I checked the time on my phone. “Why don’t we grab some food at my aunt’s restaurant and drinks at the Brew-ha Cafe? It’s not on the menu yet, but we do have a liquor license and a limited selection.”
“The Brew-ha Cafe? Now, why does that sound familiar?” Beth tapped her chin a few times, apparently forgetting she’d enjoyed our food and drinks so much a few hours ago that she’d offered to help us with marketing. Guess I knew where I stood as a priority. “Oh, it’s right by Jae’s clinic, isn’t it?”
“You know Jae?” When Jae mentioned her earlier, I’d gotten the feeling there was more to their friendship than he was letting on. Her response confirmed my suspicion.
“Oh, I know him very well. I have another appointment, so I’ll have to take a rain check for drinks at your place, but only if you invite him, too.” Beth draped a silk scarf over her hair and wrapped the ends around her neck before picking up her large Birkin bag and heading toward the door.
She paused at the doorway, hand trailing down the wooden trim. “Oh, by the way. Next time you see him, let him know he left his tie at my place.”
A tiny smile quirked at the edge of her lips and she walked away, knowing full well the impact of her words on me.
Chapter Eleven
I have to say, Lila, when you invited me over for dinner, this isn’t quite what I had in mind.”
Jae stood in the doorway, clutching a bunch of my beloved lilacs as he eyed all the action going on behind me. He’d taken care with his appearance, dressed in a baby blue Henley and fitted shorts, with his medium-length dark brown hair tousled just so to take advantage of the messy texture. The light, clean scent of his aftershave mingled pleasantly with the lilacs as I leaned forward to give him a hug and accept the bouquet.
I glanced over my shoulder at the Calendar Crew peeling and cutting up fruit at the dining room table with Detective Park and Amir while Bernadette and Joy set out the plates and utensils. My aunt and grandmother wandered in and out from the kitchen, laying out dish after dish as if they were feeding a crowd of thirty instead of ten.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it’d be a big deal. We were already having everyone over and I thought you’d enjoy the company,” I said as I led him to the table before going to get a vase for the flowers.
Of course I knew that he was going to misconstrue my dinner invitation, but I didn’t care. He could have his close friend Beth Thompson console him if he didn’t like it. I had a murder to solve.
After checking to make sure Longganisa was comfortable in my room （poor Amir was allergic）， I emerged from the kitchen with the vase to see the Calendar Crew had already surrounded Jae and were grilling him about Beth Thompson.
“What do you know about her?”
“Do you think she killed her husband?”
“When did you two start your affair?”
This last question from Ninang April had Jae choking and spilling water all over himself. Most of the time, my godmothers’ nosy bluntness was a huge pain, but I appreciated it at times like this. The Calendar Crew absolutely did not care what you thought about them, and they would stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the latest bit of tsismis.
Watching this six-foot-tall man shrinking into his chair and clutching his empty water glass for protection against my aunties shouldn’t have been so satisfying, but I’d been in a mood since leaving the pageant event and this was definitely helping.
Jae turned panicked eyes toward me, seeking assistance, but I busied myself with arranging the flowers on a nearby shelf. Detective Park cleared his throat and Jae turned toward him, likely thinking his big brother was going to save him.
“I didn’t realize you were involved with Beth Thompson, Jae. Care to explain the nature of your relationship?” Detective Park folded his hands on top of the table, gazing at his little brother with that penetrating stare of his.
Jae looked at everyone else in the room. Joy was at least pretending to be busy, straightening the forks and spoons next to each plate, but everyone else’s undivided attention was on him.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not what you think, OK? We’ve had dinner together a few times, but that’s it. Nothing is going on between us.”
“Dinner with just the two of you? At which restaurants?” Amir asked, taking the chair next to Jae and leaning close.
“We usually went outside of Shady Palms to hang out. Not that we had anything to hide!” Jae was quick to add, as he leaned away from Amir. “I just wanted to try new places and Beth said she knew some good restaurants in Shelbyville. She introduced me to a great Ethiopian place.”