Sweet Vidalia Brand (10 page)

Jason heard more underneath the words, but decided not to pry. His father’s warnings about never looking twice at a married woman, however, were suddenly taking on a whole new meaning. Maybe he’d been speaking from experience.

“Wow, that’s one for the history books, isn’t it?” Joey asked. He was leaning on the bar, listening raptly. “So where’s your father now?” Joey asked.

Robert’s jaw ticked a little bit.

“Shot by gangsters,” Selene said in a dramatic tone. “Aren’t we just the most scandalous bunch you’ve ever met?”

She was a lot like Joey, Jason thought. No carburetor.

“It’s not funny, Selene.” Her oldest sister sent her a look. “His other wife was killed as well, and for a time, we thought their two kids with them, though it turns out they got away. We only just reunited with them a few years ago.”

“He deserved what those gangsters did to him,” Selene said. “He was a piece of–”

“Selene!” Maya snapped.

Selene rolled her eyes at her eldest sister, but she closed her mouth.

“My mother’s a good woman, a church-going woman,” Maya said then. “She wouldn’t have broken her marriage vows, even though they were to a man who didn’t deserve her.”

“And speaking of church, she should’ve been back by now, and she’ll expect to see us at the house.” Melusine looked uneasily toward the door.

Kara shook her head. “No, she won’t be back yet. She was going to pick out a Christmas tree for the Corral after church.”

Jason and his brothers exchanged a quick look, and the girls sent them a questioning one. Might as well tell them, Jason thought. “That’s what dad said he was doing when he left here. Going to get a Christmas tree for the saloon.”

“Holy smokes,” Joey said again. “There really
is
something going on here, isn’t there?” He picked up one of the flyers, nodding as he perused it. “Who can blame him though? If she’s as pretty in person–”

“I don’t think that’s it.” Jason snatched the flyer away and dropped it back into the box. “Dad’s got...a lot going on.”

“Yeah,” Mel said, getting to her feet. “Like selling off assets and closing businesses.”

“You sound like you suspect him of something,” Jason said, sliding off his barstool as well and facing her. His father hadn’t been the best, but he would be damned if he’d let some strange female accuse him of anything. The man was dying, for God’s sake.

Kara got up and planted herself right in between them, a palm to each chest. “Mel, lots of people decide to close businesses. It’s called retirement. It doesn’t mean anything dire.”

Jason said, “I’m curious how you know so much about my father’s business. You and your P.I. husband investigate him or something?”

“Yeah, just like you apparently investigated us, or you wouldn’t know we were P.I.s at all,” she shot back.

“Whoa, now,” Joey said. He clapped a firm hand on Jason’s shoulder, as if he was going to physically set him on his ass if he didn’t back down. “Look, ladies, we’re as in the dark here as you are,” Joey said. “It’s just not like our father, this behavior. His business is everything to him. It’s been his whole life. We had no idea he was liquidating everything. And then he heads out here and buys this place in the middle of nowhere. And not to flip it for profit, either, Jason says. It’s just...he’s never done that. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he intends to stay here, long term.” He looked at his brothers. “Maybe he’s serious about Vidalia Brand.”

The door opened, and a happy couple came in backwards, laughing and dragging what had to be an eighteen-foot tree behind them. The woman fell on her backside and smiled up at the man. And he beamed down at her as if she was the mother of all goddesses. And maybe she was at that, Jason thought.

And then their laughter died as they both realized they weren’t alone, and turned their gazes toward the summit meeting at the bar.

“Well now, what have we here?” Vidalia asked as Bobby Joe closed his hand around hers and helped her to her feet.

Jason’s father met his eyes, asking him without a word how much he had told these women, not to mention his brothers. Bobby Joe took three steps closer, and then he collapsed in a heap on the floor.

