Perfect Summer (33 page)

“Hello?” Her voice was groggy with sleep.

He’d woken her. Damn. “Go back to sleep, I’ll call back later.”

“No, I’m up. I just need some caffeine.” Sheets shuffled. “What’s up?”

“I just did something that I should have discussed with you first. I’m sorry.” Why hadn’t he thought this through? She should have been in on the decision-making process.

“Okay. Am I going to be mad?” Summer yawned.

“I hope not.” Clint swallowed, and the muscles in his stomach arm-wrestled with his nerves. “You know how Mario lives…well, where he lives? I couldn’t stand the thought of his mother and sisters and him living that way. So…I…um, offered him a job…and his mother too. Also, I asked if they’d like to move into my guesthouse. You know…to watch my place while I’m gone.”

One whole minute of silence passed, and then Summer sniffled. “You’re making me cry. You helped one of my kids. I can’t thank you enough.”

She blew her nose. “How can I ever repay you?”

Clint’s world turned perfect. He’d done something to make her happy. Right now, he was invincible. “It was nothing.”

Modesty didn’t come easy or feel right. “Really, it wasn’t much.”

“You’re the kindest person I’ve ever known.” She sniffed once more. “I need to stop crying at the drop of a hat. What do you need from me?”

“I hate to ask you this, but can you go over to Mario’s house and ask his mother if it’s okay and if she’d like to be my housekeeper? If so, I’d love for them to move in ASAP.” Clint watched Mario assigning teams. “I really don’t like you going over by yourself, but I can’t get away right now.”

“Where are you?” Summer yawned again.

He smiled to himself. This morning was another thing he should have asked her. “I’m with Mario and a few of his friends from the team, second- and third-stringers. We’re working on their skills.”

“Coach Atan must be drooling,” Summer said. He could practically hear her eye roll. She and Atan didn’t see eye to eye.

“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t invite him. This is strictly off book and only for the guys who mainly sit on the bench. First-stringers get most of Atan’s time, so the benchwarmers get mine.” Clint hadn’t wanted this practice to be official because he wanted to help the players who needed it. If he’d mentioned this to Atan, the man would have monopolized Clint’s time with the guys who already knew how to play. Plus, he was testing himself. Could he really interact with complete strangers? He wasn’t as nervous as he would have been a month ago.

“You are so sweet. We second-stringers of the world are indebted to you.” The swish of a soda can being opened filled his ears. “I’ll take care of Mario’s mother, and you take care of Mario. This may sound condescending, but I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” He couldn’t help the goofy grin; in fact, he’d probably have it the rest of the day. “I need to go. Thanks for taking care of Mario’s mom. I love…” He stopped himself. “I’ll see you later.”

He hung up. He’d almost said “I love you” as a casual ending to the call like his aunt and uncle did right before they hung up the phone. He wanted Summer to know, but it was too soon, way too soon.

“Get up.” Inez slapped Lilly on the thigh. “This is no good for you to lay in bed eatin’ gummy bears and watchin’ talk shows all the time.”

“Go away.” Lilly just wanted to be alone with her gummies and Jerry Springer. Was that too much to ask?

“I wish, but I have to clean up after your lazy butt.” Inez smacked her again. “Get up. You’re goin’ to be late.”

Lilly rolled from her side to her back, the TempurPedic mattress shifting with her. “Late for what?”

Inez clicked on the bedside lamp.

Lilly shielded her eyes. “Next time, warn me before you turn on the sun.”

“Next time warn me...” Inez mimicked. “Get your lazy butt up and put this on.” She held up a dress. “You’re goin’ to the Barks of Love Gala.”

“No, I’m not. I’m staying right here and finding out the paternity of Chandra’s baby. Jerry’s got all four prospects out on stage. Only one of them threw a chair. I’m rooting for the guy with the black eye.” She didn’t want to go anywhere or have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. She was done pretending. That was something she’d learned from her daughter this week. Summer was herself, and everyone loved her. Lilly might not be at her level, but she was trying to be genuine.

“Don’t make me haul your skinny ass up and dress you.” Inez laid down a lilac satin Carolina Herrera floor-length dress and matching heels.

“You wouldn’t dare.” Lilly eyed her housekeeper.

Inez laced her fingers together and popped her knuckles. “Lookin’ forward to it.”

Lilly stuck out her tongue. “Fine.”

She’d get dressed, drive around, and then come home to Jerry Springer.

