Firefly Lane (Briar County 1)

“Gee, thanks, Mama,” Roe replied, but Holden had gone and lost his words again.

These people were different. He’d never known anyone like them, and he wasn’t sure he deserved to be treated the way they were treating him, but Marilee and Sean deserved it. They needed it. None of them had had much kindness in their lives.

“Gee, thanks, Mama, what? I don’t know what I did.”

“Nothin’,” Roe replied.

Vicki turned to Holden. “You should bring that sister and nephew of yours out here soon. There’s always stuff to do.”

Roe laughed. “You trying to get extra labor?”

Holden chuckled too. “I can see why. I’m sure they’d love it. I’ll probably have Sean come out with me.” He wanted to teach him how to work with his hands more. Adam hadn’t done it with him.

“Dinner too,” Vicki said. “Once you’re invited, you can’t say no.”

Appreciation swelled inside him. He got it now, why Marilee felt so comfortable in Harmony, why she wanted to make it work here. He wanted that for her too.

He didn’t get the chance to reply, as she said, “As fun as this is, I have stuff to do.” They got out of the cart, talked hourly wage and specifics. Before Holden knew it, everything was set in stone.

“I’ll come back for the goat later. I’m takin’ this one out to lunch.” Roe nodded at him.

“You don’t have—”

“I want to,” Roe cut him off.

Holden noticed Vicki studying Roe, brows pulled together, like she was trying to work through something.

“Okay,” Vicki replied. “I’ll let you boys at it, then.”

Was it his imagination, or was she searching for something in his eyes when she turned to him to shake his hand?

Was she wondering about the two of them?

Roe kissed her cheek, they said their goodbyes, and then Vicki was on her way, looking back over her shoulder once before heading on.

Holden thought for a moment, trying to decide if he should ask Roe about it, but figured it was none of his business. Right now he just wanted… Damned if he didn’t want to spend more time with Monroe.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Monroe

Monroe headed for Mama Adaline’s. There were other diners and restaurants to go to in Harmony, or maybe he should have driven out of town to Chelsea or Everett, but he loved Mama Adaline’s food and wanted Holden to have it…though maybe he already had?

“Marilee brought you here yet?” Roe pointed to the Main Street building. It stood independently, other businesses around it but not attached. There were tables out front, which hadn’t been there when Roe was growing up. They’d put in the patio area within the past few years. It was painted white, a fresh coat added last year, when they’d had the roof redone after it was damaged in a hail storm.

“Nope, but I’m guessing it’s the place to be?”

“Best home cookin’ in all of Briar County,” Roe said with a little extra twang to be funny.

“Then this is where we better eat.”

They got out of the truck and went inside.

“Hey, Monroe,” Cheyenne said, holding menus in her hand. They were fairly busy, as he knew they would be, but since they were having an early lunch, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

“Mornin’, Miss Cheyenne. I like that purple in your braids.” She was probably twenty by now, and she went to school in Asheville, but still worked and lived there. Cheyenne was always putting different colors into the hundreds of braids she wore in her hair.

“It’s my favorite,” Cheyenne replied. “You’re Holden, right? Marilee’s brother?”

Roe wasn’t a bit surprised that Cheyenne knew who Holden was without having met him. That was the way things worked in Briar County.

“I am,” Holden replied.

“Well, we’re happy to finally have you in Mama’s. Not sure it’s taken any newbie this long to make it here.”

Roe chuckled. He doubted it had. “Can we have a table toward the back?” he asked, wanting to have a little privacy from the hustle and bustle.

“Sure, I can make that happen. Follow me.” Cheyenne led them to a booth. He probably should have thought about it before he’d said that. There would be gossip, but there likely would have been regardless, people talking about Monroe Covington having lunch with the new man, whom people hadn’t known all their lives, so they couldn’t say if he was straight.

They sat across from each other, and Cheyenne handed them each a menu.

“I’ll take a sweet tea,” Roe said. Holden asked for the same, and then Cheyenne left. “We’ll be the talk in the town by dinner,” Roe told him, wanting to make sure Holden was aware. “Sorry ’bout that.”

“I’d be surprised if it took that long, but I don’t give a shit about that. I don’t know how you do it, though. All the gossip and everyone knowing everyone else’s business would make me crazy.”