Bayou Baby (Butterfly Bayou 2) - Page 66
Oh, she hadn’t planned on that at all. “I’m good. I don’t need to go to events. I’m sure you have enough to deal with.”
“Yes, and I will have gossip to deal with if you don’t attend.” The sunglasses were back off and Celeste’s eyes were like lasers threatening to pin her down. “If you are going to be Harry’s girlfriend, you have to be around Harry’s family. If you don’t attend the wedding events, people will say I refused to invite you. Do you want to make me look like I am unwelcoming? Like I am not a gracious hostess and refuse to acknowledge my beloved nephew’s choice of companion?”
The woman could turn the world to ice faster than Elsa. “No, ma’am.”
She slid the sunglasses up again and settled her expensive handbag on her shoulder. “Excellent. There’s a brunch next Saturday with Austin’s family. I’ll expect you to be there, and I’ll need to approve your clothing. And do not do your own hair. I know you think I ran off your clients, but poor Lila LaVigne looked like a refugee from an eighties brothel after you got done with her. Now, I have to get to work and make sure Cal doesn’t burn the place down because he’s upset with me.”
Celeste hadn’t waited on an answer, merely assumed her will would be done. The door to the motel room closed behind her, and Sera could hear her heels clacking along the sidewalk as she walked to her Benz.
Harry stood in front of her and cupped her cheeks, a smile on his face. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You don’t have to go anywhere.”
But it would be so much simpler if she did. Celeste was right about that. There would be gossip, and it would be on both sides. Celeste would be a snob for not inviting Sera. Sera would be perpetuating the feud for not going. Harry would be stuck in the middle, and it would be her fault because Celeste had decided to bend.
“I’ll go.” She was in a corner and she rather thought Celeste had meant to put her there.
Harry leaned over and kissed her. “See, I told you she wasn’t all bad. This is going to be way easier than I thought it would. Hey, let’s eat and then we can take a shower, because I stopped at the convenience store. I am once more a prepared man.”
He winked her way and started talking about the day ahead, but her mind was still on Celeste.
Who might be far scarier than she’d ever been before . . .chapter nineHarry eased the sandpaper over the slat and eyed his work. It looked good. Despite the days he’d missed waiting for the custom wood to come in and spending a ton of time working on Guidry Place, he was confident the gazebo would be ready for the photographer in two weeks.
Two weeks until the pre-wedding pictures, and then another week to the wedding. He’d planned on pulling up stakes and heading to Houston because a friend of his had a job he needed help on.
He’d called his friend the night before and told him to hire someone else. He was staying here in Papillon for the time being. He might be staying here forever if he had his way.
It was a mere week into his relationship with Sera and he was already thinking long term, but then he’d done that from the moment he’d seen her. Even as he’d tried to be reasonable, there had been a part of him that had known Sera was the one.
You know when you know, Harry, his father had said. I knew the minute I met your mom. It took her a lot longer, though. I think she thought I was a pleasant way to spend time, but I won her over.
He was slowly winning Sera over, though they’d made a huge breakthrough thanks to his aunt. Sera was still on the cautious side when it came to Aunt Celeste, but they didn’t have to sneak around or fight. In fact, when he’d stayed late with her the previous night, Sera had made him text his aunt to let her know he was all right.
It was crazy, but it seemed to be working.
Shep lay on the floor at his feet and his head came up, ears perking in a way that let him know they were no longer alone in the shop.
Sure enough, the door swung open and his cousin walked in. Angela had been in Sedona for the weekend with her bridesmaids at a girls’ retreat. He’d been told that girls tended to retreat to places with massage therapists and lots of wine. But his cousin didn’t look relaxed. There was a pinched look on her face.
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