Secrets in Battle: Secrets of Savannah Series Book 3 (11 page)

Chapter 19

Beau has been with me for about a week now. It took us a couple of days to get used to each other, but he’s been great. He sleeps by my bed at night. I’ve had a couple of bad dreams
, but when I woke up from them sweating and gasping for air, he jumped up on the bed and put his head in my lap. Petting him seemed to calm me down.

I’ve been doing some of the mental exercises that
Luca had been telling me about. They seem to be helping also, and I’m glad. I don’t like feeling like some sort of sideshow freak who can’t be in control of his own emotions.

I’m working in the barn when Ryder walks in. “Hey
, man, so we have set a date for the wedding.”

I chuckle. “Really? So you helped set the date. It sounds more like Scarlet, Princess and Nana set a date.”
No one even asks who I’m talking about anymore when I say Princess, they all know that’s my name for Annabelle.

He kicks some hay. “Well, yeah
, they did. But I agreed to it.”

I laugh. “So what are
you in for?”

“Well, since we have to take into account that Scar or
me neither one have large families, and also that Ivie and Gable need security, we are having it here on the farm. Just something small. I came to ask you if you’d stand up with me?”

I smile. “Man, you don’t even have to ask. You have been a thorn in my side my entire life. I’d love to give you to someone else.”

He laughs. “Thanks, asshat, but you’re not giving me away.”

“Nah
, man, really. I’d be honored.”

He nods. “Okay
, well it’s just going to be you and Annabelle. Cade is going walk her down the aisle. Gable and Ivie are going to sing.”

“Sounds good. So when is this wonderful even
t taking place?”

He sighs. “W
eekend after next.”

“What? Why so quick? Did you get her pregnant?”

He chuckles. “There you go sounding like Nana again.
No, Nana Pearl,
I didn’t get her pregnant. Even though if I did, I’d be happy. There is just no point in waiting any longer, plus Ivie and Gable have a lot coming up. This will make it easier on them, too.”

I slap his back. “So what are we doing for the bachelor party?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing big. Dad got us tickets to a Braves’ game.”

“Who all is going? Where are we sitting?”

“Well, you, me, Nelson and my dad. Cade is gonna meet us there. Gable won’t be in yet.”

I motion my hand for him to keep going. “Seats?” He’s holding out on me for a reason.

He grins. “We’re in the Hank Aaron section.”

“HOLY SHIT!”
I fist pump. Actually fist pump into the air.

“Yeah, tell me about it. If I could’ve kissed dad through the phone when he told me, I would have.”

I shake my head. We’ve been to games before. Growing up in Georgia, that’s something you do, but sitting behind home plate is going to be awesome. “Well, damn. Tell Greer if I need to help with anything, let me know.” I laugh a little. “Oh. What day this week? I need to talk to my boss about getting time off.”

He laughs. “I’m sure your time off can be arranged. We’re going to stay with dad Thursday night since his place is not too far from the stadium. The game is on Friday
, come back on Saturday.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” I start laughing. “What are the girls doing?”

He shakes his head. “I have no clue and I’m not sure I want to. Nana has taken over the party plans. There could be strippers or God only knows what else. Hell, she’s already invited the girls to go watch that damn Grey sex movie with her and her quilting group when it comes out.”

I burst out laughing. “You mean
Fifty Shades of Grey,
dude. Did Nana read those books? You know there’s like BDSM in there and stuff.”

He looks up at the ceiling. “Shit
, I guess so, she told Annabelle she did. The quilting group read them together.” He throws his hands up and then stops. “Wait. How do you know the name of those books and what’s in them?”

“I was bo
red during one of my tours. Plus, the first rule in battle is always know your enemy. Thanks to those books, Christian Grey is now every man’s enemy. Well, that and you can get some tips from those damn things.” I point to him. “Remember that commercial they used to do on Saturday mornings,
The More You Know
? Just saying.”

He shakes his head looking at the ground. “Holy shit. Damn.” He turns to walk out of the barn and stops without looking back. “Do you still have those books?”

I chuckle. “Yep. I’ll get them to you later.”

He nods and goes out the door. “Thanks.”

I have to sit on one of the buckets and laugh. Nana Pearl is always full of surprises. I need to talk to Annabelle and see if she can watch Beau while I’m gone. He seemed to like her and I don’t want him to feel abandoned with me being gone two days.

Me: Hey I guess the bachelor party is a Braves game. Can you stay at my apartment with Beau some while I’m gone? Just look out for him so he doesn’t feel alone.

Princess: Sure! We are supposed to hit up some bars with Nana, but I should be home at night. It worked out that I’m off the next two weekends.

Me: Great. Thank you so much. I just figure he’ll be more comfortable in my apartment, since he’s still learning it. He can go out during the day though.

Princess: Okay. I’ll get up with you before you leave.

Me: Thanks again.

Looking at my watch, I see it’s time for my appointment with Luca. I make my way out of the barn, catching a glimpse of Princess and Scarlet out at the pool.

Just seeing her makes me smile.

Chapter 20

Nana looks over at me while we’re sitting at her dining room table sorting through her old journals.

“So
, you called all those places I asked you to, right?”

