The Devine Doughnut Shop(22)

“Nobody, not a one of them, asked me my opinion about it!” Audrey slammed the door on her way outside.

“I take it she’s not happy with this arrangement.” Beezy giggled. “How are the girls getting along?”

“Not good,” Sarah answered.

“Those new friends of Audrey’s are turning her into a mean girl,” Grace said.

“Leave her alone as much as possible and let her hit bottom. Those girls are just teenage versions of their mothers. Audrey is smart, and she will take off the blinders someday,” Beezy said. “And who knows? They might even be friends by summertime.”

“When pigs fly.” Sarah laughed.



“I’m so glad to get back to normal life,” Macy said Wednesday morning when she reached the shop in time to roll out the last two raisings of dough. “This has been the longest I’ve ever been away from Neal in the four months that we’ve dated. We’ve barely had time to even talk this week. I told him that I was ready to give up my dream wedding with the white dress and go to the courthouse for a quickie marriage.”

“Does that mean that you are selling your half of the business?” Sarah asked.

Grace’s phone pinged. She dried her hands and pulled it out of her hip pocket to see a message from Travis: Good morning. Travis here. We met in your shop when I came in to visit my old friends. Neal Monroe has approached me with the offer to buy half interest in your shop, and the land. He is acting on your cousin Macy’s behalf. Is this true?

Grace sucked in air so quickly that Sarah, Macy, and Audrey all whipped around to look at her. She wondered how Travis had gotten her number but then remembered that it was on the business card in case of emergency.

Audrey turned back to Macy. “You can’t do that. I’ve already picked out my dress.”

“I can and I will. Neal says that he loves me and misses me, but he has to be gone on a trip for his job until late Saturday night, so it’ll be another four days until I see him again. I’m going to tell him I want to go to the courthouse on Monday morning. We’ll be married on his birthday,” she said with a smile. “He shouldn’t have trouble remembering our anniversary that way. I think all this stress of worrying about a dress, the reception, who to invite, and all that is what caused my headache. But I have to admit, the oil that Raelene put on my temples sure took the edge off it. I’m so glad that y’all hired her.”

“Can we go to the courthouse with you?” Audrey asked.

“Of course you can,” Macy answered. “All y’all and Beezy. Neal has no living family, so he will appreciate having y’all there when we say our vows as much as I will.”

Grace’s heart pounded in her chest. Would Travis jump on the opportunity to buy half interest—not even a third, like Macy had told them? What on earth could—or even should—she tell him since they had no real proof that Neal was anything but a cheating fiancé?

She thought of Neal Monroe, the old man who had died. His obituary hadn’t listed any relatives—not a wife or kids or even a special friend—and she wondered exactly what name was on Neal’s official birth certificate.

“Time to unlock the door and let in the early birds,” Macy said.

“Don’t they get the worm?” Audrey asked.

“No, they get the freshest doughnuts,” Sarah answered.

“That’s a good one,” Audrey said as she was about to leave the kitchen. “I’ll get their coffee poured and their orders this morning. Do they ever order the same kinds two days in a row?”

“Nope,” Sarah said. “They like variety.”

Grace needed to talk to Sarah—alone. They couldn’t wait another day to tell Macy what was going on. She needed time to think before the two of them spilled the tea, as the kids said today. She followed Audrey to the dining room and wiped down the already-clean counter around the cash register.

“I figured you’d be off doing fun things with your friends during spring break,” Claud said as he led the way into the shop and headed to the table on the far right.

“I should be,” Audrey answered with one of her signature sighs, “but my mama has me in jail, and I have to work during my vacation.”

“What did you do?” Ira asked.

“Long story, but I’ll sure be glad when this week is done.” Audrey carried a tray with three mugs of black coffee to the table.

“Aw, we’re going to miss you, girl,” Claud said with a smile. “You’ve been good to keep our coffee cups filled.”

“Thank you,” Audrey said. “Will you tell my mama that I’ve done a good job?”

“Sure will,” Frankie replied as he settled into his normal spot.

“Your mama knows that you’ve done a good job and is proud of you for it,” Grace said from behind the counter.

The door swung open, and Darla Jo, along with her two little boys, made her way to the table at the other end of the dining area. Grace felt all the color drain from her face. If what they suspected was true, then why would Darla Jo come to the shop—especially this early in the morning?

The woman had long blonde hair, green eyes that couldn’t be that color without help from contacts, and a curvy figure—everything to attract an older man.