Haley spoke up before they even asked her. 揘ope, not in a million years. I might have done something to get even with them, but I wouldn抰 have told my mother, and Risa wouldn抰 have told Stella, either, would she??
揙h, hell no!?Daisy gasped and then clamped a hand over her mouth.
揇on抰 worry about saying a bad word, Sister. We are not living with Granny Stella or Granny Martha, and hell is a destination according to both of them, anyway.?Lily patted Daisy on the shoulder. 揝o that makes it just a word, like Florida or Canc鷑， or Paris, France.?
Daisy removed her hand. 揧ou are right, and I抦 trying out for cheerleader. We抣l be the ones who change things if what they said is true. Besides, that was crude and rude of them to tell us that.?
揟otally ungentlemanly.?Mary Nell held up her beer. 揟o scumbags who think they can make any of us do something we don抰 want to do.?
揂men.?Haley clinked her glass against the beer bottle.
The other three raised their drinks.
揟o us,?Lily said.
揟o us,?the others chorused.
Chapter Sixteen
Mary Nell could hear her dad whistling out in his moonshine barn, where he was working on a new batch of elderberry wine. She was sitting on the front porch swing with a glass of sweet tea in one hand and a book that she planned to read in the other, but the sunset was just too pretty to miss that evening. So she laid the book on the swing, which she pushed into motion with her bare foot.
Her phone rang, and thinking it was probably her dad wanting her to bring out a bag of sugar to the barn or maybe to taste the newest blackberry moonshine, she didn抰 even check the caller ID, answering instead with a cheery 揌ello! You should come see the sunset. It抯 beautiful tonight.?
揑 would love to be there beside you.?Kevin抯 words were slightly slurred, which meant he抎 been drinking. 揑 miss you, darlin? more than I can ever say in words. I was a fool to let you leave me.?
揕et me leave you??Mary Nell抯 voice went up an octave. 揧ou threw me out, told me you didn抰 need me anymore now that you were on the rise with that contract.?
揇on抰 be mean to me, darlin??Kevin said. 揑 had a lapse in judgment. It抯 the artist in me. You have to know I love you.?
揘o, I do not know that.?Mary Nell was amazed that she felt nothing for him except anger that he thought he could sweet-talk her into another chance. 揂 person doesn抰 treat someone they love like you抳e treated me, Kevin, and I was a fool to let it go on as long as I did.?
The phone screen went dark, and Mary Nell thought he抎 hung up on her, but then it rang again, and this time he wanted her to accept a FaceTime call. She hit the right button and held it out from her face. 揔evin, it抯 over. I抦 in Texas. I抦 not coming back to Tennessee. Find yourself another sucker to pay the bills while you chase your dream of being a famous country music star.?
揕ook at me, darlin??He let one lonely tear roll slowly down his unshaven cheek. 揑抦 begging. I抣l get down on my knees if you want me to. I love you. I always have and always will. I want you to come home.?
揑 am home,?she said. 揥here are you living??
揑 was evicted from our apartment, and I抦 just staying with one friend after another. I need you to ground me, Mary Nell. Please come home.?He was almost whining. 揋ive me one more chance. I promise this time will be better.?
Her knight-in-shining-armor syndrome came out, and it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she would consider it when she thought about her friends and how happy she抎 been in Riverbend. Then she got mad at herself for even considering giving him a second chance梠r talking to him, for that matter.
揘o!?she said with such force that it scared a sparrow sitting on the porch railing.
Kevin抯 bleary eyes narrowed, and his jaw began to work like it did when he抎 told her to get out of his apartment and his life. 揑 won抰 take no for an answer,?he said through clenched teeth. 揑抣l get in my truck and drive to that miserable little Podunk town and make you see that your place is with me, Mary Nell. We are soul mates.?
揑 wouldn抰 do that if I was you. You抎 be making the trip for nothing,?she told him.
His bloodshot eyes glared at her now. 揧ou are a selfish bitch,?he ground out. 揑 took you away from that lifestyle and gave you something exciting. I gave you almost twenty years of my life, and you can抰 even give me a second chance??
揟hat抯 right, but if we抮e honest, I worked and gave you all those years to accomplish your dream. That抯 long enough, Kevin. Don抰 come to Texas or棓
揙r what??He cut her off. 揙r your daddy will shoot me??
揘o, Daddy won抰 shoot you, but I will. I don抰 need anyone to do my dirty work for me. I抦 perfectly capable of doing it myself. I抦 hanging up now, and I don抰 ever want to hear from you again.?Mary Nell reached up to end the call.