cheeks.
“Definitely a close call.” Unlike my best friend, I liked the adrenalin rush. I felt like I could run a marathon in record time. “You put Cliff’s notebook back where you found it, right?” I asked.
“Yes. Are you going to call Malone tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
Speaking of calling, my cell rang just as we entered Laguna city limits. I fumbled around in my purse, not wanting to miss Grey’s call. I was running late to dinner. I glanced at the number as I answered. It wasn’t Grey. I turned on my hands-free.
“Hey, Mama,” I kept my voice light.
“Why haven’t you called?” her voice cracked with tension.
“I did. I left a message.”
“You could have tried again. I raised you better than that.”
I kept my eyes on the road and pressed the accelerator harder. “I sent you a text.”
“You should have standards, Melinda. Texting promotes bad spelling and bad grammar. I heard about your little friend. Did you know she was Mona’s daughter?”
Apparently the tabloids had caught wind of Darby’s parentage. I glanced at “my little friend,” who was exerting great effort to not hear my speaker phone conversation. “I had no idea. What about you?”
“I knew Mona had a child, but I had no idea whether her unfortunate offspring was a boy or girl.”
The passenger-side tire blipped off the shoulder for a brief second. Darby scrambled for something to brace herself.
“What is it with y’all?” I shouted. “How many more secrets are going to come out before this is over?” I could feel Darby’s stare.
“Everyone has secrets,” Mama’s voice sizzled with exasperation.
“What do you need, Mama?”
I could hear the faint sound of drumming fingers. “Did you find your brother? Do I need to call the FBI? The National Guard?” she asked as I pulled into my driveway.
There was a car I didn’t recognize parked behind Darby’s Fiesta across the street. It couldn’t be Tova’s. It was way too modest.
“Mama, hold on a second. Darby, do you know whose car that is?” I whispered.
There was just enough light from the street lamp that I could see her shake her head. “No.”
I had a bad feeling. “Lord have mercy,” I muttered.
“Melinda, what’s going on?”
“I said, just a minute, Mama.” I took a breath. “
My heart raced as the driver’s door opened, and the inside light flicked on. A tall, dark haired man stepped out. Then the passenger door opened, and a leggy brunette joined him. Their doors closed in stereo, filling the quiet neighborhood. He said something to her over the top of the car, and she smiled. My stomach dropped.
“Mama, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.”
“Melinda, what-” I disconnected as she continued to talk.
“Do you know them?” Darby asked, watching from the side mirror as they crossed the street to the driveway.
My heart was beating in my throat. I swallowed past it. “The good looking idiot in the suit is my brother.” I turned off the engine when I realized it was still running.
“I’ll be going,” Darby said, clambering from the Jeep.
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
We got out, and I waited for bad news to meet me in the driveway. Darby immediately made a beeline for her car. She waved as she drove off without a backwards glance. Coward.
My brother, who hasn’t hugged me since the day he left home, wrapped his arms around me and squeezed, lifting me off my feet. Not an easy task.
“What’s wrong,” I managed to force out.
“Nothing.” He let go and stepped back. “You look good, Mel. Were you at an exercise class?”
I felt a tad awkward in my yoga getup with these two dressed for a date at the symphony. “Something like that. You’ve been off the Mama radar. What’s going on?”
His lopsided smile was forced, as if he was nervous and unsure of his reception. “Nikki, this is my little sister, Melinda.”
Nikki was not southern. My bad feeling metamorphosed into relief. A wave of giddiness washed over me. Mitch was fine. He was more than fine.
And Mama was going to throw a Texas-sized fit.
Nikki held out her slender hand, which I quickly accepted. Her grip was firm but not competitive. Impressive. Even in the dark I could see she oozed exotic beauty.
She tipped her head sideways and offered a genuine smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I hope you don’t mind we showed up unannounced. I told Mitch we should have called first. It looked like you were in the middle of something.”
An intimate look passed between them that spoke volumes. She was chastising Mitch.
“Excuse us for one moment.” I grabbed my brother by the arm and dragged him toward the front door. I looked back one last time at the woman who probably wasn’t a Vegas showgirl. Knowing my brother, she’d graduated from Brown, top of her class. But that wouldn’t matter to our Mama.
I held back the smile that was itching to escape. “Mitchell, tell me.”
He smiled sheepishly. “I wanted you to be the first to meet my wife, Nikki Langston.”
“Oh my gawd. Mama’s gonna have your hide,” my southern accent had landed. I let out a Texas whoop my Daddy’d be proud of.
I was
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It’s funny how some things just work themselves out. Being the wonderfully supportive little sister I am, I relinquished my house to the newest Langstons and ordered Mitch to call the folks. It was time to break the horrific news-there would be no Dallas wedding.
Not only that, Nikki’s full name was Nicole Rosa Isabel Espinoza Langston. I couldn’t wipe the gratified smile off my face. If I hadn’t been in the middle of my own ridiculous drama, I would have hopped on the first plane to Dallas to witness Mama’s meltdown. Trust me, there will be fireworks of epic proportions. And for once, I wasn’t the target.
Don’t misunderstand, it’s not Nikki’s nationality that will throw Mama into a conniption fit, it’s the competing heritage traditions. In Dallas, charity events, parties and weddings are a reflection of your reputation.
Mitch had every reason to be wary of Mama.
Now that my brother’s alien behavior had an explanation, it was time to concentrate on the rest of my life, which was spiraling down the crazy drain.
My best friend was still the number one suspect in the murder of a local pseudo-celebrity. I was still guardian of a high maintenance dog. And I was still being sued.
I did what any semi-sane person would do. I headed for The Top of The World. I followed the twisting curves higher and higher, the night breeze dancing through the palm trees.
Unlike Tova’s desert landscaping, Grey’s had curb appeal. A potpourri of impatiens, cosmos and petunias with a handful of mini palm trees as accents. I pulled into the driveway and shut off the Jeep. I faced my four-legged passengers. Missy, who rode shotgun, knew exactly where we were and was eager to show Grey some love.
“Missy, you already know the rules.” I turned to Her Highness. “Fluffy, here’s what you need to know. Stay off the couch. Stay off our bed. Grey bought you a bed. Use it.”
Fluffy sat at attention, her long nose pointed toward Missy, but her eyes questioning me.
“She’s not allowed on the couch or bed either.” Sheesh. I hadn’t realized dogs could experience sibling
