Make You Mine (21 page)

“Hey, Cap’n?” Alex and Nicky set down the keg they were hauling, narrowly avoiding the tips of their bare toes, the idiots. Everyone knew you didn’t wear flip-flops for heavy lifting. Simultaneously, they asked, “Where do you want this?”

Marc nodded toward the side deck rail. “Over there, next to the rocking chairs. Make sure you keep it in the shade this time. Warm beer’s a crime against nature.”

“You got it, boss.”

Boss
.

He used to like the sound of that, but the responsibilities of managing the
Belle
had kept him from fully enjoying his first few weeks as a newlywed. The twins had given him nothing but hell since he’d returned from Vegas. They’d lost another jazz singer, thanks to Nicky, and this morning Alex had been too busy trailing after Ella-Claire to run payroll on time. Now the checks would be a day late, which meant fielding interference for a pissed-off staff. Additionally, there were repairs to schedule and kinks to work out before the next trip. He just wanted to spend some time with his wife.

Wife
.

Marc smiled. He definitely liked the sound of that.

He needed a managing partner to share the workload, and he half wondered if Beau was the man for the job. They butted heads once in a while, but Beau knew how to run a tight ship. Marc covertly watched his big brother as he supervised the workers setting up for Allie’s surprise wedding reception.

Beau pointed to the banner hanging from the midlevel deck. “Straighten that sign,” he hollered. “The end is wrinkled, so it looks like
Congratulations, Marc and Al
. I don’t want to give folks the wrong idea about my little brother’s sexual orientation.”

From the other side of the deck, Marc laughed appreciatively. Good to know someone was looking out for him.

After Beau checked the buffet warmers, he joined Marc and clapped him on the back. “How long until crunch time?”

Marc checked his watch, noting he had thirty minutes before Devyn lured Allie to the boat under the pretense of taking inventory in the galley. “Not long enough.”

“What can I do?”

Marc nodded at the buffet table. “What you do best—get the burgers on the line.” He delivered a good-natured smack to his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

“It’s the least I can do,” Beau said. “Hell, for the first time in a hundred years, one of us finally tied the knot. If that’s not a damned fine reason to tap a few kegs and fire up the grill, I don’t know what is.”

Marc couldn’t agree more. His new bride had insisted she didn’t need a party, but he wanted her to have a proper reception. He’d even hired a photographer and ordered a wedding cake that Devyn and the Sweet Spot crew had baked on the sly. Now he had to help the deejay set up and see to the decorations, which still weren’t finished.

He needed Ella-Claire, his Chief Party Planner. Where was that girl?

It didn’t take long to spot her—all he had to do was find Alex, who’d already abandoned his keg duties. Like two halves of a peanut butter and honey sandwich, Marc could always find the duo stuck together. Arms linked, the pair leaned against the side wall, smiling while scrolling through pictures on Ella’s phone. Their bodies pressed a little too close; their gazes held a little too long to fool him into believing it was platonic.

Best friends
, his ass.

Marc took a calming breath while stalking toward the two, determined not to blow a fuse and ruin his mood for Allie’s big day. “Hey,” he called, making them jump. He crooked a finger at Alex. “Come help the deejay while Ella tends to the decorations.”

Alex must have sensed he was in trouble, because he kept a safe distance while they made their way to the dance floor. Before they got there, Marc spun on his little brother and brought him to a clumsy halt.

“I don’t know what’s up with you and Ella-Claire,” Mark said. “But if you want to keep your walnuts, you’d better back off.”

Alex’s blond brows shot up while his eyes widened in denial. “It’s noth—”

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing,” Marc interrupted. “Just steer clear of my sister.” He shot Alex a pointed look. “We clear?”

Alex’s fair cheeks began to redden. “Crystal.” He crouched down, turning his attention to the tangle of cords and wires at their feet, before flagrantly changing the subject. “Did you talk Pawpaw into coming?”

