"Advice," I said. "Paul Simmons has everyone in town scared of us. They think Southwind is evil or something. I need to know how to turn that around, and I'm willing to do just about anything."
"Well, we have youth group on Wednesdays, and a Bible reading for those without kids." Then she made a noise. "No, that would be a bad idea. Meredith's been coming to those, and that would be tense. Um, we do have a girl's night on Thursday. It's at my place. I can give you the address if you'd like to come and meet a few people?"
"That's a start," I told her. "Any way you can text that to me? I've been told that I need to play nice with the locals because I'm acting like a snob."
She chuckled. "Well, you sorta are, but I understand. Come on Thursday. I'll introduce you around. I think Courtney's doing a Tupperware thing, so if you need any of that, bring your checkbook. Otherwise, it's wine and snacks."
"I can bring wine," I assured her. "Need me to bring anything else? Food?"
"Catalogs," she said. "I know you probably have a few of those Risqué catalogs sitting around, so grab some and we can let everyone see what it is you really do."
"You are a very good woman," I said just as I pulled up to the gate. "Let me know the time and dress code, would you? I don't want to wear the wrong thing and make matters worse."
"Jeans, honey. Around here, we like casual. Ask that boyfriend of yours for help."
With a laugh, I ended the call just as the gate opened. My phone buzzed beside me, most likely from Bev's text with the address and time. That was one thing handled, but between Maisie and the issues at City Hall, I had a bad feeling about today. Gran always said that bad things came in threes, so I really hoped I wasn't making things worse.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Violet stopped by the barn to let me know that she'd run into Meredith at the gas station. Evidently my ex now had a job. That was going to make things harder, so I pulled out my phone to text the news to Cessily. I'd hit send and was putting my phone back in my pocket when it vibrated in my hand. Confused, I lifted it again.
The notice for the front gate was going off. Tapping a button let me see through the camera, but I didn't recognize the guy's face. He was attractive, but certainly wasn't from around here. The black-framed glasses and nice shirt meant he was probably someone Violet was expecting. Just to be sure, I hit the talk button.
"Can I help you?" I asked.
"Um, I'm looking for Dr. Marshall?" The man sounded very unsure. "He's supposed to be at Southwind, and I think this is it. I really need to talk to him."
Cy? Ok, that was unexpected, but I opened up my messages and sent him a text letting him know there was someone at the gate for him then went back to the app. From the way this guy was dressed, he was probably from some state board or something. The last thing we needed to do was piss him off.
"Come on up to the house, then," I told the man, then activated the gate.
I also grabbed my hat and headed to the drive. The last I'd seen, Cy was down at the cabins. He also hadn't replied. Ash's crazy order of "office supplies" for my barn had come in earlier, so I was trying to get all of that set up, but I wasn't about to let this guy wander around unsupervised.
I made it around the corner just as a tiny blue car crept up the hill, the man inside it looking around as if confused. Considering he had out-of-state plates, I didn't blame him. When the driver saw me, he pointed to the side like he was asking where to park. I just pointed to the edge of the drive, and he aimed that little piece of plastic he called a car toward it. Putting it in park, he checked himself in the rearview mirror, and then stepped out with a smile on his lips.
"Hi," he greeted me. "I'm looking for Cy Marshall? I was told he was working here?"
"Yeah, I think he's down at the cabins," I said, turning to see Cy heading this way. "Yep, he's coming now. Is there anything I can help you with?"
He quickly looked me over. "No, I don't think so." Then the snobby little twit turned and headed toward Cy.
But he didn't seem brave enough to head down the hill. He just moved away from me and waited. I turned back to the barn and made it exactly three steps before Cy yelled up at us, his words stopping me in my tracks.
"Why the fuck are you here, Kindle?"
Kindle? As in his ex-fiancé Kindle? Immediately, I turned back, but Cy was almost to him.Thatwas the man Cy had almost married? The guy he'd been sleeping with before us? Sure, the man was attractive, but he was nothing at all like either Ash or me. He was lean, elegant, and... Oh, shit. He was like Violet. Pretty. Dangerous. Determined.
"Hey," I said, stepping forward.
"I got this, Luke," Cy grumbled as he reached Kindle. Then he looked at his ex. "You drove your ass down here? For fucking what? Did Jonathan get tired of you already?"
"Cy, can we talk?" Kindle begged, glancing back at me. "Away from the bubbas?"
"Really?" I asked.
Cy just crossed his arms. "Insulting my friends isn't a real good way to start this," Cy told him.
Yeah, I couldn't fucking help myself. I made my way closer, trying to convince myself that I shouldn't put my fist in this asshole's face. Cy just looked up, his dark eyes meeting mine, but he didn't stop me.
