Strange how refreshing honesty was. “There was a guy, he sucked, I’m here getting over him.”

Sis’s smile fell. “It’s always a man. Half the time I want to shoot Billy and the other . . . well, you write all those novels. You know what I want to do.”

Those novels. The reference to her day-in and day-out life reminded Dakota of why she’d left home. It had always been difficult to determine who truly supported her life, or if they smiled to her face only to talk behind her back. Carol Ann and Sis she could trust . . . Louise, not so much.

Sis wrapped a hand over Dakota’s shoulders. “I missed you. When Carol Ann told me you were back in town I nearly ran to your house. Then I realized there must have been something really wrong for you to come home. I know how much you wanted out of here growing up. I figured you’d let us know when you were ready to play.”

Dakota took in her sister, Louise, and Sis and grinned. “I’m ready. So long as no one asks about him. I’m not ready to talk about him.” They referred to the guy who shall remain nameless, as him. Him was the man they all collectively hated on principle. If himself did bad by one of them, he did bad by all of them.

Sis wove her arm through Dakota’s and offered a side hug. “Are we back to the hims? Who was the first him?”

Louise raised her hand. “That would be my Tommy.”

“Of course,” Dakota said. “Tommy became him when he did Daphne Mayson.”

Louise dropped her fake smile. “That was a long time ago.”

Dakota laughed. “You showed him by doing half the football team.”

“I did not.”

“That’s right,” Sis corrected. “You only did three of them . . . all within two months.”

Why Louise had to scold them with a look at her age was yet another reason why Dakota left home. There were more Louises in her circle of friends than Sisses. “She’s right.”

“Doesn’t matter. Tommy and I are very happy.”

Dakota doubted that. Tommy had always been a player. Louise had served a purpose and was discarded. Then her football team debacle nearly ruined her reputation. Dakota always thought Sally was conceived on purpose. Tommy really didn’t have much of a choice but to stand up and do the right thing. His parents . . . her parents . . . wouldn’t have tolerated anything else. And since his parents held his trust fund, he wasn’t going to disappoint them.

Carol Ann chimed in. “Kevin was the second him.”

“Barely.”

“Yeah, like for three seconds. Standing you up because he was grounded and not able to call you only made him a him for one night,” Sis reminded them.

Carol Ann offered a smile. “Well, when Dakota is ready to tell us about him, we’ll be here to listen.”

Louise grinned. “That doesn’t mean we won’t pry.”

“I would think you were ill if you didn’t. Unlike you, I know how to keep my lips shut. My him shall remain nameless, faceless, and enemy number one.”

Sis laughed. “Well c’mon. I never have time to shop so let’s get to it.”

Shopping actually involved some shopping . . . but it also involved manicures, pedicures, sometimes a trip to the salon or day spa. There was usually lunch included with mimosas, sangrias, or something equally sickeningly sweet that a good Southern woman could drink in the middle of the day and not be considered a lush. If one of them was on a mission to buy a new dress, then the four of them would concentrate on that one purchase and be happy with the outcome.

By the time the lunch portion of their day had passed, Dakota was feeling ten times better than when she woke that morning.

Sis pulled them all into a toddler clothing store for a special outfit for Junior.

Dakota pasted on a smile and walked through racks of pink, yellow, green, and blue. Tiny sweaters, tiny jammies, socks so little they wouldn’t serve as thumb warmers.

She ran the tips of her fingers over a mini white angora sweater that reminded her of the one she’d ruined.

“Dakota? Dakota?”

She forced a smile and glanced up.

Sis held a little dress jacket. “What do you think?”

“I think your husband would rather it be in leather.”

The three of them laughed and Dakota’s focus centered on the sweater once again.

I’m pregnant.

Without words, she swiveled around and left the store. She found a bench outside and sat. The cool slap of wind helped push her thoughts away.

One at a time, her friends found her.

“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Louise asked.

Actually, she’d been thinking about what him left her. “I guess. And here I thought I was doing so well today.”

Carol Ann draped an arm over her shoulders. “You’ve smiled more today than I’ve seen all week. It’s perfectly normal to have a small setback.”

“So long as it doesn’t linger.”

Sis jumped up, gathered her bag in her arms. “I know exactly what will cheer you up.”

Please don’t let it involve alcohol. As it was, she’d poured most of her mimosa into Carol Ann’s glass when she wasn’t looking. “It’s a terrible idea when Sis has just the thing,” Louise said.

Unaffected, Sis rolled her eyes and pulled Dakota to her feet. “C’mon. Follow me.”

They walked around the far side of the shopping mall and over to the independent bookstore. “What are we doing here?”