Right on cue, the old man shuffled up the bow ramp, holding a tattered paper bag, which he deposited onto the gift table with a clatter. Probably his usual wedding present: a bottle of homebrewed shine, “guaranteed to make any marriage bearable,” as he’d often said.

Pawpaw wore a scowl, but at least he’d dragged his crotchety ass down here to support his new granddaughter-in-law. A few minutes later, Worm loped aboard right ahead of Daddy and his flavor of the month, a thirtysomething brunette whose belly was round with the sixth Dumont brother.

The gang was all here—one big, dysfunctional family.

When Devyn brought Allie to the dock, Marc met her on the bow ramp and carried her aboard. She laughed and gave him a questioning glance that turned to shock when everyone shouted, “Congratulations!”

“What did you do?” she asked.

“What any decent husband would do,” he told her. “Made sure we get our first dance.” He led her to the center deck and held her close while the deejay played Bonnie Tyler’s cover of “I Put a Spell on You.” When the music ended, Marc whispered, “There. Now we have a song.”

Allie’s adoring smile sent a wave of pleasure washing over him, worth every second of effort he’d invested. “You’re too good to me.”

“Don’t speak so soon,” he teased. “It’s time to meet the rest of my family.”

After introducing his wife to every Dumont in Louisiana, Marc stole her away to the side deck rocking chairs and pulled her into his lap, where she curled up and rested her pretty head on his shoulder. Marc figured life didn’t get any better than this.

Their location didn’t remain private for long, probably because they’d settled too near the kegs. Beau lumbered forward, red Solo cup in hand. “Congrats, brother,” he said. “Never thought I’d say this, but marriage suits you.”

“Thanks.” Marc nodded at the keg in a silent request. “Never thought I’d agree with you, but you’re right. Allie’s made me a lucky man.”

She kissed his neck. “You’re welcome.”

“Let me get you a beer,” Beau said. “Want one, Allie?”

“I’ll just share his.”

Beau cocked an eyebrow. He must have recalled that Marc never shared his drinks. “She gets a pass,” Marc said.

With a shrug, Beau leaned down to reach the keg and began filling a cup. The foam quickly rose to the surface, then spilled over the top, pooling onto the deck.

“Dude,” Marc called. “That cup’s not getting any fuller.”

Beau glanced at his hand to find it covered in suds. He swore under his breath and passed the drink to Marc while wiping his fingers on his T-shirt, then went back to staring at something in the distance.

Marc followed his brother’s gaze to figure out what had distracted him. Not surprisingly, he spotted Devyn Mauvais bent over the gift table, her rear end showcased in a tight black miniskirt. Marc bit back a chuckle. He had a feeling which Dumont man would be the next to fall.

“Hey,” Marc asked his brother. “Do you still have that birthmark over your heart?”

Beau eventually took his eyes off Devyn long enough to ask Marc, “What?”

“The red splotch,” Marc said, tapping his own chest. “Is it still there?”

“Of course.”

“You sure?”

With one hand, Beau tugged the hem of his shirt all the way to his neck. The birthmark was there, just as he’d said.

Too bad. Looked like each Dumont man would have to break the curse for himself.

A loud
thunk
sounded from nearby, and Marc turned just in time to see Devyn walk into the railing, her gaze still fixed on Beau’s exposed chest. The act didn’t escape Beau’s notice. A shit-eating grin curved his mouth while Devyn’s frosty blue eyes narrowed in contempt.

“Real classy,” she spat at him. “You can’t even keep your clothes on at my sister’s wedding reception.”

Beau held his shirt in place and gestured at his stomach. “Did you get an eyeful, or do you want some more? Maybe take a picture for later?”

She flashed him the bird and addressed Allie. “Got anything to drink besides beer?”

“You bet,” Allie said. “Beau’s our designated bartender.”

Devyn didn’t seem to like that.

“Name your poison,” Beau said, finally lowering his shirt. “If we don’t have it on board, it doesn’t exist.”

