“Do you have any family pictures?”
“They’re in the den. I’ll show you.” She led him across the hall and, probably trying to make up for yesterday, gave him an extensive guided tour of the old tintypes and photographs set around on the bookshelves.
“So these are Benjamin’s wives,” he said, picking up their framed photos. “Annabel and Caroline.”
“Adeline and Ida Mae,” Laurel corrected.
Kel nodded. “I wonder which one he liked best?”
Laurel edged away from him.
As if sensing her discomfort, Kel replaced the photos in the bookcase and gave her a guileless look and another of his sweet smiles. “May I see the kitchen with the round oak table?”
“Yes, of—of course.” She led him quickly through the kitchen, then to the dining room, where he gazed at her portrait and smiled.
As they moved back into the hall, he looked at his watch. “I’d better go now. I expect your boyfriend will be back for lunch soon.”
Heat rushed to her face. “How did you know?”
“Pendleton. He’s got a telescope in that upstairs room and keeps track of the comings and goings in the neighborhood. Did you know that Dolph Overton Jr. visits Phyllis Pfluger first thing in the morning after her husband leaves for the office?”
*
Laurel returned to the kitchen and poured the remains of her cold coffee into the sink.
So now she’d met a movie actor. She didn’t know his last name, though, and his first name didn’t ring any bells. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she didn’t keep up with show folks.
Jase entered just as she turned on the water to rinse out her mug.
He didn’t seem as beat as yesterday, but it was obvious the hundred-degree weather had taken its toll. His face was grimy, and there were damp rings under his arms of his short-sleeved knit shirt.
“Hiya, hon. Cold water in the fridge?”
“Do we live south of the Mason-Dixon Line?” She took the plastic container from the refrigerator and poured him a paper cup of water.
“Mmmmm.” His eyes closed as the cool liquid ran down his throat. “Nectar of the gods.”
“More like product of Town Lake.” She shoved the Retriever across the counter toward him. “You might be interested in this. Sawyer is calling for the old high school to be turned into a history museum.”
“Yeah, I heard about it from Rafe McAllister.” He picked up the paper and carried it to the table. “I haven’t read a Retriever in years.”
Laurel sat down across from him. “Rafe McAllister? How do you know Rafe? He was homeschooled and didn’t attend Bosque Bend High until just before it was closed down. The only time I met him was when he and his brother needed an accompanist for a talent show they were putting together for a Fourth of July celebration.”
“He designed my house while he was working for his uncle’s architectural firm in Dallas. I’d lost track of him until I ran into him in town this morning, but he’s running the C Bar M now.”
She nodded. “I’ve heard that the inheritance always goes to the oldest son.”
He thumbed through the paper as he finished his water. “Hey, there’s a story on Ray and his father in here.”
“Art’s been running profiles of important people around town lately. The Espinozas are a big deal.”
Jase gave a short, grunting laugh. “Must be really chapping some local hides. Ray was almost as far down the social totem pole as I was back in high school. Espinoza Construction used to be penny ante.” He looked up at her in question. “What happened? It couldn’t all have been an equal opportunity push. There must have been big money involved somewhere, some kind of financial backer.”
“In a way,” she said, trying to sound like she found the topic boring. She’d long suspected that her father’s cash settlement had been the breakthrough for the Espinozas. Ironically, Daddy would have been pleased that the money had been put to good use.
Jase finished the paper and disposed of it in the step-on trash can. “What are we having for lunch?”
“I haven’t even thought about it. Probably frozen pizza.” Even Rachael Ray must take a vacation every now and then.
*
At midafternoon, Jase turned off his mobile to get a little respite. All hell had broken loose earlier in the day. The sale of one of his North Texas holdings had fallen through, San Antonio was going berserk, and half of Bosque Bend wanted to show him their back forty acres.