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I shut the door before Mama, Dad, or Grandma Carter could respond and jogged back into the house. Instead of going straight upstairs, I moved to my grandfather’s old office and found Dad’s laptop exactly where I thought it would be.
I opened it, made sure it was connected, and fired off a text to my brother.
It’s done.
I retrieved my wallet and was almost out the front door when my phone chimed with an incoming text.
Welcome to the dark side, brother.
Chapter Eleven
Mulaney
All seventeen ofus piled into two Suburbans. Even my teenage nieces came along. There were no rules at Smokey’s. Well, minors couldn’t drink, but they could come in with their families on Christmas Eve. Gabby and Leona ended up being our designated drivers, despite only Leona having her license. Hell, we’d all learned to drive well before the legal age. I’d been letting Gabby drive around the ranch from the time her feet could reach the pedals. In a few years when she got her license, she’d be ready.
There were a couple empty parking spots in the barely lit gravel lot outside the bar. One spotlight shined on the sign above the door, otherwise it was hard to see much else. This place looked better in the dark than it did in the daylight. I’d wondered every time I saw the bar how in the world it was still standing, though the state of disrepair gave it character. No telling what all these walls had seen. Deals had been brokered, important town decisions made, even marriage proposals had taken place here. Come to think of it, a few divorces had been caused by this place too.
We stepped inside, and it was exactly what a Texas saloon brought to mind. There was sawdust on the wooden floor. The walls, chairs, tables, and bar were made of wood. Old neon signs gave an ambient glow, and country music played on the jukebox. Couples swayed on the small dance floor, and loud chatter filled the space as Smokey’s son and grandson served the familiar patrons.
People rearranged chairs and tables for our big group as we greeted our neighbors and friends. Once the dust settled, I went to the bar, Stone right behind me, to order our first round of the night.
“You’re worrying me.” That was all my brother had to say.
The weight of everything felt like a full press on my shoulders. “I need to talk to you and your wife.”
Stone’s lips thinned into a frown. Smokey’s grandson approached and took our drink order, setting six glasses on the bar and pouring a generous amount of whiskey in each.
“Let’s take these over to the table, and then we’re going to talk,” Stone said authoritatively, like he was the older sibling instead of me.
We delivered the drinks, and Muriella joined us to find a table with a little privacy. It was scarce in this bar, and everyone had radar ears and eyes, greedy for any kind of gossip. There was a little table near the back door that was out of the way, so we made ourselves at home.
I swigged my drink and set it on the table. “This isn’t the ideal time or place to discuss this, but I don’t really have the luxury to find another one.”
“Are you in trouble?” Stone asked. Muriella covered his hand with hers to calm him. I was envious of their relationship. Since I’d last seen them, they appeared more in tune with one another and more in love.
I wished Muriella had grown on me, like she had the rest of my family. They adored her, and she seemed nice enough, but I was wary of her. She’d strung my brother along and eventually hurt him pretty badly before they got together. “I told you I was fighting like hell to keep Carter Energy afloat. We’ve been taking on water faster than we can bail. Long story short, Mr. Carter sold to another company yesterday in a last-ditch effort. The new headquarters is in New York, and I have to report for duty on Monday.”
“You’re staying with us.”
I nearly choked when my brother’s wife spoke like she was laying down the law, essentially saving me from having to ask to impose on them. I let go of a little of my dislike for her. She knew how I felt about her and was still welcoming me into her home.
“I—hell, you’re newlyweds, and the last thing you want is someone else living with you.”
“You aren’t living out of a hotel when we’ve got more than enough room,” Muriella insisted, and I studied her face to see if she was for real. Nothing but sincerity reflected back at me. “You’d do the same for us if we were moving to Houston.”
Actually, I wasn’t so certain of that, and her confidence in me was a little unnerving. I hadn’t earned her faith, any more than she’d earned mine. “It’ll just be until I can find somewhere else. Holly has agreed to come, and I want to get her and Gabriel settled first.”
“Who are Holly and Gabriel?” Muriella asked.
“Mulaney’s assistant and her son. How old is he now?” Stone turned his hand over to clasp Muriella’s. The tender gesture stabbed at my heart. Living with them, being all lovey-dovey, was going to be no picnic, but I hated hotels.
“He’s five. I need to help her find a good school, but this was all thrown at us so suddenly, we’ve had no time to prepare for anything. She only agreed this morning to come with me.”
“I’ll send you a list of the best schools in the city. Although the private school at my church is small, it’s a good one. It might not be as overwhelming for Gabriel. They’ve got a waiting list, but I think I can help with that since I’m a teacher’s aide. When will Holly be joining you? I can set up a few visits if you like.” I stared at the woman who’d claimed my brother’s heart, beginning to understand exactly how that had happened.
“You don’t have to do that.” I waved dismissively, though I longed to take her up on her offer. It would be a tremendous load off Holly and me.
“I know I don’t. I want to.” So she wasn’t a fragile butterfly. The woman had spunk.
