Bring Your Own Poison Read Free

did, well, I guess we both felt maybe it was too late or something.”
    â€œBut obviously something changed your minds,” Wanda Nell said.
    Mayrene nodded. “Yeah, I ran into him at a dance out at the VFW about three weeks ago. Him and me got to talking and, well, I guess you could say we kinda picked up where we left off.” She smiled broadly.
    â€œMaybe this time it’s the right time,” Wanda Nell said, happy for her friend, but still a little wary. Mayrene had consistently bad luck when it came to men, and Wanda Nell hated to see her hurt yet again.
    â€œThat’s what I’m thinking,” Mayrene said. “I really do think it is.”
    â€œYou still haven’t told me who he is,” Wanda Nell reminded her with a poke in the arm.
    Mayrene laughed. “No, I guess I hadn’t got around to that yet.”
    Wanda Nell rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Mayrene, you could be a politician, it takes you so long to get to the point.”
    Mayrene had another laugh at that. “Okay, okay, I get it.” She leaned a little closer to Wanda Nell. “His name is Dixon Vance, and he’s a policeman.”
    The name rang a faint bell with Wanda Nell, and she thought about it, trying to put a face with the name. “Oh yeah,” she said, nodding when the memory surfaced, “I know him. He used to come in the Kountry Kitchen, but the cops hang out at the Holiday Inn these days. We don’t see them that much.”
    From what Wanda Nell could remember, Dixon Vance was Mayrene’s age, give or take a couple of years. Good looking, in a tough-cop kind of way. Gray hair, stocky but muscular, and tall.
    â€œYeah,” Wanda Nell continued, “he’s a nice-looking man.”
    â€œHe sure is,” Mayrene said, grinning salaciously. “I just love that uniform and the way he fills it out. He’s in real good shape, if you know what I mean.”
    Wanda Nell laughed. “You are terrible, Mayrene. You sure move fast.”
    â€œAin’t nothing holding me back,” Mayrene said smugly. “I’m old enough to know what I want, and what I’m willing to share.” She laughed. “What about you and Jack? When are you going to start sharing with him? You can’t tell me he’s not getting frustrated.”
    This was the last thing Wanda Nell wanted to talk about right now. She and Jack Pemberton had been dating for several months. Jack had already told her he loved her and that he wanted to marry her, but Wanda Nell just couldn’t make up her mind. They hadn’t even been to bed together yet. Wanda Nell’s two jobs kept her on the run, and her schedule and Jack’s didn’t give them that many opportunities. Jack taught English at the county high school, where Juliet had been one of his students. He often came by the Kountry Kitchen for his evening meal, but the only time they really had together was Sundays. There was no way she was going to jump into bed with him at her place, not with her daughters and her grandson anywhere around. That just wouldn’t be right, and she would never do it.
    They could have been together at Jack’s house, but Wanda Nell felt funny about that, too. It would feel too much like shacking up with somebody while she left her girls and Lavon on their own, and that wasn’t her way. She knew Jack was frustrated by the situation, and she was getting increasingly that way herself. She had finally admitted to herself that she really loved Jack, and it was only natural for them to take their relationship to the next level. Marriage was still a little further down the road.
    â€œDon’t mind me, honey,” Mayrene said as the silence between them lengthened. “I know you don’t really want to talk about it, and I shouldn’t aggravate you by asking like that.”
    â€œOh, it’s okay,” Wanda Nell said with a rueful smile. “It’s almost funny,