Exerpt from Lolly's Story, WIP

     Cotton looked around his barren front room. Not very welcoming for a new bride.

     There was a sharp rap on the door. 

     “It’s not locked. Come on in.”

      The door swung open and banged against the wall. 

     “Damned right I will!”

     Cotton studied his visitor.  Male, dark, probably six-five, built like a brick outhouse.

     Lolly’s father.

     Jason Redlander fixed him with a hard stare.  “You the guy who flew my daughter off to Sin City?”

     “Lolly and I were married on Monday.  I’m Cotton Bogart.”  He started to offer his hand, then thought the better of it.

     Redlander looked him up and down. ”What are you—about six feet?”

     “Yeah.”

     “Bud, you’re too big a guy for Lolly.  And how old are you?

     “Thirty-one.” 

    “Goddamn!  You’re almost as old as I am!”  Redlander’s eyes swept the room. “Where’s Lolly?”

     "Picking up her car and her clothes from her friend's house.  She should be back soon.”

    “Quarterback?”

    “What?”  Where the hell had that come from?

    “Were you a quarterback?”  Redlander’s lip curled on the last word.

    “In high school, yes.”

    The big man sneered.  “Bud, I used to eat quarterbacks for breakfast.”

     Cotton hazarded an easy guess.  “Linebacker?   ”

     Redlander nodded.  “Strong-side linebacker--the killing machine.  And I want to talk to my daughter the minute she gets back.”

     “You’re her father, and I respect that, but she’s my wife, and I won’t let you browbeat her.”

     Redlander’s mouth dropped open in obvious surprise. “Me?  Browbeat Lolly?”

     Cotton pressed his advantage. “And, while we’re at it, you aren’t bankrolling her anymore either.  She’s on my credit card from now on.”

     Redlander’s face turned ugly.  “Not so fast, buddy.  Lolly’s got her own money, and she’ll want to fix up this place.”  He glanced around the room.  “My daughter's used to better.”