“Can you make a lemon drop?”

“In my sleep.”

Devyn leaned back against the rail. “All right, then.”

Beau hurried inside to the executive bar and returned five minutes later with a sugar-rimmed martini glass. He handed it to Devyn, who scrutinized it from every angle before taking a sip and glancing at the deck ceiling in consideration.

“Well?” Beau asked. “What’s the verdict?”

“Not bad.”

“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a rave.”

“Don’t jizz in your pants, Dumont,” she said dryly. “I’ve had better.”

Smiling, he leaned far enough into her personal space to make her freeze. “Are we still talking about martinis?”

Devyn’s mouth pressed into a hard line, but she couldn’t conceal the pink flush creeping into her cheeks. “Yes, but even if we weren’t, my statement stands. I’ve had
all kinds
of better than you.”

Beau clutched his heart in mock agony. “Darlin’, you know how to cut a man to the core.”

“Please.” She handed back her martini and pushed off the rail. “You’re indestructible, and I’m done here.”

He lifted the martini glass toward her. “At least take your drink.”

“Keep it.” She took another step back. “I meant it when I said I’ve had better.”

Her words were foam bullets, softened by the tremor in her voice. Clearly, Beau wasn’t the only one with unresolved feelings.

Beau toasted her with the martini and took a sip. “It’s too tart. But I’ll get it right next time.” Marc had a feeling his brother was talking about more than the drink, and judging by the redness spreading across her face, Devyn knew it, too.

“I can make my own martinis.” She left him with one shaky command before charging toward the buffet. “So do us both a favor and disappear again.”

Beau grinned as he eagle-eyed the sway of her hips. “Disappear again?” he muttered to himself. “Not a chance.”

Marc gathered Allie into his arms, feeling her breathy laughter against his throat. He was pretty sure they were sharing the same thought—that Beau would have a fight on his hands if he wanted a second chance with his ex.

But if Devyn was anything like her sister, the fight would be worth it.

A thousand times over.

Publishing a novel is a group effort, and I’ve been blessed with a fantastic team, who works hard behind the scenes to bring each of my stories to fruition.

Many thanks to my editor, Laura Fazio, whose suggestions and guidance made this book so much stronger than when I first placed it in her capable hands. I’m grateful beyond words that she “inherited” me.

Much gratitude to my literary agent, Nicole Resciniti, for her unyielding enthusiasm for my projects. She’s my biggest fan . . . or at least tied with my mother.

Big hugs to my critique partners, Lorie Langdon and Carey Corp, for their edits—and especially for their friendship. This journey wouldn’t be the same without them.

Finally, infinite thanks to my friends and family, who continue to amaze me with their depth of support. I’m a lucky lady.

Read on for a preview of Macy Beckett’s next novel in the Dumont Bachelors series,

MAKE YOU REMEMBER

Available in November 2014 from Signet Eclipse anywhere books and e-books are sold.

Devyn Mauvais looked at the gratitude in her client’s rheumy eyes and said the most expensive words in recent history. “Now, don’t you worry about my fee, hon. Your happiness is payment enough.” Then she helped the old woman tuck a folded twenty back into the pocket of her tattered housedress, along with the talisman she’d just “bought.”

“Thank you, child.” The woman wrapped her bony arms around Devyn’s waist, bringing with her the scent of arthritis cream. “You do your mama proud, God rest her.”

No, not really. Mama would have spun in her grave if she’d known her oldest daughter was peddling sacred oils and ritual kits out of her living room. The first rule she’d taught Devyn was that it’s bad juju to profit from helping others. Out of habit, Devyn crossed herself while patting her client’s back.

After walking the woman to her car, Devyn returned to her sagging front porch, where her gaze landed on the brand-new sign affixed near the screen door. In odd contrast to the faded aluminum siding, the sign announced:
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, A FEE OF
$
20 PER HOUR WILL BE CHARGED FOR ALL SPIRITUAL CONSULTATIONS. POTION, SPELLS, AND CANDLE PRICES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. INQUIRE WITHIN OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT AT MAUVAISVOODOO.COM.

