real glitch in his plans to get her back in Henderson for good.
The night wore on. The caterers cleaned up and left. One lone bartender, Harry, in fact, stayed to take care of the fifty or so friends and family who wouldn’t let it end. Josh looked around but couldn’t find Vance to thank him for the invitation. So he went to sit next to one tired-looking Brooks Bennett while Molly circled up with the rest of the crazy DuVals and hangers-on on the dance floor. He handed Brooks a bottle of water, and the man seemed grateful for it.
“So,” Brooks said. “You got a thing for Molly?”
“Molly? Hmm, now which one is she?”
“Save it. It’s plain embarrassing the way you’ve been panting on her heels all night.”
“Says the guy who looks like he wanted to leave hours ago.”
“Touché.” They clinked water bottles.
“I do,” Josh admitted. “I have a thing for Molly. I want her to move back to Henderson.”
“You are preaching to the choir,” Brooks said as he opened the bottle and took a sip. “It’s starting to feel like my life’s mission is to get people to move back to Henderson.”
“How can I help?”
“Says the man from Oxford.”
“Oxford’s not going anywhere. I work here. I want the town to thrive.”
Brooks looked him over, skeptical. Then his face changed, completely. Finally, he leaned in and said, “Can you keep a secret?”
“Sure.”
“No “sure.” I’m asking you man to man. Can you keep a secret? Because this town has a problem with that sort of thing.”
“I’m from Oxford.”
“Well, all right then,” Brooks said, coming alive as he spoke. “Vance Evans and I have formed a team. A team with the sole purpose of brainstorming, researching, evaluating, and then implementing ways to bring more economic prosperity to this town. We’ve got a big idea brewing, but to pull it off, Henderson is probably going to need some Oxford land. Now, it could certainly benefit both towns and the surrounding areas. But Lord knows anything new and innovative, not to mention anything that requires working hand in hand with Oxford, is going to be a hard sell around here. Maybe if you were a part of the team you could shed some insight into the mindset of the key players over there. Help us think through the pros and cons of what we’re trying to do. You’re known to have a hell of a brain and mean computer skills. Hell, if you can make our football team look good, I’m sure there’d be plenty you could help us with.”
“I’m in.”
“You’re in? Just like that? No questions at all?”
“I have discovered I really like being part of a team. And it just so happens to be paying dividends tonight. You got a team—I want to be on it. I’ll do my best to contribute.”
“That’s great,” Brooks said before he was barreled into by a cute, young brunette. He threw his arms around her and regained his balance like the athlete he was. He kissed her quick and turned her around to introduce her to Josh.
“Nice to meet you, Lolly,” Josh said.
Lolly was breathing hard, glistening with sweat, and smiling big. She pulled some hair from her cheek and nodded. “Bring Molly to the pool. A few of us are sticking around for a late night swim.”
Josh bit back a laugh as Brooks shook his head and mouthed the words, “No…we’re…not,” over Lolly’s head.
“Thanks for the invite,” he said, smiling at Lolly. Then he stood up, spying Molly standing off to the side, watching him. He held out his hand, and she moved forward to take it.
That made him feel tall. Real tall.
They started walking toward her shoes, her skirt, her purse, and God only knew what else as the crowd around them hugged and said their good-byes. He was trying to figure out how this night was going to end when a hand landed on his shoulder.
Big Jim DuVal spun him around and held out his hand, saying good night. He looked over at his daughter and gave her a happy smile. “Two o’clock is a little
The night wore on. The caterers cleaned up and left. One lone bartender, Harry, in fact, stayed to take care of the fifty or so friends and family who wouldn’t let it end. Josh looked around but couldn’t find Vance to thank him for the invitation. So he went to sit next to one tired-looking Brooks Bennett while Molly circled up with the rest of the crazy DuVals and hangers-on on the dance floor. He handed Brooks a bottle of water, and the man seemed grateful for it.
“So,” Brooks said. “You got a thing for Molly?”
“Molly? Hmm, now which one is she?”
“Save it. It’s plain embarrassing the way you’ve been panting on her heels all night.”
“Says the guy who looks like he wanted to leave hours ago.”
“Touché.” They clinked water bottles.
“I do,” Josh admitted. “I have a thing for Molly. I want her to move back to Henderson.”
“You are preaching to the choir,” Brooks said as he opened the bottle and took a sip. “It’s starting to feel like my life’s mission is to get people to move back to Henderson.”
“How can I help?”
“Says the man from Oxford.”
“Oxford’s not going anywhere. I work here. I want the town to thrive.”
Brooks looked him over, skeptical. Then his face changed, completely. Finally, he leaned in and said, “Can you keep a secret?”
“Sure.”
“No “sure.” I’m asking you man to man. Can you keep a secret? Because this town has a problem with that sort of thing.”
“I’m from Oxford.”
“Well, all right then,” Brooks said, coming alive as he spoke. “Vance Evans and I have formed a team. A team with the sole purpose of brainstorming, researching, evaluating, and then implementing ways to bring more economic prosperity to this town. We’ve got a big idea brewing, but to pull it off, Henderson is probably going to need some Oxford land. Now, it could certainly benefit both towns and the surrounding areas. But Lord knows anything new and innovative, not to mention anything that requires working hand in hand with Oxford, is going to be a hard sell around here. Maybe if you were a part of the team you could shed some insight into the mindset of the key players over there. Help us think through the pros and cons of what we’re trying to do. You’re known to have a hell of a brain and mean computer skills. Hell, if you can make our football team look good, I’m sure there’d be plenty you could help us with.”
“I’m in.”
“You’re in? Just like that? No questions at all?”
“I have discovered I really like being part of a team. And it just so happens to be paying dividends tonight. You got a team—I want to be on it. I’ll do my best to contribute.”
“That’s great,” Brooks said before he was barreled into by a cute, young brunette. He threw his arms around her and regained his balance like the athlete he was. He kissed her quick and turned her around to introduce her to Josh.
“Nice to meet you, Lolly,” Josh said.
Lolly was breathing hard, glistening with sweat, and smiling big. She pulled some hair from her cheek and nodded. “Bring Molly to the pool. A few of us are sticking around for a late night swim.”
Josh bit back a laugh as Brooks shook his head and mouthed the words, “No…we’re…not,” over Lolly’s head.
“Thanks for the invite,” he said, smiling at Lolly. Then he stood up, spying Molly standing off to the side, watching him. He held out his hand, and she moved forward to take it.
That made him feel tall. Real tall.
They started walking toward her shoes, her skirt, her purse, and God only knew what else as the crowd around them hugged and said their good-byes. He was trying to figure out how this night was going to end when a hand landed on his shoulder.
Big Jim DuVal spun him around and held out his hand, saying good night. He looked over at his daughter and gave her a happy smile. “Two o’clock is a little
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