She talked to herself as she got dressed, went down the stairs, and all the way to Lettie’s, where she rapped on the kitchen door.

“Come on in,” Lettie called out. “I was hoping you might come by this mornin’.”

Jennie Sue got a whiff of fresh cinnamon and coffee blended together when she entered the house. Lettie motioned toward the table. “Pour a cup and have a seat. I just took three nice slices of french toast from the skillet, and the warm maple syrup is on the table.”

“You’re goin’ to put a hundred pounds on me.” Jennie Sue refilled Lettie’s cup and then poured hers.

“You need a good breakfast before you go to the bookstore.” She pulled out a chair and sat down across from Jennie Sue. “I’ve got news. Amos told Frank out on the back porch yesterday that he’d love to sell the bookstore to you. He thinks Iris would be happy if you owned it but that he wouldn’t sell it to anyone else. But me and Nadine told Mabel that was silly, because your days of cleaning houses and working at a bookstore were probably at an end. If you work at the oil business, you’ll set your own salary, and if you cash in, why would you ever sell used books?”

“Happiness isn’t measured in dollar bills,” Jennie Sue said between bites.

“Nope, it sure ain’t. If it was, there’d be a helluva lot of unhappy people in the world.” Lettie took a sip of her coffee. “So the rumors are all untrue, then? You’ve made up your mind to stay here, and you aren’t moving away to set up clinics for folks?”

“What are you talking about?” Jennie Sue asked.

“You mentioned doing something for underprivileged folks, and well . . .” Lettie shrugged. “You know how gossip is around here.”

“I have made up my mind to stay right here,” Jennie Sue answered. Rick Lawson had better get used to the idea, because she wasn’t going anywhere.

“And you don’t have a meeting with the directors this morning?”

Jennie Sue took a sip of coffee. The taste of good strong coffee mixed with cinnamon and warm syrup was too good for words. “That part is true.”

“You decided what you’re going to say to all of them?”

“Pretty much,” Jennie Sue answered. “I’m going to think it all over one more time before I walk into that meeting.”

“Honey, you do know you will have to clean out that house if you decide to sell it, right?”

“I know, and it won’t be easy going through Mama and Daddy’s personal stuff, but I can work on it a little at a time. It’s past time for Mabel and Frank to retire, and they’ll both think they have to keep workin’ if I live out there. The first order of business when I go into that meeting is that I’m going to make sure they have a severance package that will take care of them the rest of their lives. They’ve given their lives to my family for years. It’s time for them to enjoy life without having to work every day.”

Lettie laid a hand on her shoulder. “You are a good person.”

“Thank you. Please keep that between us until I get the details lined out with the lawyer. Now on to a different subject. Did you notice how quiet Rick was yesterday?”

“’Course I did. I figured you two were arguing about something. But Frank told Mabel that he didn’t say much out on the porch. Maybe he’s worried that you’ll really take off halfway around the world, and he won’t ever see you again.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “He’s got a thing for you, you know.”

“We’re the only two people here. Why are you whispering?” Jennie Sue glanced around the room.

“You never know who’s listenin’ in on that phone you carry around with you. Could be that’s where all these rumors got started. There might be one of them roaches inside it,” Lettie said.

“Roaches?” Jennie Sue frowned.

“Bugs,” Lettie said.

“I see.” Jennie Sue bit back a grin. “I should be going. The meeting starts in half an hour. Thanks for breakfast and for listening. I’ll call as soon as I’m back in the bookstore, and you and Nadine can come down for a visit.”

“I’ll already know what happened. I heard they’ve hired Elaine’s cousin to serve finger foods, and she’ll keep her mama informed. Her mama will call Elaine, and I’ve made a deal with her to call me. So don’t say nothing you don’t want repeated.”

“Small towns. Sometimes they’re great, but other times not so much,” Jennie Sue sighed.

“Got to love ’em no matter what, though, don’t you?” Lettie called after her as she left by the back door.

Chapter Twenty-One

As she was walking out the door, Rick’s truck came to a screeching stop not a foot behind her mother’s car, where she’d parallel-parked it against the curb. She was so happy that he’d come to give her a little bit of last-minute moral support that she didn’t care if he buckled the rear end of the Caddy. But it wasn’t Rick who crawled out of the driver’s seat—it was Cricket.

Disappointment filled her heart but was soon replaced by worry. “Is something wrong? Why are you driving? Is Rick hurt?” The questions tumbled out of her mouth faster than her pulse.

“I didn’t figure on it hurting to pump the brakes and almost smashed into your car. Nothing is wrong. I’m driving because Rick is a stubborn-headed jackass today. He stormed off to the creek when I told him that we should at least check on you this morning. So I got in the truck myself, and here I am. Are you on the way to the big meeting?” Cricket asked.

Relief, pure and simple, even if Rick was a jackass, swept over her. He could get over his pissy mood, but being hurt or even dead was a different thing altogether. “Yep. You want to go with me?”

“I’m not dressed for that. Besides, I’d be in the way, and you don’t really want me there, do you?” She paused at the last part.

“Yes, you are. No, you won’t be, and yes, I do.” Jennie Sue opened the passenger door to the Cadillac for her. “When the gossip starts the minute I walk out of the company, I’ll need a witness to repeat exactly what I decided. Weren’t you the one who snapped a dozen pictures of me getting off the bus on the day I came back to Bloom?”

“Twenty-two, but I deleted the ones that were blurry,” Cricket answered as she handed her crutches to Jennie Sue and got into the car. “You are welcome.”

“See, you were my friend before you even knew you were.” Jennie Sue slammed the door shut. Cricket gave her confidence and strength to stand up to the board of directors and do things her way.

“I wasn’t really your friend when I deleted the pictures,” Cricket said as soon as Jennie Sue was in the driver’s seat and had turned on the AC. “I just didn’t want anyone to think I was a bad photographer.”

“You are full of crap, Cricket Lawson.”

“No, I’m not, but my brother sure is this mornin’. You might change your mind about likin’ him when he gets in moods like this,” she said.

“Is that very often?” Jennie Sue asked. Not even Rick being in a bad mood could make her not like him, but it might make her argue with him.

“Not so much lately, but when he first got home, they came on a daily basis. I thought he was making big progress until this morning,” she answered.

The car didn’t even have time to cool down when Jennie Sue pulled over to the “Reserved for D. Baker” spot in the parking lot. She retrieved Cricket’s crutches from the back seat and handed them to her when she hopped out of the car on one foot.

“You’re getting pretty good at that,” Jennie Sue said.

“Can’t wait to get my boot on and throw these things away. They’re death on the underarms.” Cricket got them into position. “I hope they’ve got an elevator.”

“I thought I’d get behind you and push you up the stairs.” Jennie Sue’s voice went high and squeaky with nerves.

“Don’t know about you, but I’ve got the jitters about going with you into the Baker castle, so don’t joke around about it.”