Here Comes Trouble (40 page)

As the sun fought its way through relentless clouds, Lacy lowered her aching feet to a chair and watched a minimal amount of people stroll by her booth. In the two hours since the festival officially started, she’d had some curious glances, even some questions about her work. However, she’d yet to actually sell anything. Did that worry her? Not exactly. Of course she didn’t expect to be hoarded with admirers the second people started arriving. The reality of this was, it would probably take her a few years to get her name out there in the art community. That was all right. Lacy enjoyed what she did and was willing to put forth a little effort to get her career started. After all, success wasn’t built over night.

Luckily for her, she had a great support system of friends who were doing everything they could to spread the word for her. Courtney and Avery both passed out fliers where they worked to let people know Lacy would be here. RJ had hung notices of the festival around the bar and Brody mentioned it to Kelly, who’d said she’d tell her friends. At the end of the day, all she could do was her best and hope her work paid off.

Candlelight-blonde hair flashed in the corner of Lacy’s eye. She craned her head around one of the easels holding a drawing and spotted Megan.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Megan said in a rush as she plopped her black and white Chanel purse on a table. “My layover in Albuquerque was delayed by an hour.” She slid her oversized sunglasses off her face. “This looks really good. I had no idea you could draw like this.”

Lacy smiled as she tried to force away the heat that crept into her cheeks. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing and I decided it was time to get my stuff out there. Brody convinced me.”

Megan’s eyes strayed back to Lacy. “Brody? Was he the shirtless hunk I met before?”

“No, that was Chase,” Lacy said with another grin. “Brody was the one who was at my house the first time we met. They’re brothers.”

“Ah. The attractive gene must run in their family.’

Oh, the McDermott men definitely came from good stock.

The younger girl meandered around the displays. “You know, Mom liked to draw.”

Lacy shifted in her chair. This time when her mother was mentioned the pain around her heart wasn’t so deep. “Did she?”

Megan nodded and ran her finger along the edge of a blown up picture. “She wasn’t nearly this good, but it was a hobby of hers.” She shifted her attention to Lacy. “I’ll send you some of her stuff.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Lacy pushed herself out of the folding chair and shifted one of the easels. When she turned, Megan’s eyes dropped down to Lacy’s midsection.

 
“Okay, either you’ve gotten really out of shape since the last time I saw you, or you’re having a baby.”

The wide-eyed look on Megan’s emerald-colored eyes reminded Lacy her half-sister didn’t know about the pregnancy. Lacy pulled at the too-tight shirt that was practically shrink-wrapped over her round belly. Maybe she ought to go shopping for maternity clothes. “I guess you could say both. It’s kind of shocking I know,” Lacy went on when Megan’s eyes remained fixed to Lacy’s stomach. “I’m still not used to all this stuff up front.”

Megan shook her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just that you’ve gotten big really fast.”

“Tell me about it. I barely had enough time for the idea to sink in before I started getting too big for my clothes.” Lacy lowered herself back to the chair.

Megan sat down next to her. “When are you due?”

“February.”

Megan placed a soft, manicured hand on Lacy’s arm. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks. I still feel bad you had to miss school to come here.”

“I’m not really missing school,” she said with a shrug. “It’s only one class and I can easily make it up. Besides, we had a deal.”

That’s right, they did. And it was one Lacy had been glad she made.

Two women carrying cloth bags wondered over to Lacy’s booth. One woman, with thinning black hair, wobbled on stumpy legs to one of the easels. She scanned the drawing with her deep-brown eyes. The other woman, who already lugged several sacks-full of stuff, flipped through copies of drawings Lacy had placed in a box. She sifted through one box, then started on another.

The woman aimed a pair of sharp blue eyes at Lacy. “Are you the artist?”

“Yes, I am,” Lacy said with a nod.

“This is beautiful stuff.” The woman reached the back on the box and lifted out a drawing of the old courthouse. “My grandfather helped build this. How much for one of the small ones?”

Lacy rattled off the price Chase had helped her to determine.
 
The woman paid for the drawing, along with another one she chose off the table. After the transaction was over, the two women ambled off toward other booths.

A small zing of exhilaration coursed through her blood. In her hand, she held bills from her first sale. Okay, so it wasn’t enough for her go out and buy a new car, but it was better than nothing, right? And this was also better than missing another year and another chance to make a name for herself.

She tucked the money away in a tin box and was just about to reseat herself next to Megan when an audible gasp came from behind her. Lacy spun around and connected gazes with Courtney. The younger girl, who now sported a spunky yet odd shade of blue hair, approached Lacy and placed both her palms on Lacy’s stomach. “Oh my gosh, look at your belly. I can’t believe how much you’re showing.”

“How did you –”

“Brody told me,” Courtney announced while she ran her hands in circles over Lacy’s stomach like she was some kind of magic lamp.

Lacy threw a glare at Brody when he appeared behind Courtney. “You have such a big mouth.”

Brody lifted his hands. “She practically forced it out of me. What was I supposed to do?”

Courtney stepped back from Lacy. “What, you think you’re going to be able to hide this? Look at you. Where is the idiotic man who did this to you, by the way?”

Lacy tugged on her shirt again. “He’ll be by later. By the way, do you know Megan?”

Courtney’s eyes, which always reminded Lacy of blue topaz, landed on Megan, who’d remained in her chair. “You’re the sister from California?”

Lacy stepped around Courtney while the two girls introduced themselves. The people meandering by, as if they had no destination in mind, had thickened by slow degrees. Several people slowed their pace and tossed curious glances her way, but none of them stopped. Lacy grabbed one of the easels and pushed it farther out of the booth.

A warm, thick arm wound around her shoulders. “This looks really great.” Brody pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’m proud of you.”

“Tell me that when I’ve sold some more stuff.”