“I’m drivin’ you.” Inez glared. “I can see the gears turnin’ in your head.”

“Why do you care whether I go to this dinner—”

“Gala and it’s very important.” Inez arched an eyebrow. “You gave them lots of money, and they called to make sure you were comin’. It benefits the Austin Humane Society.”

Lilly rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll go, but you’re coming with me.” Inez was her friend, and it was time she started treating her like one. Plus, Lilly hated these functions, and Inez made her laugh. Laughter at a gala, what a concept.

She pointed to the gray uniform. “And not dressed like that. You look like Alice from the Brady Bunch. We’ll stop off at Nordstrom’s on the way and find you something appropriate.”

Lilly grinned evilly. Inez wore a uniform by choice because she was the only woman in the world who hated clothes shopping. If Lilly had to march into hell wearing Carolina Herrera, then Inez would be right beside her in Jason Wu.

“I hate you.” Inez shot her a glare.

“Join the club.”

Davis hated her, but at least her daughter no longer did. It was progress...but was it progress in the right direction?

Three hours later, the valet at Rough Hollow Country Club opened Lilly’s door and took her keys. He helped her out of the car while his coworker opened the passenger’s side and assisted Inez.

“This dress itches.” Inez grabbed the front of her strapless dress and hoisted it up. “I don’t understand why we couldn’t get one with straps.”

“They didn’t have your size. Besides, this dress is perfect for you.” Lilly walked around the front of the car. The deep purple accentuated Inez’s caramel skin tone, and clean lines showed off her curves. “Since God gave you maracas, you should show them off.”

“The maracas comment is very insensitive considerin’ my ethnicity.”

“I could have said tambourines, but the mental picture is disturbing.” Lilly batted at her friend’s hand. “Stop scratching. A lady doesn’t scratch, especially her armpits.”

Inez scratched harder. Tiny red marks appeared. “She does if she didn’t take off the tag because she plans on returnin’ the dress.”

Lilly grabbed her arm and pulled her behind one of the white limestone columns. Quick as a snake striking, Lilly whipped her hand under Inez’s left arm and pulled off the tag. “The dress is my treat.”

“That’s very generous of you.” One corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk. “I liked you better when you were a greedy, snotty bitch. Can we go back to that?”

“Ah, ah, ah...” Lilly shook her head. “Have you forgotten you gave up cussing? Don’t think I forgot about the ‘ass’ comment from before. You owe the cussing jar fifty cents. By the look of the overflowing jar in the kitchen, your church should have the money to build that new playground in no time.”

Calmly, Inez opened her silver clutch, pulled out a five-dollar bill, and handed it to Lilly.

She took it. “What’s this?”

“A down payment.” Inez shot her a look. “I have a feelin’ I’m going to be cussin’ a lot tonight.”

“Suit yourself.” Lilly grinned and, following her daughter’s lead, stuffed the bill into her cleavage.

“Just like you to take my hard-earned money. Cheap ass—”

“Hard-earned money? You live rent-free in my house, and I pay you more than most CEOs. All you have to do is clean up after one person.” The best part of Lilly’s day was sparring with Inez. How sad was that?

“Most CEOs wouldn’t put up with your shit.”

“Careful, you’re burning through this fiver. At this rate, you’ll be needing a loan.”

Inez’s eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth.

Lilly held up a finger. “Cussing in Spanish costs double.”

Inez pressed her lips together, but her eyes radiated mean. “I’m tellin’ you that if you’d let loose with a shit, hell, or a damn like the rest of us, the world would fall in love with you…. Well, that maybe goin’ too far. At least we’d know for sure you weren’t a robot.”

“Vulgarity isn’t my style. You, on the other hand, it fits like a glove—”

“Lillian, there you are.” Leticia’s voice came from behind her.

Lilly rolled her eyes again. She’d been avoiding Leticia like the plague. Lilly turned around with her best plastic smile in place. “Leticia.”

They exchanged air kisses.

“And you’ve brought your maid, how...um...eccentric of you.” Leticia watched Inez as if she expected the housekeeper to snatch her purse and run.

“I brought Inez, my friend.” Lilly made sure her voice was cool.

“But she’s the help—”

“Leticia.” It was time to let her sister-in-law know how much Inez meant to Lilly. “Don’t forget with whom you are speaking. It is due to my benevolence that you and your worthless offspring have money. Should you continue to insult me or my friend, I will remember that my husband left you nothing but a Bic pen.” Lilly looked down her nose at her sister-in-law. “Disrespect me again and you’ll be shopping at Goodwill and living out of your Cadillac Escalade, until I repossess it.”

