He took a few more notes, asked me a few more questions, and then expressed his thanks before standing to leave. “I’ll get this out in tomorrow’s online edition for sure, Lily.” As he walked to the door, he turned around. “But I think you just created a big old problem for yourself saying what you did.”
I nodded, giving him a confident, although fake, smile. “My momma made a good impression on me, didn’t she?”
“That she did, Lily Sprayberry. That she did.”
The door closed behind him, and I sat in my chair, practically shaking. “Oh boy. I just lit a fire under someone’s butt, that’s for sure. And now I’m talking to myself.” I rubbed the muscles down my neck and into my shoulders. I’d become so much like my momma, but with a dash of Belle for good measure. I smiled, even though no one was with me, not even Bo. “Come on whoever did this, bring me your best shot. I’m ready.”
Chapter 4
Bo and I spent the evening searching Pinterest for wedding ideas to add to my wedding board. I spoke with my momma about the plans…plans I’d yet to start making, and we talked about the recent crisis in Bramblett.
“Sweetie, God willing and the creek don’t rise, this is goin’ to pass.” Momma had a way of making me feel better just by speaking. Her thick Southern drawl felt like home floating through my cell phone, and I wished to heaven she was with me then. “Don’t you fret none. I know the people in Bramblett, and you’ll be fine. They just need a little push to do right is all. Don’t you worry your pretty little self none.”
“You ask me, Momma, and I’d say they need more of a kick in the behinds than a push.”
“Well, that may be the case, but I know my Lilybit, and if anyone can make them behave and do it kindly, it’s you.”
She finished up with a lecture about the wedding planning. How she preferred lilies over roses, “Because they’re lovely flowers, and I named you after them.”
She strongly suggested I not serve barbeque, because, even though it was the most popular meal in town, it wasn’t fancy enough for her little girl’s big day.
“Now you got to hurry up and start making these plans sweetie, ‘cause I got to get me a ticket there to come and pick out a dress with you, but I don’t want to use our wedding savings for the flight.”
I explained I wasn’t even close to that stage yet, but I promised her that I’d get right back on the phone to her the minute we’d picked a date.
Only I didn’t tell her my intention was to hold off making any official plans until Dylan’s election was finished.
I just had to figure out how to explain that to Dylan. He’d dropped hints a time or two, saying things about outside weddings in the spring because summers were too hot and humid, and too full of no see ums to stand outside.
I avoided thinking about dates, picked a few dresses online, and saved them to my wedding board. I shut down my computer and snuggled into Bo’s muscle-filled back, breathing in his sweet dog scent while we watched crime show dramas on TV.
Four hours later Bo jumped off the couch, and I woke up. I’d had no idea I’d fallen asleep like that again. Stress exhausted me. I let Bo out then headed to bed.
I should have stayed there, too.
* * *
Rufus lived up to his promise and put my interview on the Gazette’s website bright and early Sunday morning. For a town with a homegrown community that favored small town living, they sure knew how to use the internet. I knew that because when Bo and I made a pitstop at Millie’s before heading out on our extended walk to the park, practically everyone I saw mentioned the article, and some not all that kindly.
I kept my head up and my eyes in front of me or at Bo and ignored them.
I arrived at Millie’s to the battle Millie had mentioned the day before. Part of me felt loved and supported, but the other part knew trouble when she saw it.
Henrietta yelled at the top of her lungs. She pointed her finger toward a man outside the café with such force, I worried she’d have a stroke right there. “We support our Lilybit, and you might could use a good ol’ kick in the rear, you hear me, fellow?”
I placed my hand on hers and gently pushed it down. “Henrietta, stop it. Be respectful at Millie’s, or she’ll ban you. You know that.”
Her bright red face matched her bright red and white striped potato sack dress along with the silk flowers on her hair band. She breathed like she was giving birth, something that would have been a miracle from God at her age. “Don’t matter none to me. Those men over there?” She pointed at the man and his friends. “They don’t deserve no respect. Did you hear what they said? They said you’re gonna drive this town into the gutter.” She clasped her hand to her heart. “Oh dear, I think I’m having me one of those hot spells.” She waved her hand across her face. “I got to pop a squat. That menopause thing is coming. I can feel it.”
Bonnie laughed. “Honey, you’re as confused as last year’s Easter egg. That menopause thing done up and left you years ago.”
Henrietta’s eyes narrowed so much they were teeny slits on her wrinkly, red face. “I’ll have you know I ain’t been goin’ through the change one bit. My body is my temple, and I treat it good.” She looked away and mumbled, “Unlike other people I know.”
I found it ironic since as the two bickered, they both munched on a raspberry scone laced with sugar crystals and oozing sugary goodness like syrup. I bit my tongue because Henrietta had been trying to help me, and I loved her to the moon for it.
“My body’s a temple too,” Bonnie said.
“From the rumors at Bingo night, half the men in town have taken a tour of it, too,” Henrietta said.
I ducked and cut to the side, worried I’d get caught in the crossfire. I didn’t have to worry though, because Millie came out to stop the fight just as quickly as it started.