“Bobby!” Vidalia dropped to her knees beside him as the sum total of their offspring stampeded closer. Maya was the first to dial 911. Vidalia heard her on the phone with the dispatcher, but she didn’t think Bobby was very likely to let any ambulance take him out of here. She laid her head on his chest and felt his heart beating nice and strong and steady. His breathing seemed okay, too.

And then his hand touched her hair, and she opened her wet eyes, lifted her head and met his.

He gave her a wavering smile. “I’m not going to any hospital, Vidalia. I’m fine. Trust me.”

“You were unconscious.” She looked up at his sons. The two younger ones looked stunned and terrified, but the eldest had gone white and she thought a stiff breeze might knock him over. “Has anything like this happened before?”

“Never,” Joey said. But Jason didn’t say a word.

“I’m fine. It’s okay, I’m fine now.” Bobby Joe pushed himself up until he was sitting instead of lying flat. Vidalia held his shoulders, searched his eyes, read them, and knew in that moment that what had just happened was not a surprise to him. He already knew what was wrong. And he knew what he was doing.

“Maya, call Doc Shelby,” she said. “He’ll be home. He’s retired. Get him over here pronto. He’ll be faster than an ambulance anyway. You boys, help your father upstairs and get him into a bed.”

No one even thought to argue with her. People seldom did. Vidalia had been through enough emergencies to be able to handle herself in the midst of one. But she couldn’t get her head to stop spinning with a million questions. If he was sick and he hadn’t told her, then it had to be one of two things. Either it was nothing at all or it was damned serious.

The boys helped their father to his feet, because he wouldn’t let them carry him. He slung an arm around Jason, and nodded back at the other two. “Rob, Joey, get the tree upright and into a stand, will you? There’s a big one over there by the windows in front. It’ll look spectacular from outside, once we get the lights strung.”

The boys clearly knew something was going on.

So did Vidalia. She and Jason flanked Bobby Joe, but he looked at her next, smiled and it was a real smile. “I have no intention of missing that Sunday Dinner you promised me.”

“We’ll just see what Doc Shelby says.”

“All right,” he told her. “You bring him on upstairs when he gets here, will you Vidalia?”

She blinked. He was asking her to stay down here. He wanted time alone with his firstborn. Hell, what was going on with him?

She didn’t ask though. Not now. She smiled, knowing it didn’t reach her eyes, and nodded, and kept her tear spigot turned off. “All right.”

Jason helped his father up the stairs. When they were out of sight, Vidalia turned and saw seven younger sets of eyes staring at her, as if maybe she had the answers. She shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry, gang. I don’t know what’s wrong with him either, and I’m as worried as you are.”

“Maybe he just pushed himself too hard,” Selene said, staring up the stairway even though there was no longer anyone on it. “That tree must have been heavy.”

“That’s why he picked his from the bunch nearest the road, I’ll bet,” Vidalia muttered, kicking herself. “God, mine was almost halfway back, and he dragged it all the way for me.”

“Shouldn’t have been a problem,” Robert said. “Dad’s a young man.”

“He’s in better shape than I am,” Joey said, patting his flat belly as if it wasn’t.

“He’s never had a spell like this before?” Vidalia asked the men.

“Never,” Joey said.

“Never that we know of,” Robert added, sending a suspicious look up the stairs.

Vidalia got the feeling that young man was starting to have the same worries that she was. When a man sold all he had, closed his business, and went back to the town and the woman he’d long since left behind, maybe he had reasons. He’d said there was something he hadn’t told her.

Well, there was something she hadn’t told him, too, and once Doc finished up with him, she knew she had to. There was no more time for waiting around. Reverend Jackson was right. She’d have tanned her daughters’ hides if they’d kept the secrets she had.

She looked at her girls, shook her head. “I’ve got a tree out there needs taking to the Corral. And I hope to the good Lord someone remembered to turn off my pot roast.”

“Never been so embarrassed in my life,” he muttered as the local medic gave him the once over. “Dropped just like a sack of feed, right in front of the prettiest woman in creation.”

