Best Friends (New Species #15)(10)

“That would be him.” Mel shrugged. “Better her than me.”

“How long were you with him?”

“Two years, on and off.”

“Anyone else back there?”

Mel shook her head.

“And that earned you a bad reputation in your town? You’re twenty-five and have only had a total of two boyfriends. That’s not slutty at all.”

“They were kind of bad boys. Jimmy’s old man is the town drunk. Buck’s mama is a wandering spirit, which is a nice way to say she sleeps around. She’d hook up with any man who offered to take her away from there, then come home to her husband after she got dumped. He always let her back in the door, and then she’d take off again with someone else. It was like an endless cycle of misery. It’s probably still going on.”

“That made them bad boys?”

“Small town. The sins of the parents and all that. Nobody lets them forget who their folks are, and it’s kind of implied any woman willing to hook up with them is asking for trouble. Plus, I stopped going to church.”

“Is that a crime?”

“It is with my mama being who she is. She’s really involved, but I refused to go after Preacher Todd started hitting on me. I told her, but she insisted I was only saying it to get back at him for making me an example during one of his sermons about sinning. And he really did that as payback over me turning him down flat. Mama believed him over me, saying it was wishful thinking that a man of God would want me.”

Mary shook her head. “Your mother is a bitch, and Preacher Todd sounds like a first-class prick.”

“That’s why we’re friends, Mary.” Mel grinned. “And I agree. Then my mama started inviting Bobby Roy to dinner as my date and started laying on the guilt trips about how much easier her life would be if I married him. She still does every time I talk to her. She wants me to come home and marry him. See why I hate talking to her on the phone? Why I like to torment her about being open to cameras and some guy nicknamed Big Boner nailing me? Payback.”

“Are you going to tell your parents what happened? You might want to. Sheriff Cooper had everyone promise not to tell anyone what happened, to avoid a media circus coming to town, but whatever cover story they come up with might not work. Someone still might blab. New Species were attacked. It could make the news.”

“Nope. I’m going to lie if that happens, and tell my folks that there’s another woman with my name living here. They think this is some huge city, so as far as they’re concerned, it’s possible.”

Mary laughed. “Nobody would buy that.”

“Don’t pop my bubble of hope, Mary. I’m already having a bad day. I told Snow he had a nice butt and made a fool of myself. He’s got to think the worst of me. Did I mention I admitted I’m on the pill, and that I slept with Deputy Dud?”

“You didn’t!”

“Oh yeah. I shared my cable theory with him, too.”

Mary cringed. “Shit.”

“I asked him if he had cable.”

“No, you didn’t!”

“So guilty. See? Do you think Mr. Adams is hiring? Once my arm is out of the sling, I could work on a ranch. I never wanted to shovel crap again but at least I have zero chance of running into Snow there.”

“I’d miss you at the diner. No. You’re not quitting. Don’t look so depressed, Mel. This’ll work out. Snow probably forgot all about you already.”

“He’s the man of my dreams, and you think saying that is going to cheer me up?”

“I was grasping at straws. Work with me.”

“Fine. It’s possible in some alternative universe that he’ll get selective memory loss of things I wish I hadn’t said to him. That’s realistic.” Mel snorted.

“You did save his life. I bet that overshadows everything else. You endured trauma. Everyone knows people blurt out things they don’t mean under a lot of stress.”

“Temporary insanity?” Mel smiled. “I could plead that.”

Mary grinned back. “He does have a nice ass.”

“Tina? Is that you?”

“Bitch!” Mary slapped her thigh. “Don’t even joke by saying her name. My boyfriend was still living with me when that slut nailed him on my couch. She’s a horrible person. I just noticed your guy’s backside. Big difference. I don’t plan to touch it.”

“Ouch! You just hit someone who got shot.”

“Sorry. That was a low blow, though.”

“I’m trying to cheer myself up. It’s become a habit to turn snarky after growing up in my house. I’m sorry, too.”

Mary stood. “You must be hungry. I’m going to fix you something to eat. It’s past dinner time. What do you want?”

“How about a grilled cheese with ham?”

“Do you have the makings? Otherwise, I have to run home.”

“I do.”

Mary shook her head. “I would have cooked you anything you asked for. You’re so easy. Tina, is that you?”

“It doesn’t have the same effect on me. I wish she’d slept with Deputy Dud when I dated him. An experienced slut like her might have given him some pointers.”

“I think you’re serious. And that scares me.”