Don't Let Go(5)

“It’s good,” I said, maintaining the glare at my daughter. “Becca just forgot her mouth for a second.”
Becca’s eyes landed everywhere but on me, and then she smiled up at Linny. “I want a Coke with lots of ice, and the shrimp po’boy. With fries,” she added, not looking my way.
“Got it,” Linny said, not writing a thing down, just winking at her. She looked at me. “And you?”
“I’ll do the plate lunch. And hey, Linny?” I added, as she nodded and started to walk away. “Please tell your dad to quit banging on the wall. I swear to you on all that is holy that there is no music playing over there,” I said with a smile.
Linny laughed and wiped her hands on her apron. “I’ve told him again and again that I don’t hear anything, but he ignores me.” She nudged me with a finger. “But check him out today. He’s almost giddy.”
We both turned to see Johnny Mack grinning at a customer, and the feeling I’d had at two that morning settled over me like a chilled blanket, making me shiver again.
Why was he happy? And why did that make me feel like a caged animal? I had a bad feeling that this particular crazy was going to have to be held close to the vest. Maw Maw was right. No one was going to want to see this shit.


Chapter 2

Johnny Mack beamed. And if I’d learned anything in the twenty-plus years since his son left town, that was reason to put your guard up. He was conversing up a customer, his normal look of disgust replaced by—was that interest?
“I mean, he’s still a grouch, but he’s actually been nice to people today,” Linny said.
I tried to shake off the heaviness I felt on my skin. “What’s up with that?” I asked, frowning.
She shrugged. “No clue. He just keeps saying to watch the door. I don’t know what the hell the door’s gonna do, but if it makes him smile, I’m game.”
“How’s it going, Linny?” came a voice to my right, yanking me back to the real world. Becca’s whole face crumpled.
While Hayden pulled up a chair I looked around for the pretty suited lady, and she was nowhere to be seen.
“Another day in paradise,” Linny said, winking at him.
“You putting your chili in the contest again?” he asked. “You know it’s always my favorite.”
Linny’s cheeks flushed up as she chuckled and walked away. Hayden had that way. He could make women stutter-stupid with just a smile. Not like he was some hot GQ type or anything. He wasn’t. He dressed it, but always a little messy, like maybe he needed a little help with that tie. With that shirt. With that belt. He wasn’t really a guy to lust over at first glance, but he could have you with a five-minute conversation. I think he’d had me twenty-three years earlier with a “hello” and a slow dance. But then, as Becca had so fluently pointed out, I was evidently an easy bang.
“By all means, join us,” I said sarcastically as I leaned on the table and forced that thought away. I suddenly felt as if the day was hell-bent on wearing me out.
“Hey, bug,” he said, ignoring my zinger and focusing on Becca.
“Hey back,” she said, smiling her crooked smile.
“So—did the hairdresser have to leave midway for a family emergency or something?”
Her smile faltered, and I wanted to throw sugar substitute packets at him.
“Yep, she did,” Becca said, meeting his gaze. “So we only paid for one side.”
Hayden nodded, I guess for once seeing that it wasn’t worth the fight. “And you’re okay with it?” he asked, turning to me.
“She’s not eight, Hayden. She’s a high school senior.” I took a deep swallow from my water glass. “If having weird hair—”
“Hey!”
I ignored her indignation. “—is her worst sin, then I think we can count our blessings.”
“Until I get my tattoo,” Becca said, which managed to render both Hayden and me speechless for a second.
“Come again?” he said.
“When I graduate,” she said matter-of-factly, holding up her Sharpie’d wrist. “Something here, don’t know what, yet.”
“Just nod, Hayden,” I said on a sigh. “It changes monthly.”
“This one won’t,” she said.
Linny swung back by with a basket of rolls and extra butter because she knew Becca and I were butter whores. I slathered one up and took a bite, relishing the carbs.
A hand on my shoulder turned me around. “Did you get the email?” said an elderly man with spinach in his teeth and a comb-over that never moved.
I blinked. “Email—um, I haven’t had a chance to check yet today, Mr. Morrison, but—”
“It went out four days ago,” he said. The spinach didn’t move. “You are supposed to have your ad and payment turned in for the flyer by this weekend.”
Of course I did. The all-important festival flyer. Priorities. “Okay, well, I’ll—check in on that.”
He patted my shoulder, shook Hayden’s hand even though he probably didn’t remember who he was, and then just kind of looked at Becca as he walked past.
“Am I purple or something?” she whispered.
“It’s your aura,” I whispered back, making her snicker. “So, what brings you to the dark side?” I asked Hayden, nudging him with an elbow.
“I was at the courthouse with a contract, so I figured what the hell. Hey, you know the old man didn’t even give me a dirty look?”
“Linny said he’s all happy for some reason,” Becca said around her own bite of gooey roll.