His gray eyes softened as he looked down at her. “It’ll happen. Just give it some time.”

“I know. That’s my impatient side coming out.”

Brody stepped back in slid his hands in his jeans pockets. “Where’s Chase?”

Lacy absentmindedly placed a hand on her stomach. “He had to stop by the restaurant this morning. He’ll be by soon.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You never talked to him, did you?”

“Lacy I told you, we’re fine. And I’m very happy for both of you.” One of his palms cupped her cheek. “My brother is a lucky bastard.”

“The two of you look a little too cozy for my comfort.” The same deep, timber that whispered to her at night and sent delicious shivers down to her toes came from behind Brody. A pair of dark sunglasses covered Chase’s eyes when he approached them. As always her gaze danced over him and appreciated the way his black t-shirt hugged his wide torso like a lover. The shirt was tucked into a pair of soft-looking faded jeans that cupped his world-class ass like he just stepped out of a Levi Strauss commercial. Her stomach dipped and her heart turned over in a thousand somersaults when his freshly-showered, unbelievably masculine scent swirled around her head.

“You’re not jealous, are you Bro’?” Brody asked as his arm around her shoulder tightened. Ah, her big sweet Brody was such a gem.

“Not in the least.” He tugged on Lacy’s hand and pulled her out from under Brody. “But go find your own woman. Quit trying to make out with mine.”

Brody kissed Lacy’s cheek and whispered in her ear. “Just the reaction I was hoping for.” He slugged his older brother in the shoulder and whistled as he strutted away.

God bless Brody McDermott. Someday some woman would be lucky enough to snag him up.

“He did that on purpose,” Chase said as he glared at his brother’s backside.

“You know he enjoys getting a rise out of you.”

He circled his arms around her thick middle. “Yeah, he’s good at it.” He nuzzled his nose just underneath her ear. “Pretty soon I won’t be able to get my arms around you.”

She let her head drop back so he could drop light kisses down her neck. “That’s not very flattering.”

“Are you kidding?” His hands roamed to her front where he flattened his palms over her round belly. “This is all mine.”

“All right, already,” Courtney groaned from behind them. “You’re all hot for each other, we get it.”

Chase kept his attention on Lacy. “Take a hike, Court.” He pressed his hips against hers and dropped light kisses on her mouth.

“You know what? I think Megan and I will take a stroll around.”

Lacy paid scarce attention to the two young women exiting the booth. She was too busy allowing Chase’s tongue to slide into her mouth. His hand tunneled in the curtain of her hair and tipped her head back. After kissing like a couple obsessed teenagers for several minutes, Chase stepped back and swiped his thumb across her bottom lip.

Lacy inhaled a steadying breath. “We ran everybody off.”

“That was my intention. I wanted to be alone with you.”

Lacy glanced around at the people walking by. “I wouldn’t really say we’re alone.”

He pinched her rear. “Alone enough.” A mousy-squeak propelled out of her when she dodged another one of his grabs. “I came by to purchase some of this fine art before it’s all gone.” When she lifted a brow at him he said, “You think I’m kidding?”

How could she take him seriously when he was just all over her? Or her heart had yet to come down from his kisses? Lacy shook her head. “Don’t feel like you have to buy something.”

Chase’s long legs took him around the booth, while his bottomless blue eyes darted from one drawing to the next. “This one’s my favorite.”

Lacy’s gaze focused on the pink-blossomed tree she did several months ago. At first, she hadn’t wanted to display that particular piece. Something about the tree had struck a cord within her, something deep and personal she hadn’t been able to put a label on. She’d selfishly wanted to hoard it for herself so only she could enjoy the angelic beauty of it. Then one day, while walking down past her drawing room, she caught site of the piece. Her eyes landed on the tree, illuminated by the morning sun. There was something about the way the light captured the strokes of her pencil that almost moved her to tears. No other drawing had affected her on such a personal level before. And in that very brief moment she thought of her mother. Not the “how could she leave me?” bitter thoughts that had consumed her for so many years. This had been something entirely different. It was of times Lacy had with her mother before the woman left.

Epiphanies or hallelujah moments didn’t happen to her much. Lacy supposed what had happened to her that day had been as close to that as any other person could feel. In a hasty move, she gathered the drawing, took it to be enlarged and set it with her other pieces for sale.

“I want this one,” Chase said, pulling Lacy out of her memories. “And I want you to frame it for me.”

Lacy swallowed the tennis ball-sized lump that formed in her throat. “But I don’t have any frames.”

“I know.” He retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and withdrew a wad of cash. “Frame it for me. I want to hang it above my fireplace.”

The stack of bills fluttered in his hand from the relentless wind. Her bargain-store flats remained rooted on the concrete.

“Look at you,” he said with a tilt of his delicious lips. “You want to protest, don’t you?”

She shook her head again. “It’s not that. It’s just –”

“You can’t stand the idea of someone doing you a favor or giving you a hand out.” The picture remained in his grasp when he took a step toward her. “This isn’t a handout, Lacy or a favor. The picture reminds me of my mother.”

Okay,
that
she wasn’t expecting. Julianne McDermott was a vulnerable spot for all three of her sons and one they rarely spoke of. Lacy knew next to nothing about the woman other than what she looked like and had given birth to three outstanding men.

Lacy tilted her head up when Chase stopped a breath away from her. “How’s that?”

He held up the drawing. “The house this tree sits in front of? She grew up there.”

Lacy blinked. “You mean the house at the end of the street? Like, right down the street from me?” Chase nodded when Lacy paused. “Your mother lived in that house?”

“She lived there her whole life.”

“I never knew that.”

He glanced down at the picture. “She once told me a story about how she fell out of this tree and broke her arm. The second I saw this I knew I had to have it. She would have loved this.”