“What in the heavens are you two crazy broads fussin’ about now?” She wiped her hands down her long, sunflower print apron.
The two crazy broads stopped arguing and stared at Millie.
“She started it,” Henrietta said, pointing at her best friend.
Bonnie flung her hand toward Henrietta. “Sweetie, your porch light’s on, but ain’t nobody home no more.”
“You looking in a mirror or something, ‘cause you’re the only crazy woman in the place,” Henrietta said.
Belle tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear. I jumped, not knowing she was even there. “You start something with them?”
I nodded. “But not intentionally.”
“Girl, you got this whole town in a tizzy, don’t you?”
I shushed her. “I want to hear this.”
Millie pulled up a chair and sat between the two woman, telling them both to take a chair, too. “Now, here’s what y’all are goin’ to do. You’re goin’ to shake hands and apologize to each other, and you’re goin’ to mean it.” She crossed her hands over her chest. “Just because one of your boys done fled the coop don’t mean you two need to be pitchin’ fits at my establishment.” She waited for them to shake hands and apologize, but they didn’t budge. “Come on now. Do what I’m asking or I’ll ban you from my place.”
Bonnie extended her hand and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
Henrietta smiled, took Bonnie’s hand and shook it forcibly. “Glad you figured out you was wrong.”
Before Bonnie had a chance to speak, I blurted out, “And coffee’s on me.”
The rest of the crowd clapped, except for Magnolia Cleveland who had walked in a moment before. She gave me the evil eye worse than I’d seen in a long time. “I’ll have tea,” she said.
“Then tea’s on me, too.” I smiled when I said it, hoping it didn’t seem as fake as it was.
“What’s she talking about?” Belle asked.
“She wants tea, not coffee.”
“No, silly, not Miss Snooty Pants. I’m talking about Millie. What does she mean just because one of your boys fled the coop? Is something up with Old Man Goodson or Bill
y Ray?”
My eyes widened. “Oh no. I didn’t put two and two together.” I rushed behind Millie’s counter and into the kitchen with Belle on my tail.
Billy Ray Brownlee and Old Man Goodson were Bonnie and Henrietta’s male friends. Belle and I didn’t know exactly what went on with the four of them, other than the fact that Bonnie and Henrietta swapped out their pick for the day, for lack of a better term, daily. I would admit to wondering what their relationships actually included, but I’d only done that once, and the visual was so alarming I couldn’t, no, wouldn’t let my head go there again.
Millie barked orders for extra help brewing up coffee. “What’re you doing buying coffee for the entire café? You know how many pots that’s gonna be?”
“You’ve got this,” I said. “We need to know what you meant by one of the boys flying the coop? Is something going on with Old Man Goodson or Billy Ray?”
“Haven’t you heard? Old Man Goodson went back to his wife. Word is she invited him to live upstairs again instead of the basement, and he said yes.”
Belle’s mouth dropped. “Holy cow.”
“This isn’t good. Billy Ray’s heart won’t be able to handle the stress of those two.”
Millie laughed. “Don’t I know it. They’ve been fussing about him for an hour now.”
“I’ll take care of them,” Belle said.
We walked back into the café from the kitchen, and Millie tapped into her register. “You owe me thirty six dollars for the coffee. Debit or credit?”
“Debit.”
Belle stopped at our older friends and squatted down to their level. “You two need to stop this now, you hear me? I’m sorry about Old Man Goodson. Maybe he’s got to figure some things out now, but that doesn’t mean you two ought to be behaving like school girls. You’re going to drive Billy Ray to an early grave if you’re not careful.”
“Won’t be all that early,” Bonnie said.
Henrietta laughed. “And at least he’ll die a happy man.”
I covered my mouth while I laughed at that.
Belle didn’t cover hers though. “That’s my girls. Now, hug and make up like you mean it this time, or I’m officially putting my hat in the ring for Billy Ray, too.”
They both pushed their heads back in shock.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Bonnie said.
“Darn straight I would.”
I stepped next to her and handed her a coffee as Bo watched from outside. “I might could use a little variety in my life, too. And Billy Ray is mighty fine.” I winked at Henrietta.
Bonnie pointed to us, but faced Henrietta. “You hear them two?”
“I hear it, but I don’t believe it.”
“They think they can just jump in and steal our man like that? Like it’s gonna be easy?”
“Ain’t no way that’d be easy. We’re catches. They don’t got nothing on us.”
Bonnie snorted. “Sure don’t. I mean, look at you, you’re a beauty in those stripes. No man would walk away from that, and Old Man Goodson, don’t you worry about him. He’ll be back.”
“Darn tootin’. Ain’t no way that good for nothing wife is gonna make him happy.”
Belle patted them both on the knees. “Well, there you go. Besties again.”
“You know it,” Bonnie said.
“And we forgive you for threatening us with that crazy talk,” Henrietta said.
“Just watch your backs, ladies, that Billy Ray is a keeper,” Belle said, smiling as she did.
