Southern Storm (Southern 3)

“Yeah, listen to your woman,” Liam says. “Besides, I don’t want to embarrass you in front of her.”

“Move.” I push Beau. “I’m out. I’m not going to sit at this table with him.” I point at Liam as Beau gets up. “He is a little, two-inch man, literally, and what’s worse, he’s also a two-pump man.” I look at the table. “I feel sorry for your wife.” Liam looks at me with shock. “It’s no wonder she had to have Botox all over her face. How can she fake it for so long? I mean, last I heard, she said you can’t even get it up anymore.” I look at Beau now. “Can we stop by and see Ethan on our way home?”

He pushes the hair away from my face and tucks it behind my ear. “We sure can.” He smiles. “Liam, it’s been a pleasure as always.” Then he looks down at his crotch. “Good luck with that.” He points at his crotch and takes my hand, and we walk out.

It’s only when we are away from the diner do I look over at him. “I think I’m going to be sick,” I say, and he just keeps walking to the truck.

“Don’t let him get to you,” he says, opening the passenger door for me. “If you let him get to you, he wins.” He kisses my nose. “And I refuse to let Liam win anymore.”

“If I didn’t love you before …” I wrap my arms around his waist. “I would love you now.”

“Good,” he says. “Now let’s go see our boy.” I smile, getting in and making our way over to Jacob and Kallie’s house.

Ethan runs out the minute we stop the truck. He runs to me first, and I don’t have to bend as much to kiss him. He walks over to Beau where he gives him a side hug. “Hey, Uncle Beau.”

“There they are.” We hear Jacob from the porch. “The newlyweds.”

I shake my head, and we walk up the steps. Ethan runs up first. “Can I watch a movie before bed?” he asks Jacob, who just nods at him. “Am I sleeping here or at your house?”

“Wherever you want,” I say, the only thing Jacob and I fully agreed on was allowing Ethan to decide where he wanted to stay and when. Sure, we had a routine of fifty-fifty, but if Ethan wanted to sleep over at his house on my day, I wouldn’t stop him and vice versa.

“Okay,” he says, running in the house. “Kallie, my mom said I could stay if I want.”

“Okay, honey.” I hear Kallie say from the kitchen. We walk down the hallway into the kitchen, and Kallie is cleaning up the dinner plates. “Hey, you guys.” She wipes her hands on the towel that is hanging on the stove handle.

I look at the counter and see a file that is open with the pictures of my bar. I walk over and look at the pictures of before and then after. “It’s all rubble,” I say, the sting of tears coming up as I go through all the pictures. “There is nothing left.”

“I know,” Jacob says, going to stand next to Kallie, and they share a look. “We just got the report back from Blake.”

“Really?” I say to them, excited that it is one less thing standing in front of me rebuilding. “That’s good news.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jacob says, and this time, he shares a look with Beau.

“What aren’t you saying?” Beau asks for both of us.

“Do you guys want something to drink or eat?” Kallie asks, but my stomach is in knots while I wait, so I just shake my head.

“They are reevaluating as we speak so it could change,” Jacob says. “They are taking everything into account.”

“Jesus,” I say, rubbing my hands over my face. “Would you just cut to the chase and tell me what Blake said?”

“You might as well be honest with her,” Kallie says. “Besides, Beau is going to get the report tomorrow anyway.”

“Fine,” he says. “But before I say it, I don’t want you to freak out.”

“Jacob,” I say his name with my teeth clenched.

“Blake says that it was arson,” Jacob says, and my legs give out.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Beau

I hear the words, and I see her going down, but I’m able to grab her before she hits the floor. “Oh my God,” Kallie says, rushing around the counter. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Savannah says in a whisper. “I just …”

“She’s in shock,” Jacob says and then looks at me. “Bring her to the couch.” I carry her over to the couch. Setting her down, I sit next to her.

“Here is some water,” Kallie says, handing me a water bottle for her. She tries to take it, but her hands shake. “I’m going to keep Ethan busy so you guys can talk.” She turns and walks away to the family room.