Page 61 of Midnight

Ash saw the fallen look on the little boy’s face. “Hey, Leroy, it’s okay. You’re not in trouble, and neither is your daddy. He’s just had too much to drink, hasn’t he?”

Leroy nodded.

“Is your mama at home?” Asher asked.

“Yes sir.”

“Does she have a car to drive?”

Leroy nodded.

Gunner knew where his brother was going with this. “Jasper, I’m gonna be needing your wife’s phone number.”

Jasper groaned. “She’ll have my hide.”

“You should have thought of that before you decided to get pie-faced drunk with your son in the car. Give me her number,” Gunner said.

The dining room was silent, the diners watching as the drama unfolded.

As for Pearl, the moment she saw Ash and Gunner step into the uproar, she went back to the kitchen, satisfied they had it under control.

Jasper pulled up his wife’s number.

Gunner called it, then stood waiting until she answered.

“Hello?”

“Mrs. Henry, this is Gunner Kingston. Your husband is at the Yellow Rose, too drunk to drive, and your son Leroy is with him. They are unharmed, but they need a ride home.You can lock Jasper’s car, take the keys, and make sure he does not retrieve his vehicle until sometime tomorrow when he’s cold sober.”

“Oh, my God,” she muttered. “You’re one of Jacob’s boys, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am, I am.”

“I’ll be right there. Thank you for calling,” she said.

While all of that was happening, Nora’s heart had gone out to the little boy. She slipped up to the front desk and was now waiting for Darla to finish sacking up six of Pearl’s cowboy cookies. They were giant oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that she sold individually wrapped. Leroy wasn’t going to get his burger, but maybe these would help, and as soon as Darla gave her the bag, Nora headed back.

Ash and Gunner were holding Jasper up to keep him from falling as they walked him out of the Rose. Leroy was behind them, his head down, his eyes blurred with tears, when Nora stopped him.

“Leroy, honey, these are for you and your mama,” she whispered. “None of this is your fault. You are a good son for trying to take care of your daddy, okay?”

Leroy looked in the sack, blinking back tears. “Thank you, lady.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Go on now, and don’t be scared of the big guys. They’re really, really nice men.”

Just as they reached the door to go out, Ash realized Leroy wasn’t behind them. He looked back and saw Nora talking to him, then giving him a little sack and a pat on the back, right before he bolted for the door.

Nora was smiling as she watched Leroy run to catch up, and at that moment, she saw Asher watching her and winked, then went back to their table.

As soon as Leroy caught up, they walked Jasper out, with Leroy at their heels.

“She gave me cookies for taking good care of my daddy!” Leroy said, clutching the white sack against his chest like the treasure it was.

“She’s a really nice lady,” Asher said.

The little boy beamed. “She’s pretty.”

Asher smiled. “She’s that, too.”