“How dare you?” Leticia’s piggy face turned an interesting shade of red. “Without me, you’d be the slutty trailer-trash my brother knocked up. I took you under my wing, introduced you around, made you the woman you are today. And this is the thanks I get?”

Lilly turned to Inez. “Am I speaking English? Did I mumble?”

“Heard you loud and clear.” Inez nodded.

Lilly pulled out her cell, hit contacts, scrolled until she found Beau Nixon’s home number, and hit call. “Give me a second, I’m calling my attorney.”

“You’re bluffing. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but you’ve changed. And not for the better.” Leticia fluffed her hair with her Vienna-sausage fingers.

“Hello?” Beau answered on the first ring.

“Beau, so sorry to bother you at home.”

Leticia’s mouth was a thin, straight line as she said. “I apologize. Inez is a welcome addition to our party.” She actually looked pained as she tripped over her words.

“Beau, something just came up. I’ll call you back tomorrow.” Lilly hit end. “Leticia, I may be trailer trash, but I have a lot of money. You’d do well to remember that. Come, Inez, let’s mingle.”

Lilly smiled, a real one this time. She’d just taken another giant step on the road to being herself.

They walked to the open bar by the zero-edge swimming pool. “Club soda for me. What would you like?”

“I’ll take a margarita with Cointreau, Don Julio’s Respesado, and fresh lime juice.” Inez shrugged. “Life’s too short to drink cheap tequila. You should try one.”

“Love to, but I can’t.” Alcohol wasn’t good for the baby, only Inez didn’t know about Baby Henry. “I’m driving.”

“Tight-ass.” Inez drummed her fingers on the bar. “I deserve a freebie because I put up with Leticia.”

“You’re lucky, I’m in a good mood.” Lilly sipped her club soda. It tasted like Alka-Seltzer.

“Yeah, I can tell. Your mouth is all pinched up, your nose is up in the air, and your hair looks like a helmet. You’re easygoing.”

Inez was right. Lilly was tense as hell. “You don’t know what it’s like. These women are like vultures picking the carcass of the newest scandal. One wrong move and they’ll cut me up forever.”

“Why do you care?” Inez pegged Lilly with her direct gaze.

Lilly stood there a moment. Nothing came to mind. Why did she care? It wasn’t like these women had any control over her. “I have no idea.”

The tension in her muscles unraveled.

“Since they’re vultures, you should be the big SUV that turns them into road kill.” Inez shrugged. “If it were me, I’d mess with them. If they want a scandal, I’d give them a big, fat one.”

The bartender squeezed limes into the shaker containing the ingredients for Inez’s margarita, and then he shook extravagantly.

“So I’m your friend?” Inez tried to look nonchalant.

“You’ve always been my friend.” Lilly should have told her years ago. There were lots of things she should have done years ago. “I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted. I hope you think of me as a friend.”

“I do. That’s why we’re here tonight.” Inez took her drink from the bartender. “I’m tryin’ to get you back out there. You’ve been so sad lately. I thought a party would cheer you up.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Lilly slipped a twenty into the tip jar.

Inez eyed the twenty. “Since you’re being fast and loose with the money, can I have my five dollars back?”

“No. You have three bucks and some change left. Cuss to your heart’s content.” Lilly took another sip of Alka-Seltzer.

“Ah, Lillian, there you are.” Puddy Hanover and her cockeyed boobs headed Lilly’s way.

“Puddy, good to see you.” How long before Lilly stopped saying things she didn’t mean?

They did the air-kiss thing.

“There’s a very handsome man who’s dying to meet you. He’s been asking around about you since the party started.” Puddy smoothed her unnaturally red hair back to expose her huge diamond earrings. Show off.

“Then by all means, introduce us.” Lilly took a napkin from the bar and blotted the corners of her mouth.

“He’s right over there.” Puddy pointed to the tall man standing on the other side of the pool enjoying the setting sun over Lake Travis. He turned toward them.

“Davis?”

Lilly took a step toward him. But instead of her Prada pump connecting with pavement, she caught nothing but air. Falling forward, she tried to brace herself as Caribbean-blue pool water headed directly for her. 
Splash
. She landed feetfirst in the deep end of the pool. The hazards of a poolside bar.