“So, what kind of work do you do?” Becca asked.

Becca was being downright nosy, and it didn’t sit well with Liz, who was tempted to blurt out her whole life story just to watch Becca’s jaw hit the floor.

“Right now, I’m going to work as a waitress at the Chicken Fried café for Jasmine. I start in the morning,” Liz answered.

“How long have you known Raylen?” Becca asked.

Now we get to the real reason she’s created this cart wreck in the middle of the store. I would do the same thing for Blaze.

“If you count from the first time we met, about fifteen years. But I’d only seen him twice before I moved into Uncle Haskell’s house,” Liz answered. “Now if you don’t have any more questions, I need to get done with my shopping.”

Aunt Tressa’s advice was loud and clear in her mind. Keep a poker face and don’t give away jack squat. Watch their expressions and you’ll learn enough to give you a good reading.

Becca cocked her head to one side and frowned.

Confusion. Disbelief. That’s what showed on Becca’s face, and that gave Liz the power that Becca only thought she had. “I understand that you went to school with Raylen. Have you always lived in this area?”

“That’s right. Raylen and I have been friends since we were just kids,” Becca said.

At the mention of Raylen’s name Becca’s eyes should have lit up like a Tilt-A-Whirl, but they didn’t. Her mouth said words; her eyes didn’t back them up.

“Nice to see you again.” Liz pushed her cart forward a foot. “I’ve got a ton of things to do before work time tomorrow morning.”

“Waitress, huh?” Becca said with a half-hearted giggle.

Pure happiness. That’s what showed in Becca’s expression now.

Evidently, she figured Raylen would never be interested in a waitress.

“That’s right. You ever eat at Chicken Fried?” Liz asked.

“Oh, yeah. Love Jasmine’s food. She has chocolate cream pie on Friday, so that’s my regular day. Raylen and Dewar usually drop by on that day. Raylen is a chicken fried steak guy and Dewar likes Jasmine’s double cheeseburgers,” Becca said.

Happiness brings about confidence, Aunt Tressa said. Confidence loosens the tongue, and that’s when you keep your mouth shut and listen.

Liz nodded. “Maybe I’ll see you there at the end of the week, then.”

An upward tilt of the chin said Becca had regained her superiority. “Oh, I’m sure you will. Raylen and I eat there pretty often.”

Liz pushed her cart to the right and disappeared around the end of the next aisle as quickly as possible.

“Well, hello,” Colleen said.

Liz groaned, but managed to paste on a smile. All she did was eat lunch with Raylen. It wasn’t even a date. She’d paid for her own meal and simply sat with him. Why did she feel like she was being punished?

Colleen studied her like she was a bug under a microscope. “I hear you had lunch with my brother.”