“Are listening to yourself, old woman?” Charli snapped at her, hands fisted on her hips. “You’re crazy, that’s what you are! Dade doesn’t need you to tell him how many kids to have, or whether to get married. For God’s sake, go home and watch your Jeopardy re-runs or something.”
Seeming unfazed by her daughter’s rebuke, Aidy continued wandering, pausing to look at framed family photos on tabletops. “Aw, these your folks?” she asked, holding up a picture of my parents on their fortieth wedding anniversary.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Give me that,” Charli said, trying to wrestle the photo out of her clenched hands. “You don’t walk into someone’s house and start manhandling their personal belongings. What is the matter with you?”
Aidy scowled at she released her grip on the photo. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, girl. I’m just tryin’ to get to know your new boyfriend better is all.”
“Dade is not my boyfriend,” Charli said, between clenched teeth. “I told you on the phone, this is a job. And a temporary one at that.”
“Call it what you want,” she said, wandering to the window. “Y’all are shackin’ up together. And that picture online…” She fanned her face. “Well, I was there. And I don’t think the picture even did that kiss justice. Lordy, lordy—”
“Havin’ another hot flash, Mama?” Charli said, smiling sweetly. “Best thing for that is a nice drive with the windows down. Don’t let us keep you now.” She curled her hands around her mother’s shoulders and started leading her to the door.
“I am not havin’ a hot flash!” She slapped Charli’s hand. “And you stop tryin’ to get rid of me now.” She yanked on my hand and said, “I wanna talk to Dade. We barely had a chance to get to know each other at the wedding.”
Aidy led me into my own living room while Charli followed behind us muttering about crazy mamas and shooting herself.
“Be a doll,” she said to Charli once we were seated on the cream sectional in my living room. “Get me some tea?”
“This isn’t my house,” Charli snapped. “And Dade already asked you if you’d like a drink. If you hadn’t been so busy poking your nose where it didn’t belong you might have heard him.”
She huffed and raised her chin, fixing all her attention on me. “I hope when y’all have children they don’t grow up to be disrespectful little brats, Dade. I’ll tell you what, you try to do right by your kids, give them all you can and what thanks do you get?” She gestured to Charli. “They grow up and make you feel like you’re not wanted—”
“You’re wanted,” Charli cut in. “I bet Daddy wants you at home right now.” She looked at her watch. “Look how late it’s getting. Your bedtime will be here before you know it.”
Aidy fixed her youngest with a steely green gaze that would have made me squirm when she said, “I do not go to bed at nine o’clock, young lady, which you damn well know since you’ve been stayin’ with us for months.”
“Uh, let me get us that tea,” I said, jumping up when Charli opened her mouth to snap back. “Any preference, Aidy? Charli? You want tea?” I didn’t even know if I had tea, since I never touched the stuff, but I hoped my housekeeper kept some on hand for company.
“Would you like me to get it?” Charli asked, sighing. “My mama seems so determined to get to know you better, I wouldn’t want to deny her the privilege.”
“Oh okay, thanks.” I sank back down, feeling like I’d just been thrown into the line of fire.
“Now,” Aidy said, patting my hand. “I know what those vultures in the press say, but I wanna hear it from you. Why can’t you keep a wife?”
“Mama!” Charli shouted from the adjoining kitchen. “Would you please try to act like a civilized human being who knows better than to ask inappropriate questions?”
I smiled, looking at poor Charli over my shoulder. I knew she was mortified by her mama’s outrageous behavior, but I wasn’t offended. I figured if my buddy Knox didn’t mind having her as a mother-in-law, she couldn’t be so bad.
“Charli, relax.” I winked at her. “It’s okay.” I leaned back, putting some distance between myself and Aidy. “You wanna know why I can’t keep a wife?” I prodded my cheek with my tongue and considered a smart-ass remark that would have shut her up before I finally settled on the truth. “Made a few mistakes. Chose women who weren’t right for me.”
She nodded, like she understood completely, even though it still didn’t make sense to me. I’d been smart enough to make it in the jungle known as Nashville. To multiply the fortune I’d made in music by investing it in other businesses, but I’d been dumb enough to ask the wrong woman to marry methreetimes.
“It happens, honey,” she said, patting my knee. “Not everyone gets it right the first time.” She snorted. “Hell, look at Liz Taylor. That ‘ole girl never gave up.” Her expression softened. “And you shouldn’t either. I really believe the perfect girl is just waiting for you to find her.” She giggled, raising her shoulders. “Who knows, she might even be closer than you think.”
Charli sighed as she set a tray down on the coffee table. Our eyes met and a look of understanding and sympathy passed between us. We’d both been caught off guard by well-meaning loved ones who thought they could run our lives better than we could. One more thing we had in common.
“This is lovely, hon,” she said to Charli, reaching for a cookie my housekeeper must have baked before she left yesterday. “Hmm, butter pecan,” she said after taking a bite as she reached for a napkin. “Love these! Haven’t made them in years. I’m gonna have to go home and haul my recipe box out.”
Charli poured two cups of tea into white cups before she raised an eyebrow to ask if I’d like one. When I shook my head, she smiled. “I didn’t figure you for a teetotaler.”
“May not be,” Aidy said. “But at least he’s not a drunk like your last boyfriend. What the hell was his name again?” She snapped her fingers. “Josh, that’s it. She wouldn’t bring him ‘round to meet us,” she told me. “Thought we’d read him the riot act about drinkin’ too much and not bein’ able to hold down a job.”
Charli set her tea down before she flung herself back on the chair opposite the sectional. “Gee, now why would I be afraid to bring a guy home to meet y’all?” She looked at me. “Can you see why, Dade?”
I pinched my lips together and tried to keep a straight face before reaching for a cookie. Maybe if my mouth was full, I wouldn’t be drawn into their argument, but I had to admit, I was kind of curious about Charli’s ex-boyfriends. Might make me feel better knowing I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t pick decent partners.
