We travel almost two hours from the city for lunch. Brothers is quiet most of the way. I’m glad for it. After yesterday and the things I said, I know he’s sore and pretending he’s not. When we pull up and the windows roll down, I can see we’re in a small town with shops lining the main street. Brothers gets out, buttoning his jacket. He’s in a gray suit. I’m in a button down and good pants.
He leads the way through the door of a restaurant with darkened windows. Inside, everything is sleek black and gold, more opulent than I’d expected. A woman in a well cut suit appears out of nowhere, smiling like she knows Brothers.
“Right this way, Mr. Boyd,” she says.
Brothers starts asking her about her family as we move through the tables. We dip through a velvet curtain. The back room is sleek wood with high top bourbon barrel tables. In the corner on a bench seat in a booth sits the same woman from his office the other night—Kayleigh. She’s dolled up in a tight rhinestone dress with a scooped neck that shows everything, hugging her body all the way to the ground.
Brothers crosses the room, leaning in to kiss her cheek. She gives him a smile that says she knows who she’s got wrapped around her little finger. Up close, she’s younger than I expected, maybe a few years older than Della.
“This Jensen?” she says, leaning forward.
I shake her hand. When I do, her gold rings and long pink nails dig into my fingers, then release. Brothers sinks down beside her, leaning back and crossing one knee over the other. His hand rests on her thigh.
I sit opposite. “Nice to meet you,” I say. “Have you talked to Della?”
She purses her lips. “Leland’s being a cunt. I asked if I could see her the night she came back and he said no.”
Her accent is thicker than I expected. She draws out the word—cuuuunt—letting me know there’s no love lost between them. Before I can respond,the woman in the suit appears again to take our drink orders. Brothers and I get a bourbon, and Kayleigh gets something tall and gold with edible flowers overflowing down the side.
“Is there a way you can get to her?” Brothers asks.
She sighs. “I’m working on getting Leland to let me take her to the salon to get her hair did. He likes her to be all done up.”
“Which salon?” I ask.
She has a sip of her drink. “No, I’m not having you show up. Leland will lose his shit if he thinks she’s not serious about going back to him.”
“Kayleigh’s right,” Brothers says.
“Thanks, baby,” she says, nestling under his arm. “Give me a cigarette.”
He takes one from his breast pocket and holds the lighter for her. She inhales, leaving a crescent pink moon on the white paper.
“If we’re getting her out with Landis, it’s got to be real subtle,” she says.
I study her carefully, trying to figure her out. “Where are your people from?”
Her brows lift. “I’m a Caudill.”
“No, you’re something else too,” I say.
“My mama’s from Pike County. She married Matthew’s little brother,” she says, a flicker of something unreadable passing over her face. “She wasn’t too different from Della. I got cousins with silver spoons in their mouths and cousins mining coal.”
Everything makes a little more sense with that information. Still, my guard is up. She is a Caudill, after all.
“How long have you and Brothers been dating?” I ask.
She laughs, slapping his thigh. “Oh please, I’m not dating him,” she drawls.
Brothers sighs. “She’s my mistress.”
“Shut up. More like you’re my boy toy.” She elbows him in the side, and he gives her a look that lets me know they’re about to butt heads later. I wonder what that looks like, probably plates and insults flying a mile a minute.
“I’d like to draw Leland out,” says Brothers.
“How’s that?” I say.
She leans over and taps her cigarette out in his drink. His mouth thins, and he moves his arm from around her shoulders.
