Jilted Read Free Page B

bragging.”
    â€œI’m not bragging. I’m rejoicing.”
    â€œSame thing, and it’s ugly.”
    The two girls couldn’t have been more different—Ruthie in worn jeans and her work shirt from the United grocery store, and Fawn wearing a pale-pink mini-sundress complete with matching nail polish—but they complemented each other in ways that went unseen.
    Neil’s boots scraped across the linoleum as he wandered toward us, and I wondered if the man had to buy new footwear every month just from wearing holes in the soles. The action, coupled with his straight-backed posture, created an air of confidence that most people found intimidating.
    I knew better.
    Neil Blaylock was a deceitful coward, but even though the townspeople could see through him, they acted as if he were a celebrity because he had enough money and power to buy their respect. Welcome to Trapp, Texas.
    I toyed with the idea of escaping back to the kitchen.
    Fawn maneuvered the stroller between her chair and Ruthie’s stool, and Neil took the chair opposite her. He mumbled a greeting to Ruthie and me before turning in his seat so we were looking at the side of his face. Cold, but even so, his behavior had drastically warmed since Fawn married JohnScott, my nephew. Apparently Neil lowered himself to our status in order to appease his daughter. Whatever.
    â€œBummer, Nathan’s asleep.” Ruthie poked the toddler in the stomach. “Can I wake him up?”
    â€œNo way. He’s probably down for the night.”
    â€œFawn, you want a sandwich?” I asked.
    Her eyes smiled. “That would be great, Lynda.”
    I may have been lousy at conversation, but at least I remembered my customers’ favorite orders. Fawn was easy—chicken salad—and I would have added a side of well-cooked green beans for her baby had he been awake. Normally Fawn would have him in her arms, talking to him, tickling his neck, laughing. Happy, happy, happy.
    I let the waitress take Neil’s order.
    â€œRuthie, can you babysit tomorrow?” Fawn asked.
    I walked into the kitchen, but if I stayed close to the window to fix the sandwich, I could still plainly hear the rest of the conversation.
    â€œMother and Dad have a meeting at the same time as my business math exam.”
    â€œSorry,” Ruthie said, “but I’m scheduled to work then, and Dodd will be writing his sermon.”
    An extended silence prompted me to look up and notice that both girls were gazing at me with eyebrows raised. “I’m working the day shift,” I said quickly, “so I can go to the football game tomorrow night.”
    Neil squirmed in his seat as though joining the discussion caused him physical pain. “Your mother can pick Nathan up after the meeting, but it’ll be a good hour after you leave for class.” At least the man was trying to be social. Thanks to Fawn, Neil had spent the past year attempting to undo some of the hurt he had caused—and I was glad for it—but it would be a while before I could sit next to him in Dixie’s Diner and shoot the breeze. Ruthie, on the other hand, shoved fries into her mouth and chattered merrily to Neil and Fawn and anyone else in the restaurant who looked her way.
    She scooted over one stool to lean toward the next table where the two elderly women were just finishing peach cobbler. “How are you ladies today?”
    The closer of the two laid down her fork. “Not too good since we went to the quilting bee over at Sophie Snodgrass’s place. Should’ve stayed home.”
    â€œWhat happened?” Ruthie tilted her head, and even though she sat with her back to me, I could tell she made eye contact with Fawn. The two of them secretly called the old sisters Blue and Gray , and even though the nicknames made perfect sense because of their hair colors, I always feared Ruthie would accidentally slip someday and say the names aloud.
    The