“What do you do, Branna?”
“I write.” She picked up her purse. “Books,” she clarified.
“So, it runs in the family? I have to say, honey, I’m a real fan of your dad’s stuff. Have the entire collection,” Ethan said.
“That’s nice.”
“Do you think he’ll be coming to Howling, because I’d be happy to meet him again if he does?”
“Again?” She frowned at Ethan.
“Went to a book signing in Dallas. He’s a real nice man, your daddy.”
“My dad and I… we d-don’t really talk.”
Jake could see Branna didn’t want to talk about her father. She looked cornered, exactly like he did when people questioned him about stuff he didn’t want to share.
“What kinds of books do you write, Branna?” Ethan asked, exchanging a look with Jake she missed. Both Buster and he had noticed her reaction, but the Texan was the elected questioner; he could get anything out of anyone when he used that tone.
“The reading kind.”
“I read, tell me what they are and I’ll buy a couple.” His smile was wide and flashed a mouthful of perfect teeth as his blue eyes twinkled.
“I don’t write under my name, and you may not like them anyway.” Branna’s words were flat and expressionless. Her fingers gripped the back of the chair Buster now sat in, clearly uncomfortable.
“You’ll pardon me for saying this, Branna honey, but isn’t the idea to get people to buy those books of yours, not put them off?”
The two top teeth worried her bottom lip again. She didn’t want to tell them, but Ethan was making it impossible not to.
“Rosanna Howlling is my writing name. Howlling with two L’s” she quickly added. “Now, I have to go, so stop bugging me.”
Ethan raised both hands, as if to say he wouldn’t stop her, and with a muttered good-bye, she was gone. Jake watched those long legs disappear around the corner and felt himself relax.
“That girl sure is a puzzle,” Ethan said, moving to Buster’s left shoulder. “And now that I know her writing name, I’m even more intrigued because I’ve read every one of her books, and let me tell you, she’s a rival for that daddy of hers.”
“I’ve read a couple too,” Buster said, bringing up her website.
She was smiling in the picture, and her hair was loose around her head, and Jake reckoned she’d get her fair share of fan mail. They read her bio in silence, and then studied the list of her books.
Buster whistled. “She’s as famous as him, that’s for sure. Funny how she writes the same stuff.”
Jake studied the list of books and accolades she’d received.
“Was it just me or did anyone else notice how she froze up when I mentioned her dad?” Ethan asked.
“Noticed it, and I wasn’t even looking at her.” Buster was navigating his way around her website.
“There’s a mystery there, boy.” Ethan slapped Jake on the shoulder. “I’m commissioning you to unravel it, then tell your friends.”
“Tough job for sure, but I’ll take it.”
Two sets of eyes looked at him.
“Well, well, well, looks like our little boy may have been hooked, Tex.”
“Ha, not likely, but she’s hot and smart, two things that I find hard to resist,” Jake said the words out loud, hoping like hell they were true, because he didn’t want to feel anything else for Branna.
“And maybe she might help you, Jake, and maybe you might help her?”
