Good Woman Blues by Lynn Emery Page B

thank God.”
    “No. I fixed you a glass of lemonade.
Grandmother said to make sure you don’t try to sneak a wine
cooler.” Brian put the tray down with two glasses on it. “Cool CDs,
Uncle Gabe.” He trotted back in the house.
    “Ridiculous. Your mother gets a baby to
babysit me,” Charles complained. “I can’t have the simple pleasure
of drinking what I like once a week. At least Vincent doesn’t
flaunt his crazy new lifestyle in front of Brian.”
    “For all his craziness Vincent loves his
kids. He’s just going through something right now. Vince is going
to turn around. He’d probably do it faster if you reached out to
him. And I don’t mean to lecture or say ‘I told you so,’ ” Gabriel
added quickly.
    “I’ve more than reached out to him. Vincent
needs to straighten up. I’m through holding his hand.” Charles
frowned.
    “Speaking of stubborn. Vince gets it honest.”
Gabriel crossed his legs at the ankle and drank a sip of
lemonade.
    “And why are you hiding out in that workshop?
It’s time for you to stop being such a hermit. Your mother agrees;
wonders never cease.” Charles stabbed a forefinger in Gabe’s
direction.
    “Great. Now you’re going to be tough on me
instead,” Gabriel muttered.
    “Your mother worries about you, son. Between
you and me, she wants more grandchildren.” Charles nodded at
Gabriel.
    Gabriel laughed out loud at his serious
expression. “She doesn’t make it a secret. She drops hints every
chance she gets.”
    “Your sister is buried in the business. Not
that I’m complaining. Thank God Toni took an interest, what with
you building chairs and Vincent working for someone else.” Charles
shook his head slowly and drank more lemonade.
    ‘Toni is great at what she does, and she’s
happy.” Gabriel wondered why that wasn’t enough for parents when it
came to their children.
    At twenty-seven Toni was busy managing the
family assets. She’d not only studied land management, but also had
degrees in marketing and business. Gabriel was even more grateful
to her. She’d taken the pressure off him to run the family business
when their father became ill.
    “Your mother says she needs a life. I say
she’s got time. I’m just happy at least one of my children took
control. The Cormier land should be owned and handled by a
Cormier.”
    “The one thing we all agree on. Even Vince
thinks Toni is doing what she was meant to.”
    “Yeah. My father would have turned six shades
of red at me letting a woman take over. Hell, she’s got the brains
and the common sense. My girl grabbed the bull by the balls,”
Charles said with pride.
    “That’s one way to put it,” Gabriel said with
a grin. He could imagine his mother’s reaction to that
description.
    “Back to you.” Charles turned toward Gabriel
and put his glass down.
    “Oh, Lord.” Gabriel slumped in his chair.
    “Your mother knows a young woman she’d like
you to meet.” Charles held up a palm to cut off Gabriel’s protest.
“Normally, I’d try to talk her out of it. But Natalie Morales is a
wonderful young woman. We’ve known her family forever.”
    “Forget it,” Gabriel put in.
    “Her father is a couple of years younger than
me, but we knew each other in college.”
    “Good for you. I’m not going to be fixed up,”
Gabriel said.
    “She works at the Lafayette Regional Airport,
is a pilot, and races horses. You two have a lot in common. Not
that I’m in favor of this matchmaking,” Charles added with force.
“I’m just saying she’s a great girl.”
    “And I’m sure she’s got her share of
admirers. But don’t put me on her dance card.” Gabriel drained the
last ounce of lemonade from his glass and put it down.
    “Oh? You seeing someone?” Charles’s busy
brows lifted in curiosity.
    “Dad,” Gabriel warned, and narrowed his eyes
at Charles.
    “I’m not being nosy, son, not at all. But I
see your point about this fix-up deal your mother is trying to
pull. If I can tell her