I was going to say.”
He returned her laugh, wanting to tell her he felt the same way, that his life was spinning out of control. But the moment had been broken. “So, just how many friends are you bringing this afternoon?
“Three others to be exact. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely,” he said as he steered her from the kitchen toward the stairway. “I’ll ask a few friends over to even out the numbers.”
“Good. I told Kate there’d be some hot guys. I have to dangle a carrot.”
Jack tugged her up the stairs. “Hello. Hot guy? What am I? Chopped liver?”
She scampered a few steps ahead of him and turned, jutting her hip out. “And so humble too.”
He leered. He could see straight up the T-shirt that brushed her mid-thigh. The view was awesome.
Elle squealed and scrambled to the top of the stairway. He was right behind her. He figured she probably needed help getting dressed. Or something.
CHAPTER TEN
A fool and his liquor are soon parted.
—Grandmother Tucker after Uncle Vergie upchucked his bourbon onto the kitchen floor at the family reunion.
“A RE YOU ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN there are going to be hot guys here?” Kate inquired, bouncing up the steps to Jack’s Mediterranean-style house. Her short ebony locks curled around her face—a nice change from the jarring blue-streaked spikes the day before.
“Well, coming from someone who snagged a guy from Jack’s softball game and couldn’t stop raving about the way he scorched her eyes, I would say there’s a good chance,” Nellie replied, juggling the bottles Kate had insisted on bringing.
“Here, girl. Let me help you.” Trish took two of the bottles containing bright liquids. Kate had been adamant they bring the makings for martinis. Several different kinds of martinis.
“Thanks, Trish,” Nellie said, smiling at the willowy attorney who looked as if she’d leaped from the pages of a high fashion magazine. Nellie wished she had Trish’s earthy, sophisticated vibe. She always seemed in control.
“And why do we need all these drinks?” Billie complained as she chugged up the stairs carrying a plate of brownies she’d bought at a gourmet supermarket and then placed on a plate so they’d look homemade. Dressed in an odd combination of parachute shorts, a tiny tank top and chunky silver rope necklaces, Billie cast grumpy brown eyes at the front door.
“Uh, ’cause it’s like a party, Billie,” Kate drawled, not able to hide the disgust in her voice. Kate’s impatience with Billie was as perpetual as Billie’s complaining. Kate spun around dramatically and pressed the buzzer beside the enormous oak door.
Billie rolled her eyes. “You’d think she was supplying a frat party. I’m only going halfsies on what I drink. I’m not paying for all of this stuff.”
Nellie stifled the urge to chuckle. Billie had pieces displayed at various museums around the country, not to mention commissioned work for five-figure sums. Even Madonna had a Billie Nader. The thought of her being so stingy with her money was amusing. Of course, Nellie could understand it. She felt the same way and she had plenty of old Texas oil money in the bank.
Before she could reply, the door swung open.
Damn, but Jack Darby knew how to fill up a doorway.
“Ladies,” Jack said, bestowing a smile on each of the women. “Welcome.”
“Jack.” Kate nodded, doing her best imperious-lady-of-the-manor impression. “Thank you.”
Typical Kate. Nellie shot Jack a smile and shrugged. Her over-the-top friend hated to be grandstanded by anyone, much less a mere man. Even one as sexy as Jack.
His lips twitched at the cheekiness in Kate’s voice. “Ah, the slippery Kate. We meet at last. And I’ve heard so much about you.” His eyes caught Nellie’s. They twinkled like waves on a lake in summer.
“I hope she didn’t tell you the truth,” Kate drawled. “You probably wouldn’t let me in if she did.” She raked her eyes over Jack with practiced ease. Kate
He returned her laugh, wanting to tell her he felt the same way, that his life was spinning out of control. But the moment had been broken. “So, just how many friends are you bringing this afternoon?
“Three others to be exact. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely,” he said as he steered her from the kitchen toward the stairway. “I’ll ask a few friends over to even out the numbers.”
“Good. I told Kate there’d be some hot guys. I have to dangle a carrot.”
Jack tugged her up the stairs. “Hello. Hot guy? What am I? Chopped liver?”
She scampered a few steps ahead of him and turned, jutting her hip out. “And so humble too.”
He leered. He could see straight up the T-shirt that brushed her mid-thigh. The view was awesome.
Elle squealed and scrambled to the top of the stairway. He was right behind her. He figured she probably needed help getting dressed. Or something.
CHAPTER TEN
A fool and his liquor are soon parted.
—Grandmother Tucker after Uncle Vergie upchucked his bourbon onto the kitchen floor at the family reunion.
“A RE YOU ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN there are going to be hot guys here?” Kate inquired, bouncing up the steps to Jack’s Mediterranean-style house. Her short ebony locks curled around her face—a nice change from the jarring blue-streaked spikes the day before.
“Well, coming from someone who snagged a guy from Jack’s softball game and couldn’t stop raving about the way he scorched her eyes, I would say there’s a good chance,” Nellie replied, juggling the bottles Kate had insisted on bringing.
“Here, girl. Let me help you.” Trish took two of the bottles containing bright liquids. Kate had been adamant they bring the makings for martinis. Several different kinds of martinis.
“Thanks, Trish,” Nellie said, smiling at the willowy attorney who looked as if she’d leaped from the pages of a high fashion magazine. Nellie wished she had Trish’s earthy, sophisticated vibe. She always seemed in control.
“And why do we need all these drinks?” Billie complained as she chugged up the stairs carrying a plate of brownies she’d bought at a gourmet supermarket and then placed on a plate so they’d look homemade. Dressed in an odd combination of parachute shorts, a tiny tank top and chunky silver rope necklaces, Billie cast grumpy brown eyes at the front door.
“Uh, ’cause it’s like a party, Billie,” Kate drawled, not able to hide the disgust in her voice. Kate’s impatience with Billie was as perpetual as Billie’s complaining. Kate spun around dramatically and pressed the buzzer beside the enormous oak door.
Billie rolled her eyes. “You’d think she was supplying a frat party. I’m only going halfsies on what I drink. I’m not paying for all of this stuff.”
Nellie stifled the urge to chuckle. Billie had pieces displayed at various museums around the country, not to mention commissioned work for five-figure sums. Even Madonna had a Billie Nader. The thought of her being so stingy with her money was amusing. Of course, Nellie could understand it. She felt the same way and she had plenty of old Texas oil money in the bank.
Before she could reply, the door swung open.
Damn, but Jack Darby knew how to fill up a doorway.
“Ladies,” Jack said, bestowing a smile on each of the women. “Welcome.”
“Jack.” Kate nodded, doing her best imperious-lady-of-the-manor impression. “Thank you.”
Typical Kate. Nellie shot Jack a smile and shrugged. Her over-the-top friend hated to be grandstanded by anyone, much less a mere man. Even one as sexy as Jack.
His lips twitched at the cheekiness in Kate’s voice. “Ah, the slippery Kate. We meet at last. And I’ve heard so much about you.” His eyes caught Nellie’s. They twinkled like waves on a lake in summer.
“I hope she didn’t tell you the truth,” Kate drawled. “You probably wouldn’t let me in if she did.” She raked her eyes over Jack with practiced ease. Kate
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