The Devine Doughnut Shop(18)

Audrey slipped into the kitchen and went to the refrigerator for an ice cream sandwich. “Know what?”

“Nothing,” Grace answered and felt guilty for lying to her daughter.

“We were talking about Darla Jo,” Sarah answered.

That wasn’t a total lie, since they had been discussing the woman earlier.

“She is probably crying,” Audrey said and closed the freezer door. “Dillard Wilson got married yesterday to his old high school sweetheart. Talk around town says that he was the next man she was going to seduce.”

Grace almost dropped the tea pitcher. “Good grief! Where did you hear that?”

Audrey shrugged. “Crystal babysits for her on Saturday nights and usually stays over. Darla Jo’s got a young, good-lookin’ boyfriend, according to Crystal, but she marries old men so she can get their money when they die. But she and her boyfriend go out on Saturday night and don’t come home until early Sunday morning.”

“What else did she tell Crystal?” Grace asked.

Audrey peeled the paper off her ice cream sandwich. “Darla Jo said that she and her boyfriend were going to move away from Devine and live on a tropical island. Someday, I’m going to be rich enough to live like that.”

Sarah pulled the tab on her beer and took a long drink. “Has Crystal met the Saturday-night boyfriend?”

Audrey took a bite of her ice cream. “Nope. He don’t pick her up at the door. She meets him somewhere and doesn’t come home until daylight or after most Sunday mornings. She has to be home by ten so Crystal can go to church. That’s her parents’ rule. Darla Jo pays Crystal a hundred dollars. I told Crystal if she ever needs a relief sitter that I would do it in a heartbeat for that kind of money. The little boys are in bed by nine—and when Darla Jo cleans out her closet, she gives Crystal what she doesn’t want. Last month she gave her a purse that cost five hundred dollars brand-new.”

“That’s pretty generous,” Grace growled.

“Yep, and that’s why I’m going to marry a rich man someday,” Audrey said with a smile. “When I do, you all three can come and live in my mansion with me.”

“Well, thank you for that.” Grace was amused by her daughter’s statement—and glad that Audrey was talking to her at all, to tell the truth. She picked up the two glasses of tea and headed outside.

“You are welcome, but”—Audrey followed her mother across the kitchen—“don’t expect to run my life for me when you live with me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it once you are grown,” Grace told her.

Macy was still smiling when Grace handed her a glass of tea and then sat down beside her on the swing. “Isn’t today just beautiful? I believe spring must be coming early this year.”

“Could be,” Grace agreed.

Sarah sat down on a chaise longue and stretched out her legs. “I noticed that the willow tree up by our fishing pond is beginning to leaf out. I hope you’re right. It’s been a long winter, and I’m ready for warm weather.”

Macy put the swing in motion with her foot. “Neal and I talked about buying a house today, and we even drove past a couple that are listed. If we buy now and pay cash, we should be moved in and settled by the time we get married. I’m so excited that I just had to share the news with you.”

Grace shivered despite the warmth of the sun. “Is the hotel going to be all right with him living outside the place?”

“He’s talking to them tomorrow, but he thinks it will be fine. His contract says he has to live at the hotel until the present manager retires, which is June 1. He’s got a friend who works for the real estate company that is listing the two houses, and he thinks he can get us a good deal since I’ll pay cash for the house,” Macy replied.

“Isn’t Neal going to pay for part of the house?” Sarah asked.

“He’s going to buy all the furniture. We’re going to go to the bank in San Antonio next week and set up a joint account for all that, and for the honeymoon. We’ve agreed to do a cruise to Alaska. It will be so romantic.” Macy’s blue eyes glittered. “I’m going to get it booked soon.”

There were two things in the world that Grace hated, and a rat was both. Her mother used to say that she could hear one chewing cheese a hundred miles away. That might have been an exaggeration, but there was one thing for sure that Sunday afternoon: she could sure enough smell one, and it was named Neal.

“Have you told Neal about your funds from your mama’s insurance policy and what was left to you when she died?” Sarah asked.

“Neal and I have no secrets,” Macy answered. “He’s told me all about his salary, which isn’t a lot right now, but it will be when he steps into the manager’s position. And he does have a healthy savings account—enough to buy the furniture for whichever house we decide on. And I also told him about selling the business. He has already put a call in to Travis and is working on getting us a good deal. If y’all don’t want to sell, then you can buy me out. I just have to give him power of attorney over my part of the business for him to get the ball rolling. This is a good thing.” She flashed a brilliant smile. “And don’t worry—I don’t want the half I’m entitled to from Mama’s will when she left me her part of the business, but I do think a third would be fair. Neal thinks it would be a wonderful idea. Then we could start a family right after the wedding, and I could stay home with the babies.”