Part 15 (1/2)
”Security, as well as professional law enforcement.”
”Law enforcement?”
”Sure,” Patrick said. ”It's SOP for EPUs.”
”Huh?”
”Standard operation for executive protection units,” Dawkins translated.
”Is that right?”
Interesting. Very interesting.
”How are things going? You went on that cruise, right? Frankie mentioned something about a high seas mishap.”
I nodded. ”There was a bit of a storm at sea, but I weathered it.”
Patrick laughed. ”I don't doubt it for a minute.”
”Taylor's around. Have you seen her?” I asked, doing just what my sister had warned me not to. Please. Isn't that what sisters are supposed to do?
”Oh, that's right. She's got Dairee Freeze duty.” He looked around the beer tent. ”She's here?”
”Dixie took her off somewhere. You should hang around. I'm sure they'll be back soon.”
I gotta admit. My setting Taylor up for a change was strangely t.i.tillating.
Taylor had almost given my folks dual coronaries when she up and dropped out of college, claiming she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life. My folks were used to hearing that from their elder daughter. But Taylor? They were still reeling from the shock.
”h.e.l.lo, you two. Are we interrupting?” Dixie, Taylor still in tow, appeared at the trooper's elbow.
”Of course not,” I said. ”We were just talking about you, Taylor. Were your ears burning?”
Maybe not. But the look she gave me was boil-me-in-oil hot.
”Tressa said you were here,” Patrick removed my hat from his head, and held out a hand to Taylor. ”Good to see you again, Taylor. It's been a while. How have you been?”
”Well, thank you,” Taylor responded.
Oh, brother. Talk about your cool customers. If I didn't know better, I'd believe Taylor had no more interest in the handsome lawman than I do in becoming a vegan.
”Where's Frankie, by the way?” Patrick asked Dixie.
”Probably still sniffing after Manny DeMarco, and probably hoping to get a bone thrown to him.” she grumbled.
A chorus of cat calls and whistles erupted from the dance floor of the beer garden where Keelie, Tiara, and Langley whooped it up with dance moves that told me none of the trio had ever stepped foot in a country western bar.
And that was probably a good thing.
”Talk about your fish out of water.” Dixie echoed my thoughts, and I looked at her.
I made the sign of the cross with my fingers and held them out.
”Get out of my head, Demon Dixie!” I warned. She shook her head.
”Would you get a load of DeMarco?” Dixie continued. ”Keelie's trying her best to convince him to join the party, but he's having none of it.”
I got up on my tippy-toes to check it out. Dixie was right. Manny was putting off the same vibe I did when my gammy tried to convince me to join her circle of friends for water aerobics at the rec center.
”It's pathetic how low the bar for fame has fallen,” Dixie went on. ”Just pathetic.”
”Uh-oh. Heads up.” I chirped, watching the reality trio make their way in our direction. ”Snooki wannabes at three o'clock!”
The cosmopolitan clique wound their way through the crowd, stopping on the fringes of our group.
”OMG! Is this state corny or what? Get it? Corny! Corny and like totally Dullsville.” Keelie announced. ”It's like that song. Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn! Look, a tree! Corn, corn, corn. Council Bluffs.”
I wished I'd brought my earplugs to the party with me when Keelie, Tiara, and Langley broke into their version of the ”Corn” song.
”Corn, corn, corn, corn, look, there's road kill!”
”Corn, corn, corn, corn, look, there's a cow!”
”Corn, corn, corn, corn, look, there's a pig!”
”Corn, corn, corn, corn, Manny, it's your turn!” Keelie sing-songed.
Manny's lip twitched. People who don't know any better might mistake it for a smile.
”Ah, come on, Manny. Don't be a party p.o.o.per,” Keelie said.
She poked Manny in the chest. ”Manny here won't dance with me.” She turned to our group, spotted a certain trooper. ”So, how about you?”
”Uh, sorry. I'm engaged,” Dixie intervened before I had a chance to chime in, ”but if it doesn't work out, I'm all yours.”
I found myself grinning like I did when I got my bank statement and I actually had a respectable balance.
Note to Reality Red: Diss Dixie Daggett's home state at your peril!
”As if,” Keelie snorted and her hangers-on howled. ”I'm talking to him.” She pointed at Patrick. ”You're cute. Well, for a farm boy. What about it? Wanna boot scoot?” She elbowed Tiara who giggled like crazy.
Patrick's face turned red. I could imagine the ribbing he'd get from his trooper buds if video of him kicking up his heels with Keelie Keller went viral. His superiors probably wouldn't be all that thrilled either.
I opened my mouth to help him out by telling them to take a hike, he was taken, when, once again, someone beat me to the blurt.
”He's with me,” Taylor snapped.