Jasmine settled a pink baseball cap with the company logo on her head, pulled her brown ponytail out the back, and gave Liz a once-over. “You look like warmed-over sin, girl. Did they keep you telling fortunes all night?”

Liz covered a yawn with her hand. “Midnight.”

“And then?” Jasmine asked.

“And then I did a stupid, stupid thing,” Liz said.

“Dewar or Raylen?” Jasmine asked.

Liz swallowed fast to keep from spewing coffee across the kitchen. “What makes you ask that? It could have been one of Ace’s brothers or even Ace.”

“No, it was either Dewar or Raylen, and I think it was Raylen. He’s the one that can’t keep his eyes off you. Dewar notices because he’s a man. Raylen’s looks go deeper. Only a blind person would have trouble seeing that.” Jasmine set about making a pan of biscuits.

Liz took a sip of her coffee and hoped the hands on the clock would miraculously spin around ten times and she’d be saved by customers coming into the cafe.

It didn’t happen.

“Well? You better talk fast because doors open in ten minutes.” Jasmine’s green eyes twinkled. “Dewar or Raylen?”

“Raylen. It’s always been Raylen. Since I was fourteen, it’s been Raylen. I measured every boy and later every man by Raylen. He’s so high up on a pedestal that even God looks up to him,” Liz said.

Jasmine sat down in one of the three chairs surrounding the small table in the center of the kitchen. It was a workstation when she and Liz folded napkins, a resting station at the end of the day, and a place for her to set up shop for the business part of the café once a week. “Tell me about it. Raylen might be a sweetheart, but there ain’t a man livin’ who deserves to be on a pedestal that high.”

Liz took another sip of coffee, and her phone rang.

Jasmine pointed. “If it ain’t God, then get rid of them. I’m dying to hear what happened.”

“Blaze, darlin’!” Liz said. “I can’t wait to tell you everything that’s happened, but the café opens in ten minutes, and that’s not enough time.”

“Okay, okay, you are forgiven for running away, but I still want you to come back to your real home. I miss you.” Blaze’s deep laughter filled her ear and echoed out into the café. “I’m just crawling into my trailer. Last night’s woman was beautiful but turned out to be a whiner, so that won’t happen again. When I got home, I had to call and tell you that. The rest can wait until I get some sleep. Call me in the middle of the afternoon.”

“Oh, I will, and I’ve got so much to tell you,” Liz said.

“You know I love you,” he said.

“And I love you. Good night, darlin’,” Liz said.

Jasmine’s expression was one of acute confusion. “You love Blaze but Raylen’s on a pedestal?”

“That’s right. I told you about Blaze,” Liz answered. “He’s my best friend, kind of like Pearl is to you. We were the only two kids on the carnival rounds since I was thirteen and he was fourteen. And he’s my confidant like Gemma is yours, and then he’s like my brother and my cousin. Blaze wears lots of different hats. But he’s not Raylen.”