Washington slammed the side of his fist on the table. “Don’t mention my son.”
Had he said Elijah’s name since he passed? If he weren’t ready, I wouldn’t crossthatline. Buthe’dcrossed a line … making jokes with Zuri. Touching her. Calling me an arrogant bobblehead. I wasn’t …
I downed the Hennessy, crunched ice. “Why you driving a Bentley, and your ex-wife’s in a box-shaped Daewoo, huh?”
He flew out the seat. What was I supposed to do? Flinch like the couples at the surrounding tables?
I said, “Got Madison in a vehicle from another era. Not a classic. Just some piece of crap I wouldn’t wipe my behind with if it got recycled. Crap won’t even make single-plytoiletpaper.” I winked at Zuri.Said that right,bébé? “Maddy lives at her sister’s house. Judge Baby-No, did thatbeautiful Blackwife you met in college become obsolete after you got sworn in?”
“I’ma kill you.” He ground the words in a whisper with so much fire they burned. Cinder and ash. When he lurched forward, Texas took his arm.
A chuckle rolled past my lips. “I’m just saying … why you leave Madison practically destitute after the divorce?”
Texas stopped holding his arm and flicked imaginary lint from a dread. Dude wanted the same answers.
“Go ahead and introduce Zuri to your ole Cohen & DuVall colleagues.” My eyes zipped to hers, and the gloominess of them almost made me shut up.Almost. “I slid my sister some cash a month ago. She gone be alright.” I shrugged. “Maybe you’ll introduce Zuri to your judge friend who helped you cheat my sis. Or is Madison’s divorce attorney the dude you tee off with every Saturday? Bless her heart. Maddy didn’t know she paid a friend of yours until he didn’t snatch your wallet in that crappy divorce?”
Momma walked past booths, glaring between us.
We cut glances at each other. Nobody pointed fingers aroundhere since Spider-Man briefs. Looked like Zuri could be family, the way she glanced at the ceiling.
“Montana.” Momma forced my name through corded lips.
Me?What did I do? My innocent gaze snapped to Wash and turned into a should-be-you glare.
She broke off in Louisiana Creole. “So, you no answer. Must mean you caused the tension?”
I laughed. “Momma, don’t be that way. I didn’t do nothing.”
She claimed Texas’s seat, turned to prop her elbow on the table, and gave me a good, long stare.
“Momma, you got your elbow on the table. God’s watching.”
The glint in her eyes hardened into dark Mardi Gras beads. Ah. She wanted me to break. I’d seen this glare when Momma’s favorite vase came up broken. She’d placed a baseball onto the kitchen table, nice and slow. Of course, that curveball admission came after staring at me for two hours. Tonight though? She had no proof.
I spread on the Southern charm, stronger than The Hand Grenade on Bourbon Street, smoother than honey. “Momma,bébé, I love you.” I dragged out each word with a smile she couldn’t ignore. “I didn’t start nothing. Are we eating dinner, or will you starve Little Dude?” I glanced toward the swinging doors. Tennessee and Darius hadn’t returned from making their special dessert order yet.
When Momma’s frown lingered, I leaned in, switching to Creole to tell her she was the prettiest woman in the world.
Her lips twitched, fighting a smile. I glanced at Zuri. She was eating it up. So, I said she was the second-prettiest woman in the world.
I pressed harder, adding that her boy still needed a good meal.
The frown cracked into the laughter I’d been chasing. And we all enjoyed dinner.
As the server cleared the table, Washington wiped the linen napkin across his mouth, then stood.
I followed him to the exit. “We good?”
“Why you let Maddy call me Baby-No?”
I kicked a shoulder. “It was funny.”
He rolled his eyes. “You didn’t get on her? Remind her that’s your last name too.”
“Nah. My last name isBabineaux. Love you, bruh.”
“Mm-hmm. I love you too, Montana.” We hugged, and I clapped him on his back.
