The Sometimes Sisters(42)

After the rush, she was out of live bait, and the minnow man didn’t arrive until ten o’clock or sometimes even later. Thank goodness the last customer wanted to buy snacks for a picnic and gas for their boat instead of bait. When the store was empty of customers, she made two pots of coffee, one regular and one decaf, and ran a quick dust mop around the floor.

The bell above the door rang, and she looked over the top of the potato chip shelf to see Brook with a takeout box in her hands. “I hope that’s for me.”

“Uncle Zed said to bring it over on my way to the laundry this morning,” Brook told her. “Aunt Harper isn’t in the café yet. You think she’s still sick? Maybe I ought to help out in the kitchen today.”

As if summoned, Harper pushed her way into the store. “I need a bottle of aspirin and a banana.”

Dana tossed a bottle toward her. “Fruit is on the counter. Hungover?”

She caught it midair. “Little bit. How about that cleaner stuff that Flora uses?”

Brook rounded the end of the display shelving. “I can get you some of that out in the laundry. Should I bring it to the café or to your cabin?”

“To the cabin,” Harper said. “Put this stuff on my bill, please.”

Brook waited until she was gone to whisper, “Wyatt’s truck is parked right beside hers.”

Dana raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“You think she threw up and that’s why she needs the cleaning stuff?”

“Could be, but it’s not a bit of our business, is it?” Dana answered.

Brook drew her eyes down until her brows were almost a solid line. “That’s not fair.”

Dana took the box from her hands and carried it to the counter. “I tell you all the time that life is not fair, but what’s the issue with it today?” She flipped the lid back to find sausage gravy covering three biscuits.

“All three—no, all four—of y’all can get up in my business and know everything that happens, but I can’t know why she needs some of Flora’s cleaner? It’s not fair.” Brook crossed her arms over her chest.

“Like I said, life’s not . . .”

One of Brook’s hands shot up. “I know . . . not fair.”

“So we’ll leave it there and get on with the day, right?” Dana scooped up a bite of the food. “It’s Easter weekend. Think we should go to church tomorrow evening?”

“CEO Christians,” Brook laughed.

“That’s right, darlin’. Christmas and Easter only makes us CEOs.”

“Would Granny Annie go if she was here?”

“Nope. Something happened when my grandpa died and she never went back.”

Brook picked up a candy bar. “Then I don’t want to go, either. Put this on my bill.”

“I’ll pay for it today.” Dana reached in her purse and rang up the cost for two candy bars. “Take another one with you for Flora, and I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Oh, yeah, and I’ll be four hours older, so maybe I’ll be old enough to talk about why Aunt Harper needs cleaner.” Brook waved and held the door for the bait man as she left.

“Teenagers?” a tall guy with sparkling blue eyes and blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail said with a smile. “I got a daughter that graduated a few years ago. It was amazing how much I learned while she was off to college, but some days, even though I’m forty-six years old, I still revert back to being the dumbest man on earth.”

“Then there’s hope that the time will come when I’ve got brains part of the time.” Dana smiled up at him and did the math. He was ten years older than her—and probably married with two or three other kids. “Where’s the regular bait man?”

“Retired—I’m out doing the deliveries until I can hire someone else.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Payton O’Riley.”

“Dana Clancy.” Sparks flew when she shook hands with him. “I’m completely out of minnows and low on stink bait and cut bait, too.”

“I’ll fix you right up.” He dropped her hand and whistled as he headed outside.

She glanced down at her hand for a moment, surprised to see that it wasn’t fire-engine red. She hadn’t felt chemistry like that with a guy in a very long time. He was almost out of the store when she leaned over the counter to watch him swagger out. And that’s when she dragged her hair through the gravy. She jumped back too fast and knocked the whole container off, splattering gravy all over the floor, the wall, and somehow even into the cash register.

Grabbing a roll of paper towels, she quickly did the best she could with her hair and then started wiping up the mess. When he returned, she was on her knees trying to get enough of it off the floor so she could get to the counter to sign the receipt for the bait.

Payton leaned over the counter. “Need some help?”

“Thanks, but I’ll have it done by the time you unload.” She blushed.

“This is my last stop, and I’ve only got half your usual order of minnows. I’ve got to make another run down this way tomorrow morning. All right if I bring more then?”

“That will be great.” She blushed again as she swiped up the last of what was on the floor and got to her feet.