“The surgeon thinks she got it all, but he has to have radiotherapy just in case.” Lexie glanced at the growing crowd. “Coming to something like this makes you realize how many people have been brushed by cancer either personally or through family and friends. Didn’t your mom die of cancer?”

“Yep.”

Telling people Linda died of liver cancer was easier than revealing the truth: that the liver failure that killed her was self-induced by her alcoholism. Cancer generated understanding and sympathy, whereas alcoholism brought out judgement and criticism. The latter had been the ever-present backdrop of her childhood.

The terse disapproval of Linda’s lifestyle by doctors, teachers, social workers, neighbors—let’s face it, by most middle-class adults—had circled Jess and her mother like a high wall of condemnation. Few people had differentiated between Linda’s many failures and Jess’s childhood naiveté. She’d hated them for it, but she’d hated Linda more for putting her in the position to be censured as “the drunk’s daughter.” Thinking about Linda wasn’t something Jess allowed herself to do very often, because it always dampened her mood.

Shaking away the memories, she said, “Want to walk with Leo and me until Ian comes?”

“I’d love to! I thought you’d be walking with Libby?”

“That was the plan. But when your best friend’s a doctor, you get used to last minute changes.”

“Libby’s loss is my gain then.” Lexie grinned at her with a mix of delight and gratitude before sliding her arm through Jess’s. “It feels like ages since I got off the farm. Let’s walk and talk and you can fill me in on all the town gossip.”

“You’re in good hands, Lexie,” Tenika said, joining them. “Not only is Jess always up to speed with the gossip, she tells it in such an entertaining way.”

Jess smiled, enjoying the praise. “Sadly, I’m going to have to let you down today. Apart from the public exchange of insults in the Buckets and Bouquets section of the Gazette, the town’s pretty quiet.”

“Surely you can do better than that.” Genevieve stepped in, flanking Jess.

“I’ll try and do better next time.”

“Why don’t you tell Lexie how you’ve been screwing your best friend’s husband,” Tenika said.

Lexie’s feet stalled and her pupils dilated so fast that black obliterated most of the hazel. “Tenika! That’s a terrible thing to say.”

Shock whipped through Jess, racing her heart and loosening her gut. They knew about Leo? No! Not possible. Even if the senior Hunters and Pirellis or Alice had broken rank out of spite and spread a rumor she was having an affair with Nick, they would have protected the children.

Come on! Get it together. Show no fear. Jess schooled her face into what she hoped was an impassive mask of disinterest. “Language, Tenika. There are lots of little ears flapping.”