Page 74 of Big Britches
“No wonder,” Roz said. “He accomplished something none of us could do by getting Big Britches here to come out of his cave. Also, he’s smart, handsome, has a green thumb, and–” She gestured toward Shelly and Tucker. “–he’s captured the hearts of those two as well.”
“Barb always knew he was special, Roz. That’s why she was keeping him to herself.”
Barb shoved at Titus. “That is not true. I told you–”
“Relax.” Titus said, chuckling. “I’m just teasing. But Daddy has ulterior motives, too. Have either of y’all driven past the Country Club lately?”
“I steer clear of that place,” Roz said.
“You shouldn’t have to. That’s another thing on my list.”
“What on earth does that racist excuse for a golf course have to do with any of this?” Barb asked.
“Do you know why it’s called Twin City Country Club?”
“Because it’s between two small towns with size delusions?”
Roz high-fived Barb. Titus continued. “Not between, in. Both.” Titus used his hands on the table as if displaying things on a map. “The front nine holes are predominantly in Morehead proper. The back nine are in Spoon.”
“How can that be?”
“It straddles the property line intentionally. Daddy said that back in 1928, his granddaddy and the Barksdales struck up some kind of deal where both towns would benefit from constructing a golf course.”
“Wow,” Roz said. “I had no idea it was that old.”
“It is. Anyway, if you haven’t driven out there lately, Chapman Construction has bought up all the surrounding property in both city limits. Expensive houses are going up.”
“And what has that got to do with the price of tea in China?” Barb asked.
“Mason Barksdale recently purchased one. The framing is already up… and it’s on the Spoon side.”
Barb continued to stare, clueless. But Roz had figured things out. “He’s establishing residency in Spoon,” she said. “Means he could run for mayor in–”
“–one year,” Titus answered. “Georgia regulation. Daddy’s term is up in less than two. Of course, they may not know yet that he won’t be running again.”
“But they could. You know how word travels around here.”
“I don’t think anyone outside of us and his doctor in Macon knows about his diagnosis. But Doc Helton referred him, and there’s the staff at Helton’s office.”
“Oh, shit,” Barb said. “Any of those folks could have blabbed.”
“It doesn’t matter whether Mason knows. That house was being built before Daddy’s diagnosis. I think Mason was already planning on running against Daddy in the next election.”
“It’s none of my business,” Roz said. “But what is with this rivalry between your families? Why would the Barksdales want to control both towns?”
“Oh, come on, Roz,” Barb said. “We all know that Mason was in love with Violet.”
“You cannot convince me that all this is about unrequited love.”
“It is.” Titus said. “But not between Mason and Violet. Between Daddy and Milton.”
Both women stared at Titus, slack-jawed.
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “ALS wasn’t the only surprise he laid on us.”
“So, your daddy is–”
“No,” Titus said, cutting Roz off. “Milton. Apparently, they experimented once as teenagers. Turns out, Milton developed quite the crush. Daddy… not so much.”