Страница 21 из 96
Caught off guard, A
“Mason never said a word,” A
“We swore to keep it a secret,” Pokey said. “We didn’t even tell Davis. It was awful. For both of us. You remember that summer Mason moved away? Right after graduation? The only summer he didn’t work at the plant?”
A
“Daddy said he was giving Mason the Chevelle as a birthday present. But really? It was a bribe. Or maybe a peace offering. Mason wasn’t even speaking to Daddy at that point. I don’t think he spoke to him that whole summer.”
“But Mason came back home in the fall. And he went back to work for Quixie,” A
“They patched things up,” Pokey agreed. “But they were never as close again as they were before that summer. Mason loved Daddy, but he didn’t respect him.”
A
Pokey rolled her eyes.
“I know you don’t like Celia,” A
“The company!” Pokey exclaimed. “Who gives a rat’s ass about Quixie? We are talking about my brother’s happiness. And yours. Celia is totally wrong for him. Did you notice he only asked the bitch to marry him after you a
“Sophie seems okay with Celia,” A
“Sophie doesn’t know her like we do. But I don’t care what kind of show she puts on; Celia just barely tolerates Sophie. I mean, Sophie is another woman’s baby, not hers. Celia doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. The woman is an ice queen. And as for her company—so what if she made money selling kids’ clothes? That doesn’t mean she can keep Quixie from going down the tubes. Soft drinks are an entirely different ball game. I don’t care if she is Miss Congeniality. I don’t like her and I don’t trust her. What do we really know about this woman, aside from what she’s told us?”
“We know Mason wants to marry her,” A
“Closure?” Pokey scoffed. “And you really intend to marry a guy named Shane? Really? Shane? What kind of name is that for a grown man? Is he a cowboy or something?”
It was A
“Those are family names, and you know it,” Pokey said.
“Fine. I think Shane is a perfectly nice name. And he’s a nice guy, and he loves me and I love him.”
A wicked, familiar glint shone in Pokey’s eyes. “How’s the sex?”
“None of your business.”
“I knew it,” Pokey crowed. “You’ve been dating, what, six months, and you haven’t fucked him?”
“I hate that word,” A
“If you were really attracted to him, you’d be screwing like a pair of jackrabbits,” Pokey said, “instead of hanging around here in Passcoe. You think I don’t know how you and Mason used to be when you were engaged? Jesus! We never once had Sunday di
Despite herself, A
“Everybody knew. Mama, Daddy, hell, I think even Nate the yard man knew what you two were up to, and he’s nearly senile. Those windows didn’t get steamed up by themselves. My point is, if you are really this hot for this Shane guy, nothing could keep you apart. Hey!” she said, brightening, “maybe he’s gay.”
A
“You still can’t admit it, can you?” Pokey taunted.
“Admit what?”
“You can’t admit that you were wrong to end your marriage to Mason. That the divorce was a huge mistake. That you loved him then and you love him now, and you would take him back in a minute if you could.”
“But I can’t,” A
“Fuck the wedding,” Pokey said fiercely. “You’re still not being honest with me. You’re still bullshitting me. Come off it, A
A
“All right,” she said finally. “Okay, maybe there is still something there. It’s probably just jealousy, wanting what I can’t have. But yes, I had a twinge when I saw Mason standing there at the altar.”
She allowed herself a sad, lopsided smile. “Happy now?”
“Yesss!” Pokey said, fist-pumping.
“I don’t know what to do,” A
“Tell him,” Pokey advised. “It’s not too late. Just be straight with him. If not for yourself, then at least for Sophie’s sake.”
“I can’t,” A
“Then I will,” Pokey vowed.
“No!” A
“This is so stupid,” Pokey said stubbornly. “He will ruin his life, and Sophie’s if he goes through with this charade and marries Celia.”
“But it’s his life,” A
* * *
They heard the voice as they were rounding the corridor back to the waiting room.
“Now, darlin’, you’ve got to eat something,” Celia cooed. “I fixed up this basket just for you. Maybe just a ham biscuit, or some of the tenderloin. I had the waiter slice it from the rare end, just like you like it.”
A
She wanted to turn around and run out the door. Instead, she forced herself to keep walking back to the waiting room.
Celia had changed out of her wedding gown and was wearing an aqua velour tracksuit, with the jacket unzipped far enough to reveal a tantalizing amount of cleavage. A huge picnic basket sat by her feet, and she’d dragged a table over to the seating area, where she was unwrapping foil packages and plastic cartons.
“Hey there!” she said, as she saw the two women approaching. “I hope you’re still hungry, because Sallie had the catering people pack enough food for the Russian army.”
“I’ve eaten,” Pokey said bluntly.
“A