“Leslie, you are shameless,” I said, remembering that this was the other reason I loved this church, this altar guild. In my heart of hearts, I often felt so numb. By comparison, they were so animated that some days I felt like they rubbed off on me.

She smiled demurely at me. “Why, Alice, I have no idea what you mean.”

Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Father Matthew is great behind the pulpit. There’s no denying that. But I just can’t see him being a very exciting husband.”

Leslie put her hands on her hips. “Bonnie, I am seventy-seven years old. I don’t need exciting. I don’t need dramatic. I have you for that.”

I laughed, and Leslie looked back at me. “What about you, Alice?” she said. “Are things exciting and dramatic with our beautiful antiques man?”

Bonnie literally clutched her pearls. “Oh, how I hope so! Please let me live vicariously through you!”

“Bonnie!” I scolded. “What would Dean say?”

She scoffed. “Oh, call me when you’ve been married fifty-four years.” Then she bit her lip as if realizing that might be the wrong thing to say to a woman who’d never managed to be married more than seven.

“So, are you going to call him?” Leslie asked. “Because if he had mouthed that to me, I can tell you I wouldn’t be in this room right now.”

I laughed again. “Leslie! What would Father Matthew say?” These women.

Would I call him? Maybe he was right: he was man enough to overcome any curse from any woman. Even the Black Widow.

“Just don’t wait too long, darling,” Bonnie advised.

Leslie nodded. “A man like that has choices.”

I gasped.

Bonnie shook her head. “We aren’t saying he’s interested in his choices.”

“We’re just saying that the town is aflutter with the news of his arrival and a lot of women would like to be in your position, with Elliott pining for them,” Leslie added.

I studied them as they flittered about and twittered on about Elliott and me. I wondered if, inside, they were as light and uncomplicated as they seemed. And, maybe even more, I wondered if they could see past my perfectly cultivated exterior, all the way to the darkness inside of me. And, more important: Could Elliott?

JUNIPER SHORES SOCIALITE

@junipershoressocialite

Sharing bad behavior and delicious drama in North Carolina’s most exclusive coastal zip code. DM with tips, pics, and juicy deets.

AUGUST 29, 4:42 P.M.

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