The Devine Doughnut Shop(60)

Don’t blame that person, her mother’s voice whispered. Raelene didn’t report that she was being harassed, so it looked like she was being messy on purpose.

Before Grace could argue, the back door of her SUV slid open, and Sarah and Macy got inside. She quickly raised her head and wiped her face on the sleeve of her T-shirt. “What a day,” she muttered.

“How are you holding up?” Sarah asked.

“Not worth a damn,” Grace admitted. “It broke my heart to see . . .” She burst into sobs.

Sarah patted her sister on the shoulder from the back seat.

“Where did y’all come from?” Grace did her best to get control of her emotions, but it wasn’t happening. She was the strong one—the oldest one—and she shouldn’t fall apart in front of the others.

“We waited until the girls were inside before we came out here,” Macy answered. “Is the story they told us all true? They both look like they’ve fought with a Weed Eater, and it won.”

“Is it too soon to ask what the other two looked like?” Sarah asked.

“One had a busted lip and the other one a black eye, but our girls were cut. I’m glad they were able to close the wounds with butterflies, but the girls had to have tetanus shots. The police came to the hospital. I’m so proud of Audrey that I could . . .” Grace took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and held back more tears. “I shouldn’t be proud of her for fighting.”

“Yes, you should,” Macy disagreed. “You should be proud of her for standing up for herself and her friend.”

“Amen,” Sarah added. “Those girls are young, and they’ll get over this—but what about you?”

“I want to start the engine of this car and leave,” Grace admitted. “All the drama of not selling our shop, the land, and the stuff with Joel and with Neal . . .”

“Thank God no one knew about Joel,” Sarah said.

“And now this.” Macy shook her head. “I’d like to take off, too—so fast that the dust would still be settling when I hit the highway.”

“Then let’s do it,” Sarah whispered. She pulled out her phone, looked something up, and then put it back in her pocket.

“Since we talked about a trip for Raelene’s graduation, I’ve been doing some research,” Macy said. “There’s this cute little motel on the west end of Panama City Beach. Sarah can get the plane tickets and the rental car arranged, and I’ll take care of rooms.”

“If we can get to San Antonio by four o’clock,” Sarah said, “we all can catch a five-thirty flight to Pensacola, Florida; be there by ten tonight; and get a rental car.”

“That’s only two hours from right now.” Grace gasped. “We’ve never closed the shop before, except on Sundays. All these years, folks could depend on us being open at five in the morning. We should think about this for a day or two, and maybe even put a little ad in the newspaper saying we won’t be open,” she argued, but at the same time, just the thought of warm sand beneath her feet calmed her nerves a little.

If you agree with them, you won’t have to deal with the drama this situation is bound to create, the voice in her head reminded her.

“The girls can make a sign and tape it to the inside of the door,” Macy suggested. “Are you in or out? We need to know right now.”

Grace’s mind whirled around like one of those whirligigs that kids hang out a car window. “I’m in,” she whispered. “We won’t know anything about the investigation for a while, anyway, and it can be a test as to whether we really want to sell our land and shop, even if we can’t let go of the recipe.”

“Great! Then we’ve got some work to get done.” Macy hopped out of the vehicle and jogged to the house.

“Don’t pack a lot,” Sarah said as she crawled out of the back seat. “There’s a couple of beach-type stores that sell bathing suits and all kinds of clothing near the place.”

“What have I agreed to?” Grace whispered.

“Our first vacation ever.” Sarah sighed and opened the door for her sister. “Get a move on it. We’re burnin’ daylight, as John Wayne said.”

“I don’t even own a suitcase,” Grace muttered as she got out of her SUV.

Sarah was already on her way to the house, but she stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and turned around. “Borrow one of Audrey’s old backpacks. No suitcases means no waiting in line at the baggage claim.”

“This is insane,” Grace said. “I cannot believe I’m agreeing to this.”

Sarah draped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “The timing is perfect, and God only knows how bad we all need to get out of town for a while. Go tell the girls to get hopping.”

Grace glanced down at the newly planted flower beds. “What if there’s no rain while we’re gone?”

Sarah ushered Grace to the porch and opened the door. “If the flowers die, I’ll just buy more when we get home. Do you realize that I’m thirty-five years old and have never flown anywhere?”

“Me either,” Grace told her.

“First time for everything.” Sarah disappeared down the hallway, leaving Grace in the living room with two wide-eyed girls.