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ELEVEN
Summer was running out of time and she knew it. The parties would begin at the end of the week. That Friday day and Saturday night her momma’s sisters were hosting the informal barbeque and evening dancing. The week after, her momma’s best friend would host the event. The third weekend, her parents were hosting the formal ball on Friday night, and another barbeque that Saturday day and evening.
With the exception of the one formal ball held at her parents’ home, the parties were informal house parties that would spill out to the patios and lawns once the cooking started.
All but Summer’s ball gown was ready for the three weeks of socials her momma and aunts had planned. One of the most beautiful dresses she’d ever seen, she admitted. She couldn’t wait to wear it.
“Trina’s comin’ to the house to finish the final touches on your gown,” Aunjenue told her as they looked at the detailed drawing of the gown once again. “Tomorrow, then next Wednesday for the final fitting.”
The gown was exquisite. Antique ivory lace peeking from beneath sapphire chiffon.
“I still can’t believe Trina was hidin’ that design on the rest of us,” Aunjenue protested with a rueful wrinkle of her nose. “I would have snapped it up before you even had a chance to see it.”
The playful teasing in her sister’s voice didn’t hide the fact that she was completely serious. She and Aunjenue made a game of trying to find the prettiest gowns. While Summer did often allow her sister to snag the best ones, this particular gown was just her. Whimsical, feminine; not frilly, but soft.
She adored it.
“You hussy.” Summer shot her sister a mock frown. “You get the benefit of her talents all year long. I haven’t had a single dress in forever. I deserved that dress.”
“I’m just tellin’ you, it’s a good thing she had it hid deep, else you’d have missed out big time and I would have been wearin’ it myself.” Aunjenue shrugged, shooting Summer an arched look. “Count yourself lucky.”
Her sister was all grown up, Summer thought with a bit of regret. She was a woman now rather than the too-skinny kid with scratched knees and eyes that looked far too big for her childish face.
Her features weren’t childish anymore. The graceful arch of her cheekbones, the playful tilt of her nose, and her stubborn chin were almost identical to Summer’s. She was independent and sometimes reckless as hell, and though she loved training to fight and shoot, she had no desire to leave home. At least, not yet. Truthfully though, Summer couldn’t see her sister ever joining law enforcement or a federal agency. Racing four wheelers in old man Pritchard’s bog, definitely; being in the middle of a firefight, not so much.
“Your hairdresser called by the way.” Aunjenue sat back in her chair and picked up her cup of coffee once again. “Momma’s havin’ the guesthouse at the end of the road prepared. He sent her a list of everything he needed. Where in this world did you find him anyway?”
Summer couldn’t help but grin at the question. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” she promised. “You’ll love him though. He’s been doin’ my hair for the past five years in DC. He’s a sweetheart.”
Middle-aged and gruff, Steven McGillan loved his single-malt Scotch and swore that taking care of Summer’s hair was the highlight of his advancing years. He’d actually come out of retirement for her that first year she’d met him.
“Well, Momma was just pantin’ over his accent. She told Daddy she thought she was gonna swoon while she was talkin’ to him.” She fanned her face with one hand. “Then she and Daddy disappeared upstairs, like forever. And I swear, I heard Momma gigglin’ like a teenager.”
Summer winced at the information, that part of her that refused to accept such things as sex between her parents cringing in dismay.
“I didn’t need to know all that,” she informed her sister, frowning back at her.
Aunjenue only laughed.
“Anyway, your Mr. Steven McGillan will be here day after tomorrow. He asked that you come see him Thursday morning but not a moment before because he has to unpack and recover from his jetlag.”
Steven swore jetlag hated him and that it took a full twenty-four hours for his still remarkably fit body to acclimate to a new time zone. She swore he just liked to get to see the sights and get his freak on whenever he traveled.
“Have Caleb take a bottle of Daddy’s best single-malt to the house. Just leave it on the counter. He’ll look for that first.” She had a habit of leaving him a bottle whenever he traveled to do her hair.
Aunjenue snorted at the order. “Momma will take care of it, I’m sure,” her sister giggled. “She likes getting flirty because then Daddy gets all frisky on her. I swear, I came in last week and they were on the couch swappin’ tongues like newlyweds.”
No!
Outrage, horror, amazed denial exploded in her mind.
“Oh my God!” Summer all but all screeched before covering her ears, a little late. She so did not need that image in her head. “Do not be tellin’ me that stuff, Auna. I swear, I’ll throw your ass in the swamp and let the gators have you for breakfast. You know Momma and Daddy would never act that way.”
Aunjenue was cackling with laughter, the hussy.
“You are so funny. Do you really think the gators left us on the doorstep when we were babies, Summer? You do know Daddy was just joking right? You know all about the birds and the bees, like you should?” Aunjenue was beside herself with amusement.
“Daddy would not lie to me,” Summer assured her sister with a fierce glare. “And if you don’t stop bein’ ugly with me right now, then I’ll refuse to let Steven fix