God, she had a Web site. Could she possibly sink any lower?

She threw open the front door and tried to ignore the prickle of shame tugging at her stomach. A month ago, she never would have accepted a cent for reading bones. Funny how quickly life could spiral out of control when you lived paycheck to paycheck. Since she’d lost her temp job at the Lord of the Springs mattress store, bad juju was the least of Devyn’s worries.

The rent was overdue, her cupboards were bare, and for the past week, she’d parked her Honda behind a Dumpster a few blocks away in a game of hide-and-seek with the repo man. She’d even resorted to “borrowing” wireless Internet from the trailer park across the street, something no twenty-seven-year-old woman should ever have to do.

But not even
she
was desperate enough to take grocery money from little old ladies.

“Yet,” she muttered.

Checking her cell phone, Devyn noted she had five minutes before her last appointment of the day, some out-of-towner named Warren Larabee who’d prepaid online via credit card. In preparation, she lit a stick of incense, then mixed a satchel of herbs, coins, and ancestral soil from Memère’s tomb for a Good Fortune charm. Nine times out of ten, that was what men wanted. The other was “natural male enhancement,” which she couldn’t provide. If the flag wouldn’t fly, there was something wrong with the pole, and that was a job for the doctor.

She was a Mauvais, not a magician.

At six o’clock on the button, a gentle rapping sounded at her door, and she ushered a middle-aged man with a thick salt-and-pepper crew cut into her living room. He wore a business suit and an easy smile that told Devyn he wasn’t a true believer in voodoo. With his relaxed posture, both hands tucked loosely inside his pockets, it looked like he’d come here to bring the word of the Lord. Not that she needed it. A devout Catholic, she’d chaired the Saint Mary’s fish fry six years running.

In any case, it was obvious that Warren Larabee hadn’t come here for a reading. Devyn’s eyes found the Louisville Slugger she kept propped in the corner. The man seemed harmless, but creepers came in all sorts of packaging.

“Mr. Larabee?” She swept a hand toward the sofa while taking the opposite chair. “What brings you in?”

He ignored her question and smiled while assessing her strapless red mini dress and black stiletto pumps. “You’re not what I expected.”

Devyn laughed when she imagined what he must be thinking: that for an extra fee, she would offer spiritual
and
sexual healing. “Trust me, I don’t usually wear this to meet clients. My ten-year high school reunion is tonight.” And if she wanted to make it in time for the complimentary open bar—which she did—she’d have to rush out the door as soon as this appointment ended.

“Well, you look lovely,” Warren said. “I’m sure you’ll make your classmates green with envy.”

“Isn’t that what we all want?” Joking aside, she folded both hands in her lap and got down to business. “You’re not here for a charm, are you?”

“Very perceptive.” He nodded his approval like a proud parent. “No. I’m here to offer you an opportunity.”

Visions of sales pitches danced in Devyn’s head, but she suppressed an eye roll. “You paid for an hour. How you use it is your prerogative.”

“I own Larabee Amusements,” he said. “Maybe you’ve heard of it?”

Devyn shook her head.

“We sell sightseeing packages in cities all over the country.” He shifted forward to rest both elbows on his knees. “Celebrity mansion tours in Hollywood, honky-tonk pub crawls in Nashville, boat trips in the Everglades—that sort of thing.”

“And let me guess,” Devyn said. “You’re branching out in New Orleans.”

“No—that market’s already saturated. We’re opening a franchise right here in Cedar Bayou.” He lifted a shoulder. “It’s only twenty minutes away, and the town has a rich history. I can’t believe nobody’s capitalized on it yet.”

“If you’re looking for investors, I can’t help you.” Devyn had already depleted her nest egg by helping her sister get the Sweet Spot bakery off the ground. Several years later, they were finally breaking even, but not doing well enough to keep Devyn from assembling lunches from free samples at the grocery store.

