Bayou Dreaming (Butterfly Bayou 3)

Her mother reached up and ran a hand across her cheek, brushing away her tears. “Your father is going to be upset, but I need you to know that we are both very proud of you. You always found your own path. Just remember to light it for the rest of us. So we can find you. So we can be a part of you.”

“What’s going on?” Her father was suddenly standing in front of them. “Is everything all right?”

Her mother smiled at her and nodded, giving Roxie permission to do what she needed to do.

Her mother was difficult and she always would be, but they could connect when they both let their guard down. She didn’t need the walls she’d built. They could come down now.

“Thanks, Mom.” She hugged her mom and stood up because her father would need time. “Dad, thank you, too. Thanks for everything you’ve given me, including this opportunity. But if you ever try to come between me and Zep again, I won’t be able to forgive you. I love him. I’m probably going to marry him and raise little bayou babies who will drive me insane, and we’ll do it all as two overworked and severely underpaid civil servants. I hope you’ll be a part of that, but if you can’t, know that I love you.”

“Roxanne,” her father started in that tone that meant business.

Her mother stood. “No, Tony. She’s made her decision and we’re not going to say another word except to express our love for her and to let her know when the time comes, Zep will be welcome.”

“Pamela, we can’t let her throw it all away,” he said.

“She’s not throwing anything away. She’s building a life for herself, and she’s going to do it now.” Her mom nodded. “Go on. I’ll deal with your father, and I expect to see you and that man of yours at the wedding this fall.”

A light joy shoved out all her insecurity. The decision was made and it was the right one. And her mom was behind her. “Tell Brian I love him. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know how it goes.”

Roxie grabbed her bag and ran for the exit.

It was time to go home.* * ** * *

Zep stared at the beer in front of him and wondered why he’d bothered. It wasn’t like he was thirsty, and he definitely couldn’t drown his sorrows. After all, he had a puppy to deal with. Roxie’s cat would be fine, but Daisy would need him to take her out in the middle of the night, to wake up in the morning and take her for a walk. He couldn’t do that if he was blitzed out of his mind, though it sounded like a really good thing to be. After all, if he passed out, he wouldn’t have to think about how he’d wrecked the best thing that ever happened to him.

“Something wrong? I don’t usually see you in here by yourself. You usually have a friend or two.” Cain Cunningham worked the bar at The Back Porch. Not that there was much in the establishment besides the bar. There were a couple of pool tables in the back and a small dance floor. And the man was right. He usually sat at one of the tables with his friends. Sometimes he came out with his brother and shot some pool. He rarely sat at a bar and drank.

“Just didn’t feel like company tonight.” Yet he hadn’t been able to sit in his little apartment, either. And while his mother was perfectly happy to let Daisy and Sunny into her house, her own son had been told he wasn’t welcome until he brought back her other baby, as she was now calling Roxanne.

Had he made a mistake? Had he treated her as less than she truly was? He’d thought he was sacrificing for her happiness, but what if it was really his fear that had reacted?

“So you decided to come to a packed bar that seems to be hosting not one but two girls’ nights?” Cain looked out over the bar toward the tables where a bunch of young women were partying. Raucous country music thrummed through the place, and there were several groups out dancing, their boots shuffling across the hardwoods.

“Well, if I went to my family’s place, I would end up having to explain my screwed-up life to my brother. Here I thought I would find the company far less nosy,” he said pointedly.

Cain merely shrugged one big shoulder. “Nah. It’s been slow up until now, and I have help this evening. They finally hired a couple of waitresses. And all anyone wants is beer, wine, or shots, so my talents are wasted and I can focus on my customers. I hear the deputy is leaving. Now, what I can’t figure out is if that’s good for you—because she arrested you a lot, man, and for very little provocation—or bad for you because you’re obviously in love with her. Which one?”