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She didn’t know how to do meaningful.
She savored the feel of air conditioning on her sweaty skin for a few seconds and then clasped her hand over Carine’s mouth before she could run it.
“Don’t tell me anything,” Valerie said. “Whatever Leah said, I don’t want to know.”
Carine huffed and pried Valerie’s hand away. “Fine. I won’t tell you what she said, but I’ll tell you what she’s doing. She’s on the way here, and certainly not because she wants to buy a piece of this marshy paradise. Where are you going to run to this time?”
“That little brat.” Valerie plopped into her desk chair and woke up her computer. “I can’t run any-damn-where this time. I’ve got too much work to do.”
“I thought you were quitting at the first opportunity.”
“I am. I’m not putting up with this anymore, but I still need to apply myself at least minimally.”
And if she were working, she wouldn’t feel so compelled to run to Tim for rescue.
Shehopedso, anyway.
Carine gave her the long blink treatment. “All right, then. I’ll take Leah to Clay’s and will try to be a good example for her in your absence, but remember…” She pressed her palms to the desk and leaned in to meet Valerie at eye level. “The last time I escorted her, she caught a Dowd’s attention. I know how you feel about those Dowds.”
“I hate you.”
“That’s fine.” Carine signed and twirled a lock of her hair around her index finger. “I hate me, too, lately.”
___
The boys on the porch at Clay’s house obviously knew to withhold their commentary as Valerie walked past them with Leah and Carine. She hadn’t wanted to go but didn’t see where she had a choice.Someoneneeded to be the responsible one.
As soon as the ladies stepped into the cool air of the old farmhouse, Valerie had to force herself to take a deep breath. She felt like a crowd enveloped them, but her eyes told her otherwise. It really wasn’t that many people. She’d just felt intruded upon all week—constantly bothered with some little thing or another—and the loud, thumping music and the touchy-feely-grabbiness of the lowdown dirty folks in attendance made her a bit claustrophobic.
Clay squeezed his way through the clump and pulled her free of it. “You look like you need a drink, honey.”
She let out a ragged laugh and dragged her hand down her face. “No, but thanks. I’m the designated driver tonight.”
“Well, you want some tea? A sandwich? A steak or something?”
“A steak, Clay?”
“Hmm?” Scanning over her at the crowd, he seemed completely distracted, but Valerie could guess precisely who he was looking for. At the moment, that someone was rooting through the galvanized aluminum ice bucket in search of a beer.
Valerie squinted at him. “Clay,” she warned.
“What?”
“Eyes to yourself.”
“Hey, it’s my house.”
“And that’s my sister.”
She’d tried to talk Leah out of wearing that ridiculous leather getup and the four-inch spiked heels, but Leah had said she’d wanted to look the part. Valerie wasn’t quite sure what the “part” was because she couldn’t query the woman without sounding too intelligent on the subject.
“Yep. You know what? Y’all got some damn good genes in your family tree. Tell your grandma I said so.”
“Clay,” she warned again.
He seemed unmoved. He was still staring in the general direction of Leah.
Maybe try a different tactic.