“That’s not why I’m here,” he assured her with a lifted palm. “I’d like to hire you.”

She perked up. Now he had her attention. “To do what?”

“You’re Devyn Mauvais,” he said as if that fact had slipped her mind. “Direct descendant of Juliette Mauvais, the most-feared voodoo queen in Louisiana history. From what I hear, the locals are still afraid to speak her name.” Warren pointed to Memère’s portrait on the wall, where Juliette looked down her nose at them, her full lips curved in a smirk. With her smooth olive skin and exotic eyes, she’d been the most beautiful woman in the bayou, but anyone who trifled with her did so at their own peril. There was a local family—the Dumonts—who knew it firsthand, even after a hundred years.

“You look like her,” Warren said.

Devyn gave a dismissive laugh. “Not as much as my sister. Those two are the living spit.”

“But enough that you could pass for Juliette if you wore traditional period clothing and a headdress.” Warren paused as if for dramatic effect, then made jazz hands. “Just imagine how chilling a haunted cemetery tour would be if you were the one leading it.”

Devyn’s stomach sank. This wasn’t the kind of opportunity she’d hoped for. She would rather spend all day asking,
You want fries with that?
than lead gawking tourists to her great-great-grandmother’s resting place so they could pose for cheesy pictures in front of her tomb.

“There’s more,” Warren added when she didn’t respond. “I’ll set you up in a shop near the cemetery so you can sell”—he thumbed at the rows of dressed candles on display—“your little trinkets when the tour is over.”

“Wait just a minute.” She held up an index finger. “Little
trinkets
? This is my heritage you’re talking about, not some Tupperware party.”

Warren’s eyes flew wide. “Of course. I didn’t mean to offend.”

“Well, you did.”

“But in addition to a generous salary, you’d make tips from the—”

“No, thank you.” Devyn reminded herself that she’d earned twenty dollars listening to this drivel, which would make a small dent in the electric bill. But that was a bargain for this man, and she’d had enough. “Not even for tips.”

Warren fell silent, taking in the peeling paint on the walls as if to ask,
Seriously, lady? Don’t you need the cash?
“If the salary is an issue, we can negotiate.”

“Do you need spiritual guidance, Mr. Larabee?” When he lowered his brows in confusion and shook his head, she added, “Then I’m afraid our appointment is over.”

To his credit, Warren didn’t push. He fished a business card from his shirt pocket and set it on the coffee table, then stood up and offered his palm. “I’ll be in town until Halloween, so take a few weeks to think about it. I hope you’ll change your mind.”

Devyn shook his hand and walked him to the door, but that was as far as her courtesy extended. Warren gave a final wave, then strode to the sleek Mercedes parked at the curb. Seconds later, he was gone, taking his job offer with him.

Devyn blew out a breath and told herself she’d made the right choice. Selling a few gris-gris satchels during a time of need was one thing, but cashing in on her heritage was another. No amount of money was worth her dignity.

So why was she still on the porch, watching his Mercedes fade into the distance?

She shook her head to clear it and went back into the house for a quick lipstick touch-up. There was free booze awaiting her in the Cedar Bayou High gymnasium, and she was overdue for a good time.

•   •   •

Devyn parked her Honda behind a Salvation Army clothing receptacle at the rear of the school, then locked the doors and paused to admire her reflection in the driver’s-side window.

She had originally planned to skip the reunion, but that was before she’d found this amazeballs Gucci dress for thirty dollars at a thrift store in New Orleans. Fire-engine red and so short it barely covered her butt, it hugged her curves like it was hand-stitched for her—by angels. The only thing wrong with it was a tiny spot of ink on the side hem, but who cared?

It was Gucci!

This dress almost made her forget how far she’d fallen. Maybe she didn’t have a job or a family of her own, but her body was still bitchin’—if she did say so herself—and one out of three wasn’t bad.

