“Yes, ma’am, but we’ve worked all day and sat in a vehicle for two hours. We aren’t moving fast just yet,” Knox raised his voice and then added, “Everything smells wonderful, and we only shared an order of fries on the way.”
Bernie picked up Pepper and held the door for them. “They just don’t make young folks with the stamina I had at your age. Welcome to the Paradise, Lottie. Come on in and meet everyone.” Then she headed straight through the foyer and into the kitchen. She passed Bo on the way and frowned. “Don’t get to talking to them and hold up supper.”
“You are here.” Bo gave each of them a hug. “Hurry up and eat, or else make a plate and take it with you to the bar.”
“Why?” Knox asked.
“Maverick has the flu, and I need help. Lottie, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to, but I am going to drag Knox away from you for the evening.”
“I’ll be glad to help,” she said. “I’ve never done that kind of work, but I’m a fast learner.” Getting to know one sister would be better than staying back with half a dozen more toanswer their questions. Worse than that, she would have to deal with Bernie.
Bo tiptoed, gave her another quick hug, and whispered. “You can thank me later.”
“For what?”
“Giving you a chance to get away from Aunt Bernie and all her nosiness.” Bo’s green eyes twinkled as she led the way to the kitchen, where supper was spread out buffet style.
“Joe Clay will offer grace, and then we can all dive in,” Mary Jane said, “but first I need to welcome Lottie and hug Knox. Seems like he’s been gone for weeks instead of days.”
“Mamas and their kids.” Joe Clay grinned.
Mary Jane wrapped both Knox and Lottie up in a three-way hug, then stepped back and nodded to Joe Clay. He bowed his head and said a quick prayer, and then everyone lined up to load their plates with food.
The dining room table was huge, but there were enough people around it that they were shoulder to shoulder. Every time that Knox moved, his upper arm brushed against Lottie’s, and the vibes got hotter and hotter. She tried to take her mind off the attraction by studying each family member and putting names with faces. Remy and Ursula went together, along with their toddler, Clayton. Bo owned the bar where she and Knox were supposed to work that night. Her eyes shifted to Bernie, and the old gal winked. Did that mean she had invited Lottie to the Paradise to see for herself if the relationship was real?
That alone broke Lottie’s concentration. Then Knoxleaned over and added to the rush of heat she was trying to avoid, and whispered, “Aunt Bernie is giddy with excitement.”
“And in six weeks, we are going to break her heart. It’s not going to be easy to fool her for all that time,” Lottie said out the side of her mouth.
A strand of Bo’s strawberry-blond hair escaped the messy bun on top of her head, and she pushed it back behind her ear. “Y’all stop talking and eat,” she scolded from across the table. “Mama, can we take our dessert to go? We really have to get on the move soon as these two”—she nodded toward Knox and Lottie—“finish their food.”
“I’m swallowing my food whole already, and I need to put our stuff upstairs,” Knox said.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Bernie asked. “You know very well that few people ever show up the minute the doors are open.”
“If I’m not there at six on the dot, Maverick will start to work. He’s not contagious at this point, but I don’t want him to wear himself out so badly that he won’t feel like coming to Easter on Sunday.”
“Then swallow that last bite of food, Knox, and get a move on,” Mary Jane said. “We’ll have plenty of time to visit tomorrow. I don’t want Maverick to miss our big day.”
Knox swallowed, downed the last of his tea, and pushed back his chair. He laid a hand on Lottie’s shoulder and said, “I’ll get our things taken up to our rooms while you finish. Do you need to change or…”
“I’m good just the way I am,” she said.
He kissed her on the top of her head. “Yes, you are.”
“Before you get away, and I forget,” Bernie said. “In two weeks, I’m having one of my senior mixer events. We’re doing it from two to five on Saturday afternoon. That way it doesn’t interfere with Bo and Maverick’s regular hours. Can I depend on y’all to help me?”
“What do we need to do?” Lottie asked.
“Basically, help decorate and draw up free beer,” Bo answered.
“Sure,” Lottie answered. “I reckon I can do that.”
“And do some karaoke singing,” Bernie added.
“I’m out!” Lottie declared.
Knox threw up both palms. “Me too.”
