“I—”
“If you’re worried about your daddy’s opinion, don’t be, ’cause I got his blessing. He and your momma are real happy about this, Ruth. They’re waiting for us back at your house. Soon as we’re done with dinner, we’re gonna have a little engagement party.”
The Rosethorn Café has turned into a fishbowl. No one is moving. They’re all waiting. I want to melt into the floor.
“I don’t know what to say.” I clear my throat. “I didn’t see this coming.”
Barry shifts on his knee. For the first time, it seems to occur to him that I haven’t burst into tears and seized the ring. He glances around the restaurant. “What do you mean? Course it was coming. You’re my girl. All you have to do is say yes.”
“Can I… Is it all right if I have some time to think about it?”
His expectant smile drops. “Think about it?”
“It’s just…I’m not good with surprises.”
A red flush creeps over his face. “Are you saying no?”
“No—this has nothing to do with you, I promise. I’m just saying…let me think.”
This time Barry takes a longer look at our fellow diners. I can see the embarrassment in his eyes. He picks himself up off the floor and sinks back into his chair. I’m immediately ashamed of myself.
The restaurant explodes with whispers, and Barry’s face goes from flushed to tomato. “Is this about Everett?” he hisses.
“What?” His voice has gone from persuasive to angry so fast it takes me a second to catch up.
“Is this because Everett’s back? Is there something between you?”
“Of course not. Ever’s my best friend. This has nothing to do with him.”
“You’ve been a different person since he got here. Like you’re off in la-la land. I swung by your house last night and you weren’t even there. Off with him, right?”
“No, I…” But what do I say? That I went to see the Fortenot Fishing wives for reasons I can’t reveal, then spied at the inlet?
My inability to provide an alibi makes a look of grim satisfaction creep over Barry’s face. “I knew it. Ruth, there’s a conversation we need to have that’s long overdue. I didn’t think it would be a problem, ’cause Everett seemed like he’d hightailed it for good, but he’s back now, so I’m going to shoot straight. Your so-called friend’s a freak show. You know that, right?”
My cheeks flame. “That’s not true. And it’s cruel of you to say.”
“Cruel ofme? Do you even know what Everett’s daddy got into? How sheltered were you?”
I want to tell Barry he liked that I was sheltered when it made me agood girl, fit to be his wife. But instead I say, “I know he was an alcoholic. But that was Ever’s problem more than anyone’s. Don’t pin that on him.”
“His daddy was a Satanist, Ruth.”
“Who told you that?”
“Yourdaddy.”
“My father has called more people Satanists than I can count. Do you want to know who’s a Satanist, according to him? The president of the United States. The man in charge of the ACLU. Librarians who read spooky books to children.”
“Your daddy swore on the Bible that Killian Duncan was an honest-to-God Devil worshipper. Seen it with his own eyes. And Everett’s just like him. All those things people used to say about him? That he was feral, and violent, and hurt animals? It’s all true.”
“Hehuntedanimals. Plenty of people around here hunt.” He needed to eat, I want to add, but don’t.
“You just don’t want to see it.” Barry reaches across the table and places his hand over mine. “On account of your soft heart. But the truth is, he’s always been a bad seed and you walk around with these shutters over your eyes when it comes to him. You know he used to get in fights every weekend? Nearly killed someone ’fore he even graduated.”
“He had his reasons. I know everything about Ever.”
Barry’s eyes narrow. His hand slides off mine.
