“Sit and rest,” Ginger said, putting out two glasses of tea.
“Thank you, Miss Ginger,” Evelyn said.
“And she’s polite, too,” Ginger said.
“So tell me what you’re doing coming all the way out here,” Bill said.
“I had some extra time, and I know it’s been a while since I’ve been back. Besides, I wanted to show Evelyn the campus.”
“Ohhh,” Bill said, winking at Evelyn. “Trying to impress you, is he?”
“Apparently.” Evelyn smiled at Gray. She knew he was making it up as he went along, and he appreciated her follow-through. “Though I am very impressed. This is a beautiful school.”
“Where did you go to school, Evelyn?” Ginger asked.
“Georgetown.”
“Also a lovely place. Bill and I had occasion to take a trip to Washington, D.C., a few years back. Toured a few of the colleges there. Georgetown is quite the place.”
“Thank you. I enjoyed attending school there.”
There was another knock on the door. “Lordy, but this is a busy place today,”
Ginger said. “Come on in,” she hollered.
“I smell roasted chicken. Is it lunchtime yet?”
“Oh, good heavens. Is that Trevor?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Trevor said. “And I dragged Drew with me.”
Bill blinked, then frowned and looked at Gray. “Did you know they were coming?”
Gray smiled. “We talked about it yesterday. They were at the ranch with me. We got all nostalgic about times at the dorms, and talking about you and Miss Ginger. They said they might come by today.”
“I can’t believe it.” He got up, moved around the table—slowly, Gray noticed—and made his way down the hall. He was enveloped by both Trevor and Drew.
“Man, you’re gettin’ old,” Trevor said. “I might be taller than you now, or you’re shrinkin’.”
Bill laughed. “I can still whup your butt, young ’un.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Trevor said. “I was always just a little bit afraid of you.”
“That was my master plan to keep you all in line.”
After the guys hugged Ginger, she set more tea at the massive table. “Sit, boys,” she said.
“Yeah, well, you had to be intimidating to handle all of us, didn’t you, Bill?” Gray asked.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Ginger said. “You were all such good boys.”
Bill snorted. “That’s just what I told her. She didn’t know the real you. All a pain in my butt, sneaking out past curfew, smoking in the dorm rooms—”
“Who smoked in the dorm rooms?” Evelyn asked.
“That was Garrett,” Drew said.
“No it wasn’t. It was you,” Trevor said. “You got drunk one night and decided to smoke an entire pack of cigarettes. And that was after all that Jack Daniel’s.”
“Oh. I remember that,” Gray said with a snicker.
“So do I,” Bill said, giving the evil eye to Drew. “Who do you think sat up with your sick ass all night long while you puked your guts up.”
“Funny,” Drew said. “I don’t have much recollection of that night.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it wasn’t the last time you did it, either,” Bill said.
Gray listened as they reminisced, his heart aching as he looked over at Bill. It was obvious Bill wasn’t in good shape, but he wouldn’t let on that he wasn’t feeling well.
When Bill took Trevor and Drew into another room to go find old photo albums, Gray took Ginger by the arm.
“How bad is it, Miss Ginger?”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “It’s bad, Grayson. It’s in his liver. Doctors say there isn’t much they can do.”
Gray took a deep breath. “Is there anything I can do to help? If you need money, if he needs to go somewhere else for treatment . . .”
She squeezed his arms. “Darlin’, if I thought throwin’ money at this would help him, I’d have been on the phone callin’ in favors from every kid who’d ever passed through our doors.” She shook her head. “Money can’t help him now. It’s in God’s hands.”
He bent his head and closed his eyes. Ginger put her arms around him and he hugged her close. When he opened his eyes and looked across the kitchen, Evelyn had tears streaming down her face.
*
EVELYN’S HEART ACHED FOR GRAY. IT WAS CLEAR HE loved Bill and Ginger Briscoe, that the four years he’d spent at the school and in the dorms were some of the best of his life, and that Bill had helped shape the man he’d become. The Briscoes were kind people with good senses of humor and a belief system that would help Ginger get through the rough times ahead.
She also had a strong support system, an entire school apparently, because it was clear a lot of people loved them both. Gray, Trevor, and Drew all worshipped Bill.
She listened to story after story about what a hero he was to them, how he’d saved their butts when they’d almost gotten into trouble, or how he’d disciplined them when they’d crossed the line. But it was all said with such respect that it left Evelyn with a sense of awe about the man.
He’d be leaving an amazing legacy behind. It was a shame he’d be leaving at all.
Ginger was preparing roasted chicken and said there was plenty for everyone.
Evelyn had convinced her she could be useful in the kitchen, despite Ginger’s protests that company didn’t help out. So she’d sliced carrots and peeled potatoes and had made a huge salad, not used to feeding a bunch of hungry men. But it was nice to stand side by side with Ginger and do something quietly for a while.
“You dating that boy?” Ginger asked.
Evelyn didn’t quite know how to answer that, so she started with the truth.
“Actually, I work for his father.”
“The senator?” Ginger took a side step back. “What do you do for him?”
Evelyn explained her job and what she was doing with Gray.
“Now that’s interesting work. You must be very smart.”
Evelyn laughed. “I think I do okay.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It’s important to always hold your own, Evelyn. Never rely on a man to be your everything in life.”
“Oh, I never intend for that to happen.”
“Good. Haven—that’s our daughter—she’s the same way. Maybe to a fault. That girl has an independent streak as wide as the Rio Grande. Always thinking of her career first, no time for a man in her life. I’m beginning to fear she’s never going to give me grandchildren.”
Evelyn laughed. “Does your daughter live here?”
