“Mona would kill me if I wasn’t polite.” Holly hitched onto a stool and snagged a brownie, laying it on a paper cocktail napkin before her.
“Forget that.” Selecting her own brownie, Barb pulled another stool close to Holly, pitching her voice low. “I want to hear about you and Colt.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Lorraine snagged the stool on the other side of Holly. “Me, too.”
“There’s not a lot to tell.” Unable to resist a wide smile, Holly broke her brownie into four equal squares. “We went to dinner Wednesday because he got a promotion–”
“That’s great.” Barb’s soft smile flashed over her face.
“--and I kissed him, which he was totally weird about–”
“Of course he was.” Barb covered her mouth, smile widening. “Because he wouldn’t be looking for that, although you’re perfect for each other.”
“--and then I made him come to the coffee shop with me so we could talk–”
“You made a Calvert male do something.” One of Lorraine’s perfect brows arced sky high. “Girl.”
Holly twirled a hand between them. “I make Tick do things all the time. I figured if it worked with him, it might work with Colt. I was terrified he wouldn’t follow me, though.”
“But he did.” Barb patted her hands together in quiet glee. “I love this.”
“And we decided there’s no reason why we shouldn’t go out, so . . . we are.” Remembering the heat of being pressed to his long body for an even longer kiss, Holly bit her bottom lip. “He’s a very good kisser.”
“I bet he’ll be good in a lot of ways.” Barb took a dainty bite, brows drawing together in pleasure Holly totally understood. Lorraine made the richest, most decadent brownies in southwest Georgia, maybe the world. “He really is a considerate sweetheart.”
“He takes his mama lunch.” Holly melted a little at that. Sue struggled, could be difficult, but he loved her. Taking her lunch meant he recognized her need to be connected to him. And men who were good to their mamas were normally good to the women they loved.
Not that he loved her yet. Not that they were eventhinkingabout that.
“Louise, too. And meets Gene for lunch once a week or so.” Barb drew her shoulders in with a small shiver. “The grandsons here take turns with him. It’s so sweet.”
Holly slumped into the stool in a puddle of relief. “I was a little worried about how this would go over–”
Lorraine harrumphed.
“--because, well, you know.” She lifted another square of chocolate luxury. “I feel so much better.”
“Well.” Lorraine pulled the platter closer and chose a brownie with no pan edges. “Scott will pitch a fit, but we know why.”
“Lorraine.” Holly covered her face with both hands, voice muffled in her palms.
Lorraine ignored her. “Don’t you let him be an ass, girl. He doesn’t get to do that.”
Lifting her head, Holly puffed her tangled bangs to one side to meet Lorraine’s dark gaze in an are-you-kidding-me exchange. Lorraine smiled, mouth soft with affection.
“I’ll get in the middle of it if I have to.” Lorraine squared her shoulders. “Lamar’s not going to be an ass, either.”
“Maybe it’ll be better.” Barb spread her hands, mingled hope and resignation in her small frown. “It’s been a long time, and his life is sogoodnow. I know he has a legitimate reason to be hurt and angry and cautious where Colt is concerned, but surely he’ll mellow, especially if they’re having a baby.”
“Mellow.” Lips parted, Holly stared at Tick’s sister-in-law and shook her head. “Have you met him?”
“You can’t make your decisions about your life based on his emotions.” Lorraine stabbed a finger into the marblecountertop. “Yes, he gets to set himself apart from Colt if that’s what he needs, but Colt gets to live a life that isn’t defined by one awful decision. I love Lamar, and I don’t mind being the one to let him in on these home truths.”
Holly puffed her cheeks on a big breath, then released the air. “Let’s just cross that bridge when we get there.”
She’d put the whole dating-Colt-Calvert out there in front of her friends, in front of Scott. That was enough worry and work for one day. And Lorraine was right – Colt’s really bad decision at barely nineteen didn’t define his life. The event hung heavy over him, though.
A burst of male joy erupted in the living room – had to be another UGA touchdown. Holly glanced toward the thin slice of the room she could see from her vantage point. Andrea’s head remained bent over her screen, and Scott had removed his arm from the back of the sofa, leaning forward, attention on the television. He’d chosen that?