“Yes
, ma’am. This Friday night we have a table at Club One for Lady Chablis’ early show. Then we come back here and everything for the Grey themed party should be set up in the living room. We have a couple of nice looking guys to be our wait staff. X-rated pastries will be served, along with drinks. A lady named Wendy from Pleasure Palace is coming to do a show and tell with
toys
. I can’t believe we’ve pulled all of this off. I was even more surprised we got the table at Club One and that they would do an early show.”

She pats my leg. “Well, when your family goes back in this town as far as ours does
, and has as much money invested in this town as ours does, it opens doors. The Abbotts are what you call
old money
. This family goes back in Savannah’s history as far as people standing on the walk ways yelling
high cotton
. Grayton was always proud of this family’s roots in this town.” I see the soft smile curve her lips thinking about Grayton. He’s still and will always be the greatest love in her life.

Getting back on track.
“Is Whisper coming in for the festivities?”

“No
, she couldn’t get away two weekends in a row. However, she sent me money for Scarlet to spend on gifts from the Pleasure Palace.”

I smile and laugh. “I’m still surprised you wanted Wendy
to come show sex toys and lingerie.”

She waves her hand. “Ah
, we’ll have fun.”

I laugh. “Well what about Ms. Parker? She might get offended.”

“If anybody is too uptight to enjoy the fun then they can take their ass home.” She scoffs.

I can’t help but laugh at her. I hope one day I’m like her. I can just tell the world to kiss my ass. My phone pings telling me I have a message.

Dad: We would like for you to join us and your brothers for lunch at the house this Saturday.

Nana looks at me. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s dad, he wants me to join them for lunch at their house with my brothers this Saturday.”

She sighs. “If your brothers are going to be there
then you should go. I don’t like that man and I damn sure don’t like your mother, but keeping in touch with your brothers is important.”

I nod. “Well
, hopefully I’ll be too hung-over to care what they have to say.”

She barks out a laugh. “Now that’s one way of thinking.”

I grab my phone so I can respond.

Me: Okay. What time?

Dad: Noon. I’ll have a car pick you

up at 11:30.

Me: No, I can drive myself.

Dad: We’d like for you to
take your car to drive at the end of lunch.

Me: Okay. Don’t send a driver. I’ll have Chris or Vic pick me up.

Dad: Fine. See you Saturday.

Nana looks at me. “So what did the old Scrooge have to say?”

“Not much.” I sigh and tell Nana about our conversation.

“You know that car may come with some strings attached to it.”
She says, lighting up a Pall Mall.

I rest my head in my hands. “Yes. That is the reason I said no to the driver. If I tell of my brothers I’m ready to go, then they’ll take me.”

She puts her hands on the table. “Okay, good. Now, where were we? Oh yes, here. I found a couple more journals last night. Here you go, sweetie.”

“Did you always keep a journal
, Nana?”

She nods. “Yes. You have to remember that back then your closest neighbor may live a few miles away,
and phones weren’t in everyone’s house. So besides school, you didn’t see much of your friends. I kept journals to feel like I was talking to someone, I was an only child so I got kinda lonesome. I didn’t have a sister to share all my thoughts with, but I had my notebook.”

I smile. “Nana
, you’re awesome.”

She laughs. “Well you’re pretty awesome
, too, baby.”

“Okay
, so give me a story to type in for today and then I’m gonna call one of my brothers about Saturday.”

She nods. “Ah
, here’s a good one. So my daddy made some of the best moonshine this county had ever seen. One afternoon, he and my crazy Uncle Jesup had been fishing. They’d drank probably a quart jar full together. Well, they got into an argument over something dumb, I’m sure. Uncle Jesup decided he was gonna leave my daddy at the fishing hole. He threw his boat in the back of the truck and hauled buggy. Well, Daddy jumped in his truck chasing him.”

She shake
s her head, snickering. “What sense it makes for two grown drunk men to chase each other, I don’t have the slightest, but they did. Well, when they got to the old courthouse square, Uncle Jesup slung that truck around the corner and his boat flew out of the back. It took out the hot dog cart and damn near got the owner, Mr. Smith. Jesup’s drunk ass hadn’t tied the boat in, and the Sheriff got called. I thought my momma and my Aunt Kitty were gonna skin them two men alive.”

“Sounds like you grew up with some real characters
, Nana.”

She stands up walking over to the sink. “I did
, honey. They were some rounders, that for sure.”

I stand up. “Well, I’m gonna go call Chris about Saturday.”

She nods. “See you tomorrow.”

On my way out to the
Ranger, I call Chris.

“Hey
, Prissy Pants.”

“Will you ever get tired of calling me Prissy Pants?”

“Nope. You’ll always be Prissy.”

I laugh. “Fine. Just not in public.”

“Deal, I guess. So. What’s up?”

“Did dad get up with you about Saturday?”

“Yeah, he did. I’m going I guess.”

“Can you swing by and pick me up? They want me to take my car.”

I can hear him exhale. “Yeah. Are you sure about the car, though?”

“Well, he wanted to send a driver for me, but I’d rather have you as my backup in case I leave the damn car there.”

“Good plan.”

“Did he tell you it was no dates?”

Weird. “No. But I wasn’t bringing anyone anyway.”

“Well, that’s what he said to me.”

“They probably just don’t want witnesses to their explosive tendencies.”

He chuckles. “Probably
. I’ll pick you up on Saturday at 11-11:15.”

“Okay
. Thanks, Chris.”

“Bye
, Prissy Pants.”

I shake my head. “Bye.”