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“Don’t worry, hon, she’s not even looking this way,” Thomas said.
“She?” A
A petite woman in tight black slacks, a slightly askew silver halter top, and high-heeled silver mules peeked out the door of unit 12. She had short, white-blond hair and a large overnight bag slung over her shoulder.
A
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Is she looking this way?”
Harold walked over to the window and looked out. “Not really. She’s talking on her cell phone. Do you know her?”
“Afraid so,” A
Now Thomas was standing at the window, too. “Hmm. She’s certainly blessed. Do you think those are real?”
Harold went back to the reception desk and fetched his bird-watching binoculars. He studied the set in question. “Ooh, look, here comes Mr. Harry Dix.”
A
“Oh. My. God.” A
“So you do know him?” Harold asked. “What’s his real name?”
“His name is Davis Bayless,” A
“Uh-oh,” Thomas and Harold said in unison. They did a well-choreographed fist-bump. “Undercover lovers!”
40
Pokey was fifteen minutes late, which was actually early by her own standards. She slid onto the cracked orange vinyl dinette bench opposite A
“I already ordered your french toast and sausage,” A
The Country Cupboard was jammed as usual on a Saturday morning. There were other breakfast spots in Passcoe, but none as popular as the CC, as everybody in town called it. The long counter at the bar was filled with people tucking into their ru
“What’s up?” Pokey asked.
A
“I have news,” A
Pokey eyed her best friend with unguarded curiosity.
“You look different this morning,” she said.
A
“Wait a second. Oh, yeah. I remember that look. You’ve got afterglow!” Pokey exclaimed. “Or maybe it’s beard burn. You did it, didn’t you? Finally.” She clapped her hands excitedly. “Yay! I’m so glad.”
“Shh!” A
Pokey leaned forward. “Okay, we won’t discuss. Just nod your head, or tap your glass once for yes, two for no. Did you or did you not? Do it with you-know-who?”
“All right,” A
“Was it amazing?” Pokey demanded.
“Pokey! None of your business,” A
“Sure, after you tell me where the deed was done.”
A
“I’m no lady,” Pokey replied. “Despite Sallie’s best efforts. Did you do it at his house? Or did you go back out to the farm?”
“No! God, no.”
“Where? You might as well spit it out, because you know I’ll get it out of you eventually.”
A
“Oooh,” Pokey said, rubbing her hands together gleefully. “Perfect. Your own little love nest.”
A
“The baby mama? For real?”
A
“And she had company! When I saw him sneaking out of her unit this morning I almost wet myself.”
“Who?”
“It was almost a family reunion,” A
“Davis?” Pokey’s eyes widened.
A
A plume of ice water erupted from Pokey’s nose.
“Oh my God!” Pokey said, dabbing at her face with a paper napkin. “You can’t tell me that kind of stuff without a warning.”
“I know,” A
“Day-yummm!” Pokey exclaimed. “Harry Dix! That must be his porn name.”
A
“Lotta Lays?” Pokey offered. She reached for the basket of biscuits in the center of the table, selected one, and sliced and buttered it. She took a bite and chewed slowly.
A
“You have to tell Mason,” Pokey said.
“No way,” A
“Somebody needs to. We can’t let him marry that, that, woman. Not now.”
“I can’t be the person to tell him his brother betrayed him like that,” A
“Oh, please. You saw good old Harry coming out of a room with you-know-who at the Pinecone Motor Lodge this morning. And we both know that’s where Harry has always stashed his girlfriends over the years,” Pokey said.
“Maybe he was just dropping off some papers to her,” A
“And maybe I’ll be the cover model for next year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition,” Pokey said. “We always knew she was a skank. And now she’s a double skank—sleeping with brothers. Eeeewww.”
The waitress brought Pokey’s french toast and set it down on the table. Pokey carefully drizzled maple syrup across her plate. “You’re not eating?” she asked.
“Not hungry,” A
“Don’t forget he’s ruining your life, too,” Pokey added.
“I don’t have to live with her,” A
“I’m not invited,” Pokey said. “Not that I’d go even if I were invited. I’m going to go pick up Sophie after I leave here and take her over to spend the night at my house.”
“Sophie’s not going to the wedding, either?” A
“Nope. According to Mama, it’ll just be her and the happy couple. Oh yes, and Bo
“Interesting that old Harry Dix won’t be performing best man duties today,” A
Pokey gave a smirk. “My guess is, he’s already performed for Lotta.”
41
Mason sat behind the desk in his study, stone-faced, as his sister made one last attempt to change his mind.