Chapter 5
Brandon’s face went white under his generous tan and his eyes narrowed on a point somewhere over her head.
“You look a lot more uptight than you did last night, Gus. Sad that your brother is tying the knot?”
He opened his mouth to speak, to tell her to stop using “Gus,” but his reply was lost to the sudden blanket of silence over the group. All eyes were toward the head of the table, where an older couple now stood. They appeared more than a little awkward in the low country establishment. The man was tall with the same profile as Henry and Gus, so it was clear this was their dad. The woman was perfectly turned out from her haute label outfit to her blunt-tipped nails, polished to look au natural but too precisely filed. Silver and blond wove together in her perfect bob, and her gaze scoured over the table and landed on the man next to Poppy. The flash of recognition in her blue eyes revealed to Poppy that the woman adored her son and that she was where Henry and Brandon’s baby blues had come from.
“Aw, hell.” His warmth left her as Brandon rose and walked to greet his parents. Poppy looked for Sonja, to give her a reassuring smile or wink. No need as Sonja was at Henry’s side, beaming. Tears threatened under Poppy’s lids at the scene. Poppy was happy for Sonja’s sake, and Henry’s, that his parents were offering this olive branch by showing up for the rehearsal dinner, after all.
But Mrs. Boudreaux’s face froze when Sonja stepped up and kissed her cheek, and Mr. Boudreaux turned beet red at the same gesture from his future daughter-in-law. Good for Sonja. She’d teach these racist jerks what graciousness meant. A familiar sense of pride expanded under Poppy’s ribcage. Poppy loved it when people became their best selves and let go of petty arguments that threatened otherwise enjoyable gatherings.
She’d certainly seen the former in her work but the more recent blowup at Will’s parents’ anniversary gala was most fresh in her mind. Where she’d been the one with the inappropriate behavior.
Chairs were pulled up to the table for the latecomers, conversation resumed, and Poppy decided to lose herself in the chatty fray. She wasn’t enjoying her conversation with Brandon that much, anyhow.
Liar.
* * * *
Brandon broke ties from his family’s business more than a decade ago. In the time since, he’d founded and maintained what was now a global shipbuilding business. He had much-worked-for recognition and the bank account to match. Well, he’d had the funds to match the description before Jeb had taken off.
Yet as he faced his parents he was once again the sixteen-year-old who was alternatively spoken to with stern warnings to “get it together” after being caught with his girlfriend, both naked, in his father’s study. The boy who’d been iced out for weeks of nonverbal abuse from his miserable parents after he’d thrown a huge party with high school classmates. Or the college co-ed who’d been lectured for refusing to major in something more amenable to the law degree he’d certainly earn after undergrad.
He’d failed in his parents’ eyes so many times he couldn’t remember all of what they’d expected from him, anyhow.
“Dad.” He held out his hand and his father gave it the customary shake followed by an uncomfortable pat on Brandon’s shoulder.
“Brandon. We weren’t sure we’d see you here. You’re always busy these days.” A dig at his frequent no-shows to family gatherings.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Unlike the mandatory Sunday dinners he’d forgone about the same time he’d started Boats by Gus. He turned toward his mother, who to her credit wasn’t dressed over-the-top in one of her charity-function suits but instead in a casual sundress. “Hi, Mom.”
“Brandon.” She placed both hands on his shoulders to pull him in for a hug as he placed a kiss on her cheek. “I miss you, honey.”
“Then it’s great we’re all together tonight, isn’t it?”
“Give it up, son, for one night.” Her smile belied the cold tone.
He didn’t reply but instead turned to take a good look at Henry and Sonja. Happiness reflected off Henry’s expression, but Sonja appeared a bit more subdued. If his brother was happy, that was all that mattered. Brandon had to admit that having his entire family here, save their sister Jena, to celebrate a joyous occasion was nice. A positive change from the more estranged relationship they normally shared.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll catch up with you both after dinner.” Before any arrangements to the contrary could be made, he turned and sought his original seat. When he saw Poppy looking at him with interest, he relaxed. Next to her was where he wanted to be.
Shit.
* * * *
Poppy had a good view of the family reunion from her end of the worn barn-board table. Her heart squeezed with regret at how stilted and awkward the discourse appeared at the head of the table, in front of the large wedding party. Brandon and Henry had both shaken their father’s hand. No big bear hugs, no laughing. And their mother—holy gumbo she looked like a piece of work. A woman who’d been pretty, beautiful, even, but hadn’t aged quite so well. Poppy had a theory that miserable people could dress themselves up with top-tier fashion, literally “dress for success.” But you couldn’t fake genuine pleasure, none of which was evident in the exchange between the two generations of Boudreauxs.
From what Sonja and Henry had told her, the couple had raised three biological children and were stuck in the idea that their children were indeed theirs. As much as their house, their cars, and of course their family law practice belonged to them.
Poppy’s study of the Boudreauxs’ dysfunctional family dynamics was interrupted by bright blue eyes as Brandon turned and looked at her. As if searching for an anchor. As he lowered himself to the chair he leaned in and spoke to her privately. The puff of his breath on her ear was from his agitation at seeing his parents, she’d bet. Nothing sexual or flirty meant by it. And yet the sensation was as erotic as if he’d licked her ear with his tongue.
“That’s Hudson and Gloria. Our parents in the flesh.”
“Aren’t you glad they changed their minds?”
“What?” Sharp, intent.
“Um, just wondering.” She hadn’t meant to appear so judge-y. “Sonja and Henry mentioned they were having a bit of a hard time with the wedding.”
“That is the most astute thing you’ve said, Yankee girl.” His drawl drew her eyes to his lips, and just like that the event again shrunk back to a party of two.