Spencer was her quiet, introverted daughter. Being set up by her mother would frustrate her, to say the least.
“He's a good catch, though. He's strong, smart, from the conversation I had with him at the rehearsal, and he's got some things going for him on the black side. You know he helped make potato salad for the cookout after the rehearsal last night?”
Targen made a sound that he buried in a cough.
“Wait... he brought the potato salad? That was good,” Farrah said, sounding awestruck.
Aunt Liv nodded. “I know. And he was your PawPaw's Spades partner. You know that's an honor. Oh! And he only had one drink last night and tonight so far. Guess what it was?”
My eyebrows rose. “What?”
She leaned in and whispered, “Hennessy.”
“Dang. Potato salad, Spades,andHennessy? He blacker than Targen,” I whispered back.
“Now, wait a damn minute–” Targen protested as Lanthe laughed.
As if his ears were burning, Mikhail made his way toward us, Juvie behind him, snapping arrhythmically to a soulful Luther Vandross track.
“What's up, Aunt Liv?” Juvie greeted brightly.
His eyes flitted to Calanthe then moved right back away.
“Lanthe,” he said softly.
“I'll talk to y'all later, Theory. I need to find Mama,” Lanthe said, ignoring Juvie completely.
“Yeah, of course.” I kissed her cheek then watched her walk off.
“So, there exists one woman that the great Julien Reed cannot charm,” Mikhail teased.
I waited for Juvie to say something silly, to pop off in his usual, comedic way. Instead, his mouth pressed into a grim line and he shrugged.
“Yeah. That happens sometimes,” he said, voice flat.
An uncomfortable silence settled over us. Aunt Liv cleared her throat then waved a hand dismissively. “Y'all know teenagers and attitudes. Come back to your table. I saw the way y'all ate them lamb chops. And Julien? Mama made a banana pudding with your name on it.”
Juvie's expression lifted a little. “That young lady stay doing the Lord's work.”
“Spoiled ass,” Targen muttered.
“I'm sensing a hater,” Juvie sang.
Targen's mouth lifted in a half-smile. “Wait til she knows me better. We'll see who her favorite grandson is.”
Juvie gasped and clutched his chest. “You could never.”
“Boy!” Aunt Liv snapped, then smiled up at Mikhail.
“How do you feel about interracial dating?”
Mikhail's eyes widened as she linked her arm through his. I shook my head as they strolled off.
“Lil' Lanthe cold with it. I thought she had a crush on Juvie,” Targen murmured near my ear.
I shrugged. “She's sixteen. Things change.”
I'd let Juvie give him the real answer, how he'd publicly hurt Lanthe's feelings and broke her heart. It had pissed us all off at the same time that we understood it. He was about four years older than she was, a big difference at their ages. Calanthe's crush could never be more than what it was, and he'd made sure that was clear. She'd definitely understood, opting to go on sleepovers and little trips on the times he'd visited Emancipation since then. Juvie had accomplished what he'd set out to do, but the way he'd just looked...
