“I forgot my—” she protested. He reached over her and slammed the door shut. Then he punched the gas so hard he spun out onto the gravel driveway.
“Idiot,” I muttered. It was the understatement of the century.
We stood there watching as he over-corrected, went into the ditch, and came back out again. Finally, those bald tires found some grip, and they sped down the driveway. Once they’d disappeared over the hill, I felt myself exhale like those slashed tires. Clem stood there, stone still, and I knew it would happen now. It was too much. The funeral and now this, both in the same day. It was more than any human could take.
But I should’ve known Clem was not any ordinary human. She was a freaking goddess. Because she never fell apart. At least not in front of me. She kept standing there, cemented in her spot, long after he was gone. Her hair was finally free from the bun, blowing out, fiery and unshackled in the breeze.
“Clem?” I stepped toward her, ready, and yet completely unprepared for whatever happened next.
That seemed to snap her out of it. She looked at me. I looked at her. Tear-stained, worn-down, and broken. And still the most beautiful girl I’d ever known.
“Clem. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She flipped the knife closed and handed it back to me. “Grab the rope. I still have a cow out.”
three
CLEMENTINE
Ispent the next few days crying with my head in Momma’s lap. She said that was just fine and I could take all the time I needed. But by the evening before the reading of Sophie’s will, even I was sick of my crying. If Sophie were here, she’d tell me to stop crying over Billy. He didn’t deserve any more of my tears. She’d probably tell me Lyla had done me a favor too. But I wasn’t there yet.
I was a quarter mile past the lawyer’s office when I realized I’d missed my turn. I pulled the steering wheel hard to the left and swung a U-turn in the middle of the road. My brain couldn’t hold my focus for more than ten seconds at a time lately. My phone dinged with another text from Billy. This had to be at least the fiftieth that day alone.
Billy: C’mon, boo-thang. Just let me come over and we can talk.
I clenched my teeth. I hated when he called me that. So trashy. And he knew that. As always, Billy didn’t give a crap about my feelings.
When I finally parked, I was late. I hated being late. It was so rude. But I took a second to respond to Billy.
Me: No. Stop texting me.
I pressed send. And then sent him a copy of the naked picture of him and Lyla. For the twentieth time.
I left my phone in the truck and clicked the lock button. As I hurried up the sidewalk, I smoothed my jeans down my thighs. I’d never been to a will reading before. Was it even okay to wear jeans? I’d made sure to wear a button-down, hunter green, satin blouse and brown leather boots to dress things up a bit. And, of course, a pair of pearl stud earrings. I swiped on a quick layer of my favorite berry-colored lip gloss and headed inside.
As I came through the door, the secretary nodded me down the hallway. “First door on your right.”
I was the last one to arrive. Everyone turned when I entered the room. My face flamed at my tardiness, though no one seemed the least bit ruffled. Anna sat closest to the door and reached out for my hand, pulling me into the seat next to her.
Immediately, she laid her head on my shoulder and snuggled against me. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered, but the room was so quiet, no doubt everyone heard it. The mood was almost reverent, like in church.
“I missed you too.” I smiled. I’d have to ask Jenny if Anna could have a sleepover at my house soon. It was so quiet without Billy there. It would probably be good for both of us.
The entire Dupree family was there—Jenny and Bo, Holden, Ford, Ashton, and, of course, Silas. I’d thought the brothers might’ve headed back to their various lives by now. Of all the five Dupree children, Sophie had been the only one to stick around Seddledowne once high school was over.
There weren’t enough chairs, so Holden and Silas stood against the wall. They’d left the open seat for me, which made my heart a little gushy. Per usual, I could feel Silas’s gaze on me. I hadn’t seen him since the slashing of the tires and getting the cow back in. I’d had plenty of time in the last week to think about my reaction to Billy and Lyla. I didn’t feel embarrassed that I’d lost my mind, just…a touch insecure. I’d kind of acted like a crazy person. I knew that. But even Momma high-fived me when I told her what I’d done. And if my momma—a proper southern lady—said my behave-yuh was justified? Well, that was good enough for me.
Did I regret doing it? No. Billy Eugene Adams deserved everything he’d gotten and then some. But it niggled at me that Silas might think less of me for it. I searched his face, hoping to find out. He had zero problems making eye contact, but as always, his expression gave nothing away.
Sophie’d been so expressive, full of life, and flat-out fun. Despite being her twin, Silas was her opposite in almost every way. Steady, quiet, and hard to rile, ruffle, or roughhouse with. At least with me. Had no problem being that way with his brothers or Anna. Something about being an uncle brought out the best in him. And Sophie had always said he was different when he was only with family. But whenever I was within ten feet of him, he was stiff and unreadable. It hadn’t always been that way. But I couldn’t help but feel like he’d purposely put up a wall to keep me out.
I chewed my lip and glanced away.
The door flew open and Arlo Llewellyn, the best and only lawyer in town, breezed into the room. He gave Bo a double-fisted shake.
Bo squeezed back. “Good to see you, Llew.”
“Well, aren’t you as pretty as a peach,” he said to Jenny.
