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“It’s so good to see you, baby.” She wrapped her arms around me again and squeezed tightly. I’d told her never to visit me after my conviction. Seeing your child in prison was something no parent should have to endure.
“You have no idea how happy I am to be home,” I said.
I hugged Maybell, Ashley, and Joe individually, probably clinging to them a little too long.
“Let’s get some real food in ya,” Uncle Jimmie said. “I’ve got a fresh batch of gator tots going.”
“Hmmm… I never imagined I’d miss your greasy food so much.” I looked at Charlie, who still sat in the car with his window down. “You coming?”
“Thank you, Masie, but I’ve got some business to take care of for the boss. Good luck.”
Poor guy was still Stark’s indentured servant, but at least it would be over soon.
I smiled at him. “You too.”
Inside the bar, some of the regulars shook my hand and clapped me on the back—completely unexpected, considering the town hated me. These people treated me like a hero coming home from war.
Strange.
I’d just gotten out of prison. For murder. Even if I was pardoned, that kind of stink didn’t wear off so fast. Kind of like stepping in skunk roadkill.
Still, we all put on music and ate. They filled me in on everything I’d missed out on. Maybell was helping out full-time at the Rooster, including learning some of Jimmie’s secrets at the distillery. Dangerous, but okay. If Uncle Jimmie wanted to see the place go up in flames, that was his choice.
Mamma hadn’t moved back to town just yet, but she hadn’t left either. Not since she’d found out that Daddy was still alive.
He couldn’t be here for my homecoming, due to the daylight hour, but she promised he’d be along as soon as the sun set.
Interestingly, when she talked about him, she didn’t seem at all bothered by his altered state. Could there be a happy ever after for the two? I kinda hoped so, though I really didn’t want Mamma to be turned.
After hours of talking, and a steady stream of customers coming in to welcome me back, we all sat at one of the large round tables, and I finally had to ask my family, “Hey, y’all, why’s everyone so happy to see me?”
“Everyone’s relieved,” said Uncle Jimmie. “We might finally have a human in charge after years of vampire rule.”
“You mean Leiper’s Fork?”
“Half the town has been forced to work for them, except the police—some kind of rule they had about keeping law enforcement and the military in the dark since they’re more likely to fight back.”
How had I not known this? “I don’t care if they vote for me. The only thing I want is to go back to my quiet life, slingin’ whiskey, serving fries, and listening to Big Barney crow on Friday nights.”
“Masie, I know you’ve been through a lot,” said Maybell. “But so have we.” She patted the side of her now very short black hair. She’d accidentally caught her hair in the kitchen’s blender last week.
“Y’all,” I said, “I know you’re excited about this, but it’s not happening. Let them work out their shit—”
“Masie. Language,” Mamma corrected.
“Mamma,” I warned, “I’ve been incarcerated for almost eight months. All I know are cuss words, and you judgin’ ain’t gonna help.” I inhaled slowly and breathed out. “Let the vampires and our human leaders work out their stuff. I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t want power. I don’t ever want to look at another vampire again.”
“You sure about that?” Maybell’s eyes flashed toward the front door. The rest of the patrons went silent. “Stark is here.” She smiled teasingly.
Through the window, I saw that the sun had just set. It was barely past six, but it was autumn now. I should’ve expected this.
I turned my head to find Montgomery Stark standing there in cowboy boots and jeans that showed off his long, muscular legs. His white T-shirt stretched across his muscled chest, accentuating his large biceps.
Dear Lord, why does he have to be so tasty?I swallowed hard. I’d been so lonely in prison that even Chainsaw had started looking good.
My heart began to accelerate, but my brain slammed on the brakes. “Just give me a sec, y’all.” I got up and walked over to him. “What are you doing here?”
“The vampire ban was lifted months ago.”
