She thought of Neal Monroe, the old man who had died. His obituary hadn’t listed any relatives—not a wife or kids or even a special friend—and she wondered exactly what name was on Neal’s official birth certificate.
“Time to unlock the door and let in the early birds,” Macy said.
“Don’t they get the worm?” Audrey asked.
“No, they get the freshest doughnuts,” Sarah answered.
“That’s a good one,” Audrey said as she was about to leave the kitchen. “I’ll get their coffee poured and their orders this morning. Do they ever order the same kinds two days in a row?”
“Nope,” Sarah said. “They like variety.”
Grace needed to talk to Sarah—alone. They couldn’t wait another day to tell Macy what was going on. She needed time to think before the two of them spilled the tea, as the kids said today. She followed Audrey to the dining room and wiped down the already-clean counter around the cash register.
“I figured you’d be off doing fun things with your friends during spring break,” Claud said as he led the way into the shop and headed to the table on the far right.
“I should be,” Audrey answered with one of her signature sighs, “but my mama has me in jail, and I have to work during my vacation.”
“What did you do?” Ira asked.
“Long story, but I’ll sure be glad when this week is done.” Audrey carried a tray with three mugs of black coffee to the table.
“Aw, we’re going to miss you, girl,” Claud said with a smile. “You’ve been good to keep our coffee cups filled.”
“Thank you,” Audrey said. “Will you tell my mama that I’ve done a good job?”
“Sure will,” Frankie replied as he settled into his normal spot.
“Your mama knows that you’ve done a good job and is proud of you for it,” Grace said from behind the counter.
The door swung open, and Darla Jo, along with her two little boys, made her way to the table at the other end of the dining area. Grace felt all the color drain from her face. If what they suspected was true, then why would Darla Jo come to the shop—especially this early in the morning?
The woman had long blonde hair, green eyes that couldn’t be that color without help from contacts, and a curvy figure—everything to attract an older man.
“What’s she doing here?” Sarah hissed in a low voice when she brought out a tray of doughnuts to put in the display case.
“Having doughnuts for breakfast, I guess,” Grace answered just as quietly. “She’s only been in here a few times. Last time I saw her was before Henry’s funeral.”
“Looks like our guys on the other end of the room aren’t paying a bit of attention to her,” Sarah said. “Think she’s lost her appeal?”
“Maybe they are whispering about their two friends who died in the past three years and deciding they don’t want to be next,” Grace said.
“I wonder who her kids belong to.” Sarah picked up an order pad.
“Do you really have to ask? Look at those brown eyes and dark hair. They are the spitting image of Neal,” Grace answered. “He and Darla Jo had to have known each other in Houston, and they’re working this con together.”
Macy grabbed an order pad and crossed the room. “Good mornin’, Darla Jo. What can I get you and these sweet boys today? Y’all are up awfully early.”
“Coffee for me, juice for the boys, and half a dozen glazed to share. We’ve got to go to an early appointment and get caught up on vaccinations and travel shots. They promised to be brave, so we’re havingdoughnuts for breakfast, and later, they will get prizes,” Darla Jo answered.
“I heard that you’re planning on moving in a few weeks,” Macy said. “Are you going to a big city?”
“Oh, no!” Darla Jo said with half a giggle. “It’s a small tropical town that’s not much bigger than Devine. I want to raise my boys to be wild and free, not cramped up in tradition. They’ll have a nanny who will homeschool them until they’re old enough to make up their own minds about doing something different.”
“That sounds amazing,” Macy said. “Your sons are so cute. I can just see them making sandcastles and—” She gasped, threw up both hands, and dropped the order pad on the floor.
Grace and Sarah gave each other a look, cleared the end of the counter, and were headed that way when Macy said, “Sweet Lord, that is one big diamond!”
“It is, isn’t it?” Darla Jo held up her left hand to catch the light from the sunrise just coming over the horizon and through the shop window. “I picked it out myself, but it was a surprise when Edward bought it for me and got down on one knee and proposed. Three carats in a pear shape. My hands are too small to wear anything bigger. I just love it. Yourlittleengagement ring is pretty, too.”
