Free Big Daddy Sinatra 3: The Best of My Love (The Sinatras of Jericho County) by Mallory Monroe Page A

responded.   “I have
a lot to learn still, but it’s going well.”
    “Personally,
I don’t see why he should be manager,” Donald said, “while I’m still an
assistant at the Inn.”
    “Bobby
works hard,” Tony said.
    “I
work hard!” Donald insisted.
    “I’m
saying!” Ashley agreed.
    “But
Bobby has Dad’s back,” Carly said.   “His employees
were stealing from him and back-stabbing him.   Bobby won’t tolerate any of that.”
    “I
won’t either!” Donald said.   “And I have
Dad’s back more than anybody at this table!”
    Tony
cleared his throat and playfully motioned his head toward Jenay.
    “Except
for Ma,” Donald added, and everybody laughed.
    But
Carly noticed that Brent was not feeling it.   “What’s wrong with you?” she asked.   “Everybody’s upbeat, except you.”
    “And
what else is new?” Tony asked.   “Brent
was born with a scowl on his face.   That’s why they made him chief of police.   He was young, but he was the only one who
looked the part.”
    They
laughed, but Charles noticed the difference in Brent too.   “What’s the matter, son?” he asked him.
    Brent
looked at his father.   “I told you we
need to talk.”
    “Then
talk.”
    “It’s
private.”
    Jenay
looked at Brent when he said that.
    Charles
considered him.   “What could be so
private that my own wife and children can’t hear it?   There are no strangers at this table.   Tell me.”
    Brent
exhaled.   He wanted it off his chest
anyway.   But he thought about his kid
sister.   He looked at Bonita.   “Neet?”
    Bonita
looked her big, green eyes up at him.   Although Brent was her older brother, he was always so serious around
her, and he was so much older than her eight years, that she thought of him as
more of her other dad.   “Sir?” she asked.
    “Take
your plate and finish your dinner in the Rec room.   Donnie, you and Ash go with her.”
    Robert
laughed.
    “See?”
Donald protested.   “Everybody treats me
like a kid!”
    “And
why do I have to go?” Ashley asked.
    “I’ll
go,” Carly volunteered.   She was tired of
Ash and Donnie’s complaints anyway.
    “Thanks,
Carly,” Brent said.  
    “Come
on, Nita,” Carly said.   “Get your plate.”
    Carly
ate one last forkful of food and left her almost-empty plate, and then escorted
Bonita, with her plate in hand, out of the dining hall.  
    After
they left, Brent looked at Charles.   “It’s about your father,” he said.
    And
as soon as he said that, you could hear a pin drop.   Everybody looked at Brent.
    Charles
looked and frowned.   Had he heard him
correctly?   “My father?   What about my father?”
    “This
morning a special prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office paid me a
visit.”
    “So
that’s who that was,” Robert said.
    Brent
looked at him.   “What are you talking
about?”
    “The new
girl in town.   I saw her.   She was gorgeous, but mean.   She wouldn’t give me the time of day.   Yeah, I could see her being a special
prosecutor alright.”
    She
had been on Brent’s mind ever since he met her this morning.   For the obvious reason, since she was the
bearer of the bad news, but also for reasons that were far from obvious.   “You saw her where?” he asked his playboy of
a brother.
    “Around
town, I don’t remember where,” Robert responded.   “Is she busty, lots of curves,
African-American?”
    “That’s
her,” Brent said.   “So?”
    “So?”   Robert smiled and looked at his father.   “Ah, Dad, you should see this woman.   She is stacked to the max, you hear me, and
gor-or-or-geous!   What I’d give to lay my
head between those two big, juicy---”
    “You
stay away from her,” Brent admonished in such a stern way that everybody looked
at him.   Robert couldn’t help but smile.
    Tony
smiled too.   “Want her for yourself, do
you, big brother?”
    “This
shit serious,” Brent said in his firm, Brent-way, as they called it.   “Why are