She glanced to Lou Ellen, who was practically rubbing her hands, and asked, “Will you be staying for dinner?”
“No,” Rhett answered right as Lou Ellen said, “Why, I’d love that.”
Silence reigned in the dining room. Even the dogs padded to their individual pillows, ears cocked at attention, no doubt picking up on all the unspoken tension.
Lou Ellen took a seat at the head of the table and crossed her ankles. Her unruffled smile belayed theI’m getting to the bottom of thisgleam in her eye.
When push came to shove, Lou Ellen would never leak his love life to the Back Fence, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t want the lowdown dirty details as kickback. She made his businessherbusiness, and nothing to the contrary made a dent in her thinking process.
“What are your four monsters doing tonight besides burning down the house?”
“Snapper’s coaching their soccer game.” Lou Ellen turned to Pepper. “My three big girls are on the team, and the littlest thinks she’s the assistant coach. I don’t have the faintest idea where Lorelei gets her bossiness from.”
“I do,” Rhett muttered.
“You’re too funny for words.” Lou Ellen bared her teeth.
As Pepper took a seat, Rhett fetched an extra plate and cutlery, plus the broiled oysters he’d prepared as an appetizer.
“I want to know everything about you. Tell me a fun fact.” Lou Ellen leaned in on her elbows, propping her chin on top of her folded hands. “Something nice and juicy.”
“I don’t know.” Pepper fiddled with her fork. “I’m pretty dry.”
An awkward pause. If Lou Ellen was less of a lady, she sounded like she’d cough the wordbullshitinto her fist. Instead she settled for a tight smile and “I doubt that.”
Rhett leaned back in his chair. “Leave it, Lou Lou.”
“What? I’m simply stating a fact. There is nothing wrong with a little getting-to-know-you chitchat, am I right, Pepper? Rhett doesn’t do girl talk.”
“Let me tell you what Idodo.” His patience frayed to a thread. For someone who’d worked hard to be an island, it was starting to feel damn crowded here. “Eat.” He picked up his fork and shoved an oyster in his face. “These are a local variety. You know, I read in theExaminerthat Georgia could well be on its way to being considered the Napa Valley of oysters. Go on, try one, they won’t be good once they’re cold.”
“I have a sister.” Pepper spoke over him even as she offered a reassuring smile. “Tuesday and I the best of friends and the worst of enemies.”
Lou Ellen nodded slowly, a ghost of a genuine smile on her lips. “A good way to look at sibling relationships.”
“Now you asked me to tell you something about myself. I was once in a movie,” Pepper said. “As an extra.”
Rhett dropped his shoulders a fraction. Score one for Pepper. Unexpected pride warmed through him. If there was one thing Lou Ellen loved besides her family, her Quilt Guild, and her Monday nights watchingThe Bachelor, it was movies. She had a subscription to two celebrity magazines and was up to date on all celebrity gossip, and she shared who dated who or who wore what where, like it or not.
Besides, it seemed important for Pepper to make a good impression on Lou. The realization stuck in his throat, along with the bacon-wrapped oyster, and he reached for his beer to force it down.
“You’re kidding. Who? What? Where? How?” Lou Ellen looked rapt.
“Summer Can Wait.”
“No! No, you were not!” Lou Ellen stamped her heels on the floor, squealing so loud Fitzgerald whined. Rhett shot him a look of sympathy. His own ears were ringing. “That one is coming out next month. The trailer looks so good.”
Pepper’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. “I might have been cut from the final version. It was a general city shot.”
“Okay. Name your favorite book.” Lou Ellen sat back, tossing out enough rope for Pepper to hang herself. “You may or may not happen know that my brother is an extensive reader.”
“I’d suspected as much from his dogs’ names.” Pepper sipped from her pint glass. “But is this a trick question where I’m supposed to answer ‘the Bible’?”
Lou grinned. “I’ll amend. What’s the last thing you read?”
“Essay fifty-one fromThe Federalist Papers.”
“For fun?”