Devyn clicked across the parking lot and through the school’s back door, her peep-toe stilettos echoing in the narrow hallway. She had a sway in her hips tonight, the kind only a custom-fitted designer dress could inspire. Even Jenny Hore—appropriately pronounced
whore
—would eat her heart out. The one girl in school unfazed by the last name Mauvais, Jenny had made it her unholy mission to steal everything that mattered to Devyn: her lunch money, her project ideas, her spot on the varsity cheer squad, even her junior year boyfriend, Slade Summers—may they both rot in hell.

With any luck, Jenny and Slade had aged horribly and had grown miserable in each other’s company. The prospect put extra pep in Devyn’s step as she approached the sign-in station.

The table was unmanned, so she scanned the rows of name tag stickers for her own. When she didn’t find it, she picked up the attendance clipboard and ran her fingernail down the class roster.

“Excuse me, miss,” said a familiar baritone voice before its owner plucked the clipboard from Devyn’s hands. “That’s mine.”

Instantly, her jaw clenched. She slid a glare toward the voice, which brought her eye level to a gray polo stretched tight over the broadest chest in Cedar Bayou. She would know. From there, she craned her neck toward the ceiling and met a pair of arrogant green eyes smiling beneath a thatch of auburn hair. Mirrored sunglasses were pushed atop his head, despite the fact that the sun had set an hour ago. His name tag said
HELLO, MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA
, but she knew better. This overgrown muscle head was Beau Dumont: high school football star, ex-marine, class demigod, and a constant pain in her ass since the day he’d returned to town a few months ago.

“I was hoping you’d stay home,” she said. “But then who would the idiot masses have to worship?”

His gaze took a leisurely stroll up and down her body. “With you in that dress, nobody’s going to notice little ol’ me.”

The compliment didn’t touch her. She’d learned a long time ago that Beau’s pretty words carried no weight. She sneered at his clipboard. “Who put you in charge?”

“Why wouldn’t I be in charge? I was voted Most Likely to Succeed.”

“What’s that?” She leaned in, cupping an ear. “Most Likely a Sleaze? I’d say that sounds about right.”

Beau chuckled low and deep, then lifted a dark curl from her shoulder. He rubbed it between his thumb and index finger before using the end to tickle her cheek. “You didn’t always think I was sleazy, Dev.”

Devyn’s knees softened, and she discreetly grasped the folding table for support. “That was before you—”
said you loved me and disappeared for almost a decade
. “Left me on the hook for what we did after graduation.”

His lips slid into a crooked grin that used to make her panties fall off, back when she’d naively thought she could break the curse that had turned all Dumont men into liars, cheats, and runners. Now that cocky grin made her palm itch to smack him upside the head.

“Best night of my life,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes. “That’s because you weren’t the one who got arrested.”

“Aw, now. I said I was sorry for that.” He pulled her name tag from his pocket and began scanning her dress for a place to stick it. “Besides, I heard the charges were dropped.”

Devyn snatched the name tag from him. “Bite me.”

“Anytime you want.” Beau tipped her chin, leaning close enough to fill the space between them with the scents of shaving cream and male body heat. “I still remember all the delicious places you like to be nibbled, Kitten.”

Kitten
.

The casual use of her old nickname sent fire rushing through Devyn’s veins. She batted away his hand. “In your dreams. The only thing giving you a good time tonight is your hand. It’s a match made in heaven. Not even
you
can ruin that relationship.” She whirled toward the gymnasium and strutted away, shaking her moneymaker to give him a sweet view of what he was missing—what he had abandoned ten years ago.

Screw Beau Dumont and his big, gorgeous chest. She was
so
over him.

She reminded herself of that as she strode into the gym, where the bleachers were folded against the walls and the basketball hoops were cranked toward the ceiling. The decorating committee had covered several rows of cafeteria lunch tables with white linen and a scattering of balloon clusters, transporting her back to a time when her greatest worry was which outfit would make a boy’s jaw drop.