“Oh, no. She couldn’t wait to get off this campus. As soon as she graduated college, she moved to Dallas. But she comes home regularly to visit, more so now that Bill has been sick. She’s here today—that’s her car in the driveway. She wandered off to visit some friends, so she should be back soon.”
“That’s nice that she has her independence but she’s not so far away that she doesn’t come home to see you.”
“What the hell are all these cars doing here? Is there some party I didn’t know about?”
“Oh, that’ll be Haven now,” Ginger said, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
The screen door banged open.
“Hi, honey,” Ginger said, hugging her daughter.
“Hey, Mom.”
A gorgeous girl with short raven hair and big blue eyes entered the room. She wore tattered capris and a double tank top that hugged her slender body, but nothing could hide those spectacular breasts. Wow, was she ever stunning.
Haven smiled when she saw Evelyn. “Oh, hi. I’m Haven Briscoe.”
“Evelyn Hill. Nice to meet you.”
“Same here. Did you go to school here, Evelyn?”
“No. I’m here with Gray Preston.”
“Ohhh.” She turned to her mother. “Gray’s here?”
“He’s out back with your dad. Drew Hogan and Trevor Shay are here, too.”
“Oh. Well. Trevor’s here, huh?” Haven sucked in her lower lip. “I’ll be upstairs for a minute.”
“Don’t you want to go outside and greet the guys first?” Ginger asked.
But Haven was already halfway down the hall. “In a minute, Mom.”
Evelyn arched a brow. That was interesting. Her entire demeanor changed when Trevor’s name was mentioned.
The guys all came back inside.
“Did I hear Haven come back?” Bill asked.
“Yes,” Ginger said. “She ran upstairs. She’ll be back in a minute.”
“Haven’s here, huh,” Trevor asked as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink.
Also interesting, as Trevor took a long glance down the hallway where Haven had disappeared.
Evelyn wondered what that story was about. She’d have to ask Gray.
“That lawn mower is done for,” Gray said, muscling Trevor out of the way as soon as he’d washed his hands. “I’ll hit the hardware store and get you a new one.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Ginger said, putting the carrots in a bowl and setting them on the table. “We can buy a new mower.”
“I saw a sign down the road as we were coming into town,” Drew said, taking his turn next at the sink. “Several of the students from one of the local fraternities have started up a mowing business. I guess they’re staying in town for the summer and need the cash.”
“You got all that from reading a road sign as you were passing by?” Ginger asked, folding her arms.
Drew shrugged. “I might have jotted the number down, and I might have called while we were out back.”
“It would take some stress off Bill having to mow,” Gray offered. “Especially now that we’ve determined the mower isn’t repairable.”
“It’s a temporary fix, at best,” Bill said. “But until we can get a new mower, it would give those boys some income.”
Ginger held out her hand. “Give me their number. I’ll look into it.”
Drew pulled the number up on his phone and wrote it down on a piece of paper, then handed it to Ginger. She smiled as she put it in her jeans pocket.
“Now sit. All of you. It’s time for lunch.”
Haven walked in. “Hey, y’all.”
“Hey, baby girl,” Bill said, pulling her into his arms. “Did you have a nice visit with your friends? I’m sorry I was asleep last night when you got in.”
“Hey, Dad. Thanks, I did.” She squeezed her eyes shut as she hugged her dad. “And I got in pretty late, so don’t worry about it.”
Evelyn’s heart ached for Haven as she swiped a tear away before she pulled back.
She took a long look at him. “You look like you might have put some weight on.
Eating those Oreo cookies again when Mom isn’t looking?”
Bill grinned. “Maybe a few.”
“I can hear, you know,” Ginger said. “Now y’all sit.”
Everyone took a seat. Gray sat next to Evelyn. Obviously Ginger and Bill had seats next to each other. Drew and Trevor scrambled for chairs, which left one open for Haven—right next to Trevor.
Haven hesitated.
“Well, go on and sit, honey,” Ginger said. “He isn’t gonna bite you.”
“I might.” Trevor looked up at Haven and grinned. Haven glared, but settled into the chair.
Lunch was delicious, and the conversation was lively. There was a lot of reminiscing about the guys’ college days, including teasing of Haven.
“If he hadn’t passed that math class, we weren’t sure Trevor was ever going to get sprung from the dorm,” Gray said with a grin.
“It was like prison,” Trevor said. “I felt like Rapunzel in the tower. Without all the hair, of course,” he said, winking at Evelyn. “If it hadn’t been for Haven, I might still be stuck in my room.”
Haven scooped peas onto her fork, refusing to meet Trevor’s gaze.
“Oh, I remember how reluctant you were when we asked you to tutor Trevor,”
Ginger said to Haven. “You would have thought we’d asked the worst thing in the world of her. She dragged her feet and said she didn’t want to. You remember that, honey? Lord, you were so difficult.”
Haven lifted her head up at that remark. “As I recall, I wasn’t the difficult one.”
Trevor cocked a brow. “She means me.”
“Well, you were a pain in the—” Drew glanced over at Bill and Ginger. “Butt.”
“I was not. I was cooperative as he—heck. I wanted out of that room.”
Haven snorted. “You were a pain in the ass. Uncooperative. Thought you knew everything—except math, science, and history. And when the going got tough and you were forced to actually knuckle down and do the work, you tried to bribe me into taking the math test for you.”
“Haven,” Ginger said. “Trevor wouldn’t do such a thing.”
She met her mother’s gaze straight on. “Of course not. He’s an athlete, therefore he can do no wrong.”
Trevor remained silent, but he cast a curious glance at Haven. Now Evelyn really wondered what the background was on these two. Was there animosity over the tutoring? It seemed like so much more than that. A lot of tension sizzled between them.
“Anyway, it all worked out. Trevor passed all his classes,” Ginger said with a wide smile. “We were so proud.”