Page 40 of Louisiana Protector

“He’s been an easy boy to raise,” Gramps said. “He has a heart of gold.”

“That’s easy to see,” Johnny replied. He looked at Mimi for a long moment.

As always, she looked beautiful. Her jeans fit her perfectly and the yellow blouse highlighted the darkness of her hair and the bright green of her eyes. Tonight, her hair was pulled back with a ribbon at the nape of her neck. The style emphasized the graceful length of her neck and her high cheekbones.

Still, gazing at her pulled a frown to his face. “Now that Danny is in bed, do you want to tell me how you really hurt your jaw?”

She quickly broke the eye contact with him and instead looked down at her hands in her lap.

“Go on, girl,” Gramps prompted her. “Tell him. He needs to know.”

“I was punched,” she said softly.

Johnny’s heart began to thunder in his chest. “Punched? What do you mean? Who punched you?”

“When I was walking in after work yesterday, I was grabbed again,” she began. She explained everything that had happened, ending in the smashing blow to her jaw.

Johnny released a string of curses. “Since we don’t know which one of them is guilty, why don’t I just go beat the hell out of all of them?” he exclaimed angrily.

“That works for me,” Gramps said enthusiastically.

“Calm down, the two of you,” she replied. “Nobody is going to beat up anyone.”

“It’s hard to stay calm about somebody hurting you,” he said, his hands clenched into fists. “And right now, I’m the reason you’re being hurt. Maybe it really is time I stop coming here…stop seeing you.” The very thought made his heart ache, but he couldn’t stand the thought of him being the source of her pain.

“No.” Mimi raised a hand to her jaw. “Whoever he is, he doesn’t get to win.”

“This is why you’ve told all of them to stop coming by?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’ve also decided to stop working for a little while, so there will be no reason for me to walk through the swamp all alone. Hopefully Beau will get the guilty party arrested very soon.”

“So, you reported what happened last night?” Johnny nodded. “Good. Maybe this time he can identify which one of them is behind these attacks.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” she replied. “Once Beau identifies and arrests the bad guy, I’ll go back to my normal life.”

“Mimi, I’m so damned sorry,” Johnny said. On top of everything else, she also had to stop working because of him.

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about,” she replied. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Johnny, the wrongdoer here is the man who has attacked Mimi twice,” Gramps said. “Whatever happens between you and Mimi, it shouldn’t happen because of some creep.”

“Gramps is absolutely right. If I decide to kick you to the curb, it will be my choice and my choice alone,” Mimi added.

“Well, I hope that isn’t happening any time soon,” he replied fervently. “I really hope you at least keep me around until our date on Saturday night.”

“So far, that’s the plan.” Her gaze held his. Once again he thought he saw a warmth in the beautiful green depths. It gave him hope that eventually they would find themselves back together again.

Then he reminded himself that just because she was seeing him right now, it didn’t mean she had forgiven him. It didn’t mean she wanted to build a forever with him.

Chapter Eight

Saturday evening Mimi stood in front of her mirror and stared at her reflection. Johnny had been quite mysterious about where he was taking her this evening. All he’d said was for her to be ready around six thirty.

She’d decided to wear one of her sundresses, the bright pink one with white trim. The bodice fit snugly, and the skirt flared out. She knew it looked good on her, and she always felt good in it.

She pulled her hair up in a high pony and then added little white-and-pink earrings and a bit of blush and mascara. She sprayed on her perfume, stepped into her sandals and then pronounced herself ready to go.

In the living room Danny was on Gramps’s lap with a book off Danny’s bookcase. He looked up as she entered the room.