The retired medico who insisted Bobby Joe call him Doc, just smiled at him, his teeth too white and even to belong in such a well-lined face. His hair was shock white and curly. He smelled like peppermint and looked like Mark Twain.

“You don’t seem at all concerned,” Doc said when he’d finished listening to Bobby Joe’s chest, poking and prodding his belly, taking his blood pressure, and shining a bright light into his eyes.

“I’m not, Doc. You’re just here for show. I know exactly what’s wrong with me, and I’m not ready for anyone else to know. When I am, they will.”

Doc lifted his eyebrows. “There might be something I can do–”

“There’s not.” He sat up in the bed, feeling like himself again.

“You do realize that anything you tell me stays between us, don’t you? I may be retired, but my oath isn’t.”

Bobby Joe liked the old fellow. “I do know that. I also know that if you walk out of this room looking morose, no one’s gonna quit prodding me until I give them some answers. And I’m saving that for after the holidays.”

“So it’s bad, then. Bone marrow transplant won’t do the trick?”

He felt his eyes widen on the older man.

Doc shrugged. “You’d be surprised what a good doctor can tell from an external exam.”

Sighing, Bobby gave in. “I’m on the list. None of my sons are compatible.”

Doc nodded. “How far advanced are you?”

“They gave me three months and that was three months ago. I just want to have a nice, hometown kind of Christmas with my family before I have to break the news. That’s all. Just one old-fashioned family holiday. The kind I never gave them. So please, leave this room with a smile on your face and make it convincing.”

Doc nodded slow. “You’ve got it.” He heaved a big sigh, extended a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McIntyre. I only wish–”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Bobby Joe swung his legs around and put his sock feet on the floor, so he’d be sitting up, not lying down in the bed when the door opened. “Merry Christmas, Doc.”

“Merry Christmas.” He opened the door, lifted his head and put on a smile for the crowd gathered in the hall outside it. Three strapping men, and Vidalia standing among them, a foot shorter and a mile prettier. Of them all, only Jason knew the truth, and he was standing there waiting, probably expecting Doc Shelby to share the grim news with them all and ruin the holiday for everyone.

Instead, Doc said, “Can’t find a thing wrong with him, but I did extract a promise he’d come see me once the holidays are over.”

Jason frowned and looked past the doctor to his dad, who told him without a word to keep quiet. Just a look, and Jason read it, pressed his lips, but then gave a nod so slight no one but Bobby Joe could’ve seen it.

Vidalia didn’t look convinced, and she came inside, marched right up to the bed, clasped his face between her palms and stared hard into his eyes. Her dark brown ones were filled with questions, speculation, and worry.

“I’m holding you to that Sunday dinner invitation, Vidalia Brand,” Bobby Joe said.

“Well that’s good, because I’m bringing it here. This place needs a good breaking in before you throw it open to an unsuspecting public.”

“You don’t have to–”

“Don’t start with me, Jason Robert Joseph McIntyre. And after dinner, we’re gonna decorate that tree of yours. I presume you have some ornaments around here somewhere.”

He smiled at her, at the way she was taking charge and making this about anything and everything other than his health. “I do. I’ve been doing a lot of shopping in between flirting with you every chance I get.”

She rolled her eyes, pretended a lightness he knew she wasn’t feeling. She’d question him later, when they were alone, he thought. But for now, she was putting on a show for his sake and for his sons. “I’ve got to go get everything together. You boys,” she said, addressing his sons, “You might want to childproof the place just a little. Put anything breakable out of reach, and set your mechanical bull to Slow.”

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Bobby’s mouth, not caring what his sons might think about that. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours. I want you to rest until then.”

Then she turned and left, her steps brisk and purposeful all the way down the hall, down the stairs, and out the front door. He heard her pickup start and heard her drive away. Shaking his head, he looked at his sons. “That right there is one hell of a woman, boys. And you might as well know now as later, I love her. I’ve loved her most of my life.”