Thankfully, the people in the café had forgotten about me and my troubles, at least for the moment, and went back to talking amongst themselves. Magnolia Cleveland, however, had other plans.
“Well, look at you, the realtor that once was, Lily Sprayberry.” She eyed me with steely eyes. “I read your interview on the Gazette website this morning. I sure hope you’re prepared to fight, because we most certainly are.”
Belle stepped toward to Magnolia, entering the snooty woman’s personal space. “What does that even mean? This isn’t a fight, Magnolia. This is the natural course of progress. You can’t fight progress, so why don’t you stop being an ugly bully and just drop it?”
“Oh, bless your heart, defending your has been best friend. Too bad she dragged you through the mud with her, don’t you think? Did you learn any reputable skills at that big college, the kind that will get you a man to take care of you, I mean?” She sniffed and her nostrils flared.
It wasn’t a pretty look on her at all.
Belle’s jaw clenched. “I don’t need an M-R-S degree like some other women in town. I can take care of myself.”
I steadied my feet hard onto the floor and kept my tone soft, but firm. “It was you, wasn’t it? You vandalized Carter Trammell’s townhome, and the stores, too, didn’t you?”
She smirked. “Oh, sweetie.” She held her hand in front of herself and admired her French manicure. “Now that would ruin my freshly manicured nails, now, wouldn’t it? But remember, I’m not the only one in town that wants to see you curl up into a little ball and roll away.” She laughed as she grabbed her hot tea from the counter. The hot tea I’d just paid for. “People aren’t happy with you, Lilybit.” She said ‘Lilybit’ with a bowl full of disdain topped with a dash of sugar.
We both watched as Magnolia Cleveland flipped around with a nasty little smile on her face and sashayed out the door.
Belle grunted. “Do you actually have any friends in town besides me?” She flung her arm toward Bonnie and Henrietta. “And those two?”
“I’m starting to wonder myself.” I went outside, grabbed Bo, and we headed to the park, my head sulking almost as low as my mood sank.
Belle stomped her frustration as she walked along with us. “This is ridiculous. We can’t let them treat you like this. I mean, seriously, I’m part of the company too, and no one’s coming at me.”
“Well, Magnolia did say I was taking you down with me.”
“You’re not.”
“You’re not really the one they have a problem with.”
“I’m half of the problem. I’m an equal partner in the company.”
“No, I know that.” We crossed the street, and Bo barked and wagged his tail because he knew where we were headed. I patted his head and told him he was a good boy. “I can’t help but wonder if this is about me personally.”
“It’s not about you. Why would it be?”
I laughed. I actually laughed from the pit of my belly because that was so ironically funny to me. “Let’s be honest, I’m not the most popular person around here these days.”
“By no fault of your own.”
“That’s irrelevant.”
“You’ve done a lot of great things for the community and people know that. To pick on you because of something you have no control over is flat out pathetic.”
We rounded the corner to the park, and Bo took off like a bullet. I let him, knowing he’d know where to go and wait there if he couldn’t get inside the gate. “Just because it’s pathetic doesn’t mean it’s not going to continue.”
Someone had already let Bo into the park, and as we walked up, we giggled watching him gallop around greeting the other pups.
Belle wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “This will be over with in no time, sweetie. Don’t you worry about it.”
I leaned my head onto her shoulder. “Easier said than done.”
* * *
After the trip to the park, Belle and I went to the office to catch up on some paperwork, but all I could do was think about my problem.
She paced around our conference table. It’s what she did when she had a lot in her head. “Okay, so the townhome is getting repaired. Have you heard how long that will take?”
I sat on the floor with Bo lying in my lap snoozing. He’d played hard at the park. Poor thing, he really had a rough life. Play. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. “I got a text from the project manager from the repair company earlier this morning. They’ve put a rush on it and expec
t it to be completed in a week, maybe two.”
Her shoulders dropped. “That’s a long time.”
I shrugged. “It’s the best they can do.”
“When are they starting?”
“Tomorrow morning.” I massaged the inside of Bo’s ears.
“I think we need to keep the listing up and just say it’s not ready for viewing yet.”
“What difference will that make?”
“Probably none, but it’ll stick it to the haters.”
She had a point. It wouldn’t do anything negative or positive to the listing, at least not that I could think of, and it would give us a little of our own emotional power over whoever did the damage, even though they probably wouldn’t know. I nodded. “I like that. Let’s do it.”
I went back into the system and relisted the property as Belle continued working toward her Fitbit steps goal for the day pacing around our conference table.
“What about Kelly Monroe?”
“From our sorority? What about her?”
“She writes for the Mullins Crossing Herald, and I follow her blog. She does a lot of writing about the area, so maybe we could get her to publish something on her blog.” Belle sat at the table in front of her laptop. “Don’t your read it?”
My face flushed. “Um.”
“Wow, way to support your sisters.”
“I’ve had a little going on lately. Sue me.”
She laughed as she tapped on her keyboard. “She gets a lot of hits.” She glanced up at me. “I bet we could get her to write something about the growth and progress in the area and mention Bramblett. What do you think?”
Bidding War Break-In Page 6
