the Lord had calmed her heart or she’d forgotten to be mad at Uncle Laz. Likely, the first.
Things went really well until it came time to pay the bill. Pop offered to pick up the tab, which got Dwayne and Earline flustered. Somehow, this led back around to a discussion about money, which led—once again—to politics. At this point Laz announced to the family two tables over that he was running for president. They pulled out their cell phones and started taking pictures of him. A couple of them uploaded the photos to social media.
Great. Now this whole thing would probably go viral and Uncle Laz really would have to run for president.
“At least I’ve got some good ideas,” Laz said. “Better than that guy with all the slogans, the one who’s getting married at Club—” Laz put his hand over his mouth and his eyes widened. “Sorry, Bella.”
“Wait.” Bonnie Sue’s gaze narrowed and she looked my way. “There’s something you’re not telling us, Bella. Who’s getting married at Club Wed? Someone political?”
“Yes, who is it, Bella?” Lily asked me. “Someone we would know?”
Ack. So much for keeping things on the down-low.
“She’s not allowed to say.” Mama fanned herself. “But it’s someone important. Very important.”
“Top secret.” Pop took a swig of his coffee. “If we tell you, we’ll have to kill you.”
“Oh my.” Bonnie Sue paled. “Then please don’t tell me. I have a few good years left, after all.”
“I’d like to stay alive, as well,” Jolene said. “Guess you’ll have to fill us in after-the-fact, Bella. Okay?”
“Okay. I promise I’ll tell you when it’s over. For now, though, we’ve been asked not to say anything publicly, so please don’t ask.”
“Ooo, I’ll bet I can guess.” Earline grinned. “That handsome Brock Benson is coming back, isn’t he?”
“Nope. Not Brock. Please don’t ask me any more questions, okay?”
“Okay.” Earline gave me a suspicious look. “But I’ll be waiting on pins and needles.”
She wasn’t the only one. I glanced around the BBQ joint just to make sure Agent O’Conner wasn’t seated nearby with any of his men. Nope, no one in a suit. A fella would stick out like a sore thumb, wearing a suit in the town of Splendora. Still, the idea that we might’ve just given away top secret information left me feeling a little squeamish inside.
Or maybe it was the combination of too much banana pudding and politics. Hopefully those two wouldn’t turn out to be a deadly combination.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Unchained Melody
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.
Aesop
We somehow survived the political brou-ha-ha and forged ahead into the next week. I’d almost forgotten about the craziness of our family get-together until I received a call from Victoria the next Thursday. She sounded more wound up than ever, and I had a feeling it would take some serious wedding coordinator skills on my part to calm her down.
“I don’t mind admitting I’m getting nervous, Bella.” Her words came out shaky and faint.
“Why?” I shifted the phone to my other ear to better hear her. She must be out on the road again, traveling with Beau. Maybe they were driving through a tunnel or something.
“It’s the 28 th of January. My wedding is in a little more than two weeks and I’m not feeling the Valentine’s spirit yet.”
“Well, no one is. Except the stores, I mean. They’re loaded with candy and decorations, but other than that—”
“I’m so caught up in the rush-rush-rush of getting from one campaign event to another, from one debate to another, that I’m barely able to think clearly about the wedding.”
“That’s why you’ve hired me, honey. I’ve implemented dozens of ideas since we spoke last. Do you have a minute to listen to them? Or, would it be better if we Skyped so I could show you the pictures I’ve collected?”
“Can’t Skype right now. I’m
Things went really well until it came time to pay the bill. Pop offered to pick up the tab, which got Dwayne and Earline flustered. Somehow, this led back around to a discussion about money, which led—once again—to politics. At this point Laz announced to the family two tables over that he was running for president. They pulled out their cell phones and started taking pictures of him. A couple of them uploaded the photos to social media.
Great. Now this whole thing would probably go viral and Uncle Laz really would have to run for president.
“At least I’ve got some good ideas,” Laz said. “Better than that guy with all the slogans, the one who’s getting married at Club—” Laz put his hand over his mouth and his eyes widened. “Sorry, Bella.”
“Wait.” Bonnie Sue’s gaze narrowed and she looked my way. “There’s something you’re not telling us, Bella. Who’s getting married at Club Wed? Someone political?”
“Yes, who is it, Bella?” Lily asked me. “Someone we would know?”
Ack. So much for keeping things on the down-low.
“She’s not allowed to say.” Mama fanned herself. “But it’s someone important. Very important.”
“Top secret.” Pop took a swig of his coffee. “If we tell you, we’ll have to kill you.”
“Oh my.” Bonnie Sue paled. “Then please don’t tell me. I have a few good years left, after all.”
“I’d like to stay alive, as well,” Jolene said. “Guess you’ll have to fill us in after-the-fact, Bella. Okay?”
“Okay. I promise I’ll tell you when it’s over. For now, though, we’ve been asked not to say anything publicly, so please don’t ask.”
“Ooo, I’ll bet I can guess.” Earline grinned. “That handsome Brock Benson is coming back, isn’t he?”
“Nope. Not Brock. Please don’t ask me any more questions, okay?”
“Okay.” Earline gave me a suspicious look. “But I’ll be waiting on pins and needles.”
She wasn’t the only one. I glanced around the BBQ joint just to make sure Agent O’Conner wasn’t seated nearby with any of his men. Nope, no one in a suit. A fella would stick out like a sore thumb, wearing a suit in the town of Splendora. Still, the idea that we might’ve just given away top secret information left me feeling a little squeamish inside.
Or maybe it was the combination of too much banana pudding and politics. Hopefully those two wouldn’t turn out to be a deadly combination.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Unchained Melody
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.
Aesop
We somehow survived the political brou-ha-ha and forged ahead into the next week. I’d almost forgotten about the craziness of our family get-together until I received a call from Victoria the next Thursday. She sounded more wound up than ever, and I had a feeling it would take some serious wedding coordinator skills on my part to calm her down.
“I don’t mind admitting I’m getting nervous, Bella.” Her words came out shaky and faint.
“Why?” I shifted the phone to my other ear to better hear her. She must be out on the road again, traveling with Beau. Maybe they were driving through a tunnel or something.
“It’s the 28 th of January. My wedding is in a little more than two weeks and I’m not feeling the Valentine’s spirit yet.”
“Well, no one is. Except the stores, I mean. They’re loaded with candy and decorations, but other than that—”
“I’m so caught up in the rush-rush-rush of getting from one campaign event to another, from one debate to another, that I’m barely able to think clearly about the wedding.”
“That’s why you’ve hired me, honey. I’ve implemented dozens of ideas since we spoke last. Do you have a minute to listen to them? Or, would it be better if we Skyped so I could show you the pictures I’ve collected?”
“Can’t Skype right now. I’m
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