter is Katy Scarlett. She'd be that little blonde out there dancing with Lizzy. You that other little dark-haired girl's momma?"
"I am that. Her name is Annie."
"When did you and Griffin know each other?"
"Didn't until a week ago. I'm a schoolteacher here in Saint Jo."
"You got to be kiddin'," Beau said.
"About being a teacher or not ever knowing Griffin?"
"Griffin."
The song ended and a short, dark-haired, dark-eyed Mexican beauty grabbed Beau's arm. "I'm Milli, Beau's wife. So, you are a schoolteacher?"
"That's right. It's nice meeting you. If you'll excuse me I'm going to go buy a beer. Dancing works up a thirst, doesn't it?" She disappeared before Milli could say anything more. One Luckadeau woman was enough for one night and two was way too many.
Julie bypassed the refreshment stand and went to the bathroom, where she put the lid down and sat on the potty. Luckadeaus must reproduce like rabbits. Everywhere she turned there was another one. She leaned her head against the cool metal wall. Did she believe in fate? It had to be either that or the worst damn luck in the whole state of Texas. She remembered her sister coming to Jefferson, Texas, to visit back in the middle of the summer.
Sally had been all excited about a job five hours away from Jefferson. "Hey sis, I met a lady at a party this past weekend in Dallas. She was a friend of a friend of a friend, etc. Said there's a last-minute kindergarten job in Saint Jo, Texas. You've been sayin' you want a fresh start before Annie starts to school. You ought to drive over there and look at it. I'll watch Annie for you."
Julie tried to remember if she'd even shown Mamie a picture of Annie before Mamie told her about the prop erty. Yes, she had. She remembered taking it from her wallet. Mamie had known from day one! That's why she wanted her to buy that property. She'd figured Annie was Griffin's child.
Julie stood up. "I don't believe in fate. I don't. I don't."
Milli and Jane were just coming in the door when Julie swung open the wooden stall door.
"Hello, again," Julie said.
They both nodded and ignored her.
She quickly washed her hands and started out the door.
"Wait a minute. I want to talk to you," Milli said. "Griffin says you had this fling with Graham before he went to Iraq. Griffin is a good man and we won't have you hurting him."
"Darlin', you got nothing to worry about. I don't want a damn thing to do with any Luckadeau. Him. You. None of the family. I didn't even know there was but one of them. So don't be getting up in my face about Griffin. Trust me, he's safe and there is nothing to talk about."
"I don't trust you at all. We all love Griff and I personally wouldn't trust a schoolteacher as far as I could throw her. He's been hurt once. Just stay away from him," Milli said.
"What got up your ass about schoolteachers?" Julie smarted off.
"I have my reasons. You just stay away from Griff," Milli told her.
Julie nodded. "Like I said, you got absolutely nothing to worry about, lady. Now if you'll go out there and tell him to stay away from me, I'd appreciate it. I'm not interested in anything he's got and I'm damn sure not out to jerk his world out from under his sweet ass, so don't waste a single second thinkin' about me or Annie."
She marched out of the ladies' room, searching for Mamie. She didn't care
Julie found herself in the arms of yet another Luckadeau. She could spot them now and they were everywhere. Blond, tall, sexy, broad-chested, with big biceps, nice smiles, and a dent in their chins. Just like Griffin, only he had dark hair with a sexy white streak instead of a head full of blond hair. She wondered if there was a single ugly duckling sitting in the family tree.
"I'm Beau, Griffin's cousin. Live up by Ardmore, Oklahoma on the Bar M. My wife is Milli. Daughter is Katy Scarlett. She'd be that little blonde out there dancing with Lizzy. You that other little dark-haired girl's momma?"
"I am that. Her name is Annie."
"When did you and Griffin know each other?"
"Didn't until a week ago. I'm a schoolteacher here in Saint Jo."
"You got to be kiddin'," Beau said.
"About being a teacher or not ever knowing Griffin?"
"Griffin."
The song ended and a short, dark-haired, dark-eyed Mexican beauty grabbed Beau's arm. "I'm Milli, Beau's wife. So, you are a schoolteacher?"
"That's right. It's nice meeting you. If you'll excuse me I'm going to go buy a beer. Dancing works up a thirst, doesn't it?" She disappeared before Milli could say anything more. One Luckadeau woman was enough for one night and two was way too many.
Julie bypassed the refreshment stand and went to the bathroom, where she put the lid down and sat on the potty. Luckadeaus must reproduce like rabbits. Everywhere she turned there was another one. She leaned her head against the cool metal wall. Did she believe in fate? It had to be either that or the worst damn luck in the whole state of Texas. She remembered her sister coming to Jefferson, Texas, to visit back in the middle of the summer.
Sally had been all excited about a job five hours away from Jefferson. "Hey sis, I met a lady at a party this past weekend in Dallas. She was a friend of a friend of a friend, etc. Said there's a last-minute kindergarten job in Saint Jo, Texas. You've been sayin' you want a fresh start before Annie starts to school. You ought to drive over there and look at it. I'll watch Annie for you."
Julie tried to remember if she'd even shown Mamie a picture of Annie before Mamie told her about the prop erty. Yes, she had. She remembered taking it from her wallet. Mamie had known from day one! That's why she wanted her to buy that property. She'd figured Annie was Griffin's child.
Julie stood up. "I don't believe in fate. I don't. I don't."
Milli and Jane were just coming in the door when Julie swung open the wooden stall door.
"Hello, again," Julie said.
They both nodded and ignored her.
She quickly washed her hands and started out the door.
"Wait a minute. I want to talk to you," Milli said. "Griffin says you had this fling with Graham before he went to Iraq. Griffin is a good man and we won't have you hurting him."
"Darlin', you got nothing to worry about. I don't want a damn thing to do with any Luckadeau. Him. You. None of the family. I didn't even know there was but one of them. So don't be getting up in my face about Griffin. Trust me, he's safe and there is nothing to talk about."
"I don't trust you at all. We all love Griff and I personally wouldn't trust a schoolteacher as far as I could throw her. He's been hurt once. Just stay away from him," Milli said.
"What got up your ass about schoolteachers?" Julie smarted off.
"I have my reasons. You just stay away from Griff," Milli told her.
Julie nodded. "Like I said, you got absolutely nothing to worry about, lady. Now if you'll go out there and tell him to stay away from me, I'd appreciate it. I'm not interested in anything he's got and I'm damn sure not out to jerk his world out from under his sweet ass, so don't waste a single second thinkin' about me or Annie."
She marched out of the ladies' room, searching for Mamie. She didn't care
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