“Ruth is a good woman and was once one of my best friends,” Mama says, her voice low but sharp. “Keep her name out of your mouth, Keith.”
A heavy silence follows her words, and my siblings and I exchange a meaningful look.
“Mama,” I say, my voice careful. “Can you think of why someone would start a rumor like this and if there might be some granule of…?” I look to Kayla for help.
“Truth,” Kayla finishes. “If there might be something that did happen that someone is twisting into a lie?”
“Your father never cheated on me,” Mama says, standing. “Not one day. I know it, and I’ll make sure the world knows that, too, if this trash makes it to publication.”
“It won’t,” I vow. “We’ll get it straightened out before that happens.”
She nods and walks out.
“Keith.” I kick him under the table and find some small satisfaction in his tiny yelp. “You’re the family lawyer. I have a call scheduled with the publisher first thing tomorrow morning. I need you to put the fear of God in them that if they publish this crap they’ll have a slander trial on their hands that will bankrupt them.”
“Will do.” He stands and grabs one of the delicious croissants Esmerelda put out for breakfast. “But I have to get home. Delaney will kill me if I miss Sunday dinner.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “And, Keith?”
“Yeah?” He turns at the door, handsome and looking more like Daddy every day.
“After we deal with the publisher, let’s talk about your campaign.”
“All riiiight.” He drags the word out like he’s giving me time to change my mind about helping him.
“You have a lot to do if you want to run.”
He flashes a smile, gives me a salute and heads out the door.
“That was nice of you,” Kayla murmurs, standing and gathering the Hermès bag her husband gifted her after baby number five.
“I am nice.”
“You don’t get as far as you’ve gotten in politics being nice. Also, in case I didn’t mention it, you did a great job last night. Your nieces and nephew loved seeing you on TV.”
“Well, thanks for making sure my hair looked great.” I laugh, pulling out my phone to check my email.
“Anything would have been an improvement on that just got fucked hair you were sporting when Lorette got ahold of you.”
“You ain’t slick,” I say, not lifting my gaze from the phone screen. “No comment. I’m not talking to you about it.”
“So you are sleeping with Ezra Stern?”
“Zee.” I spare her a look long enough for her to know I’m serious. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“And what’s up with that common-law wife of his?”
“She’s…they’re not married.” I give up, setting my phone on the table. “Since you’re not taking no for an answer, like you never do, what do you want to know?”
“I already asked you what I want to know. Number one. Are you fucking him? And number two, what about the woman he lives and has a child with?”
“Number one, yes,” I say defiantly. “I’m fucking the hell out of him. And number two, she let him go and she doesn’t get him back. Satisfied?”
Kayla’s lips twitch. “I think the question is are you satisfied? He putting it down?”
Flashes of Ezra pounding into me against the front door have me shifting in my seat, suppressing whimpers.
“I’m satisfied,” I understate.