Page 63 of Home Tears

Her aunt was wrong. This wasn’t the ‘town whore’s bar.’ This was her aunt’s bar, and the rumors might’ve been horrendous and widespread, but they were wrong. Mae probably hadn’t shared her bed with a man in years. And she really probably hadn’t done it if the guy also wasn’t in her heart.

Dani felt a dip in humility. She was proud to come from the same family as Mae.

Dani was about to follow her when someone coughed behind her

Jake had on a half-scowl, and her eyes tracked to the right—she gulped. Boone wore a full-scowl.

Shit.

They knew each other.

Jake pointed next to him. “Dani, this is Mitch Quandry. He’s—”

Fuck’s sakes. She was about to be introduced to her ex-fiancé.

“You can call me Mitch.”

That was all Boone offered. No handshake.

She muttered under her breath, “Oh, boy.” Then nodded. “Hi. I’m—” This felt wrong. Neither knew who the other was, or she didn’t think they did. She was pretending right now, and when it would come out. The truth always came out eventually.

Jake cut her off. “This is Julia’s sister.” He nodded to Boone. “This is Jenny’s boyfriend. Jenny is—”

Boyfriend? Dani gulped again.

Boone cut Jake off a second time. “Jenny’s a friend of mine.”

“Oh.” Jake frowned at him, scratching behind his ear. Then he cleared his throat. “Okay.”

“Boyfriend.” Dani couldn’t stop herself. She shouldn’t care. She soo shouldn’t care. The caring was burning in her chest.

Boone’s smile was tight. “It’s nice to meet you. Julia seems lovely.”

“Yeah, uh—” Jake coughed a second time. “They’re not real tight, but they’re sisters. They care about each.”

Dani hissed, “He gets the picture.” She clenched her teeth.

Jake shut up.

The air was tense. Jake was frowning still, and still itching behind his ear. Boone was staring right at her, like he wanted to drill holes into her skull. She focused on the counter. It needed another washcloth over it, but unable to stop herself, she flicked another glance up. She looked right smack dab back at Boone, and he adjusted. He clipped his head to the side, as if he’d never been staring.

“Where’d Mae go?” Jake looked around the grill. “I wanted to introduce him to her.”

No! That was Dani’s first thought, but she couldn’t say that. She saw a rag under the counter, and reached for it without thinking. Her hand tightened around it. “Really?”

Mae was hers. Why was Jake introducing Boone to her? Boone, who suddenly had a girlfriend? Whose girlfriend was friends with Julia? Mae was hers, not Julia’s.

Jake’s head dipped down under her stare, still holding her gaze. “What’s with you?”

“She’s a thief.” Julia came around the corner, along with another female. She moved to link her elbow with Jake’s. “That’s what’s wrong with her.”

This day couldn’t get any better. The only ones missing were Erica and Aunt Kathryn. Hell. Throw in the crazy grandmother, too.

She turned to her sister. “Excuse me?”

She tried not to study the other woman, who stood a little too close to Boone. All-white clothing molded to the slim redhead, with white pearls circling her neck and wrist.

“I called you a thief.” She said to Jake, “Arrest her.”

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