Rene’s lips twisted in a grimace. He wet a fresh bar towel and handed it across to her. “Sorry about Cody.”
“Why should you be sorry?” she said as she used the damp towel to wash the sticky beer from her arms. “Cody was the asshole—and it’s kind of part of the job, isn’t it?”
“Not in my bar,” Rene insisted. “I don’t tolerate abusive customers.”
“Thanks.” She handed the towel back to Rene. “Well, he was half right. We used to be friends.”
“What happened?”
“Holly, sweetie.” Lissette, the cousin she tried to steer clear of, appeared at the bar. “I can’t believe Cody was such a dick. But the hunky rescue was ah-mazing.” She grinned. “Wow. Talk about a knight in shining armor, sweeping a girl off her feet. Have you been keeping secrets from your favorite cousin?”
Holly felt the blood rush from her face.
SECRETS KILL
That had been the message written on her bathroom mirror in Atlanta and was the reason she’d returned to Bayou Mambaloa. It was the continuation of the curse that had taken Paul and her parents from her.
Holly stared at her cousin. “Why would you say that?”
Lissette’s eyes widened, and she blinked several times. “Say what?”
Holly studied her least favorite cousin. The one who had always gotten them in trouble as kids and had maintained the reputation of a troublemaker into adulthood. “Secrets. You said secrets.”
“Oh, that.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I was just talking about the secret you’ve been keeping about your relationship with that hottie.” She shot a glance toward Simon. “How long has that been going on? You’ve barely been back. Was it love at first sight?”
Simon’s gaze met Holly’s. Heat flooded her cheeks as she remembered the warmth of his hands on her as he’d lifted her off the floor like she weighed nothing. She was no lightweight at five feet seven inches tall. She dragged her gaze away from his. “There’s no secret.”
“Then you’re all out in the open about your new love toy.”
“He’s not my love toy.”
“Lissette, are you bothering Holly while she’s working?” Gisele appeared on the other side of Holly.
“Not at all,” Lissette blinked innocently. “I heard Rene tell her to take the rest of the night off. So, she’s not working at all.”
“Then let me rephrase my question,” Gisele said. “Lissette, are you bothering Holly?”
Lissette’s pretty brows drew together. “No. I just wanted to congratulate her on bagging one of the hot guys from your man’s security team.”
“I haven’t bagged a man,” Holly said.
Gisele glanced toward the door. “Isn’t that Jonathon Reneau, of the mega-car-dealership Reneaus?”
Lissette’s head spun toward the entrance. “Ohhh. It is.”
“Didn’t he just take over management of their family business?”
“He did,” Lissette said breathlessly.
“I hear he’s the state’s most eligible bachelor,” Gisele murmured.
Holly fought to keep a straight face as Lissette patted her perfectly arranged, long dark hair.
“Pardon me,” Lissette said. “I need to talk to that man.” She hurried across the room, slowing as she approached her target.
“I don’t think there’s a woman alive who loves men as much as Lissette.” Gisele redirected her attention to Holly. “Was Lissette telling the truth? Has Rene given you the rest of the night off?”
Holly nodded. “Not that I’m in any condition to join the party.” She glanced down at her damp clothes that smelled of stale beer and whiskey.
