“Oh, I couldn’t.” Ruth-Ann threw a hand over her mouth. “That would be like gossip, and I never do that. It’s unprofessional. I always thought she might have had a little side fling with Adam. He used to look at her like he knew something the rest of us didn’t.”

Great balls of fire! She was really fishing now. Lily had never given Adam Cooper the time of day.

“Oh, yeah? I never noticed.” Sally rang up the earrings and said, “Thirteen ninety-five.”

Ruth-Ann handed over her credit card. “In my professional opinion, I think that they’re two consenting adults. In my parenting opinion, I would hope they aren’t sleeping together when the kids are in the house.”

Lily knotted her hands into fists. If something like that got out, Mack could lose his job.

“Good God!” Sally ran the card and handed her a receipt to sign. “She’s only been home a short while. Do you really think she and Mack would get a relationship going that included sex that fast?”

“One never knows this day and age,” Ruth-Ann said. “Got to be going. See you later. Maybe I’ll stop in next week when Lily is here.”

“I’m sure she’ll be so tickled to see you,” Sally said.

As soon as the woman had closed the door, Lily came back to the checkout counter. She sank down in a folding chair and sighed. “I shouldn’t have moved in with Mack. I should have given him notice to move out of the house before I came back. If he loses his job, it’ll be my fault.”

“He’s not going to lose his job. He’s got tenure, for one thing, and it’s not 1895, girl. For a third thing”—Sally held up three fingers—“he’s a damn good vo-ag teacher, and he’s really built up the program. I’m surprised that you didn’t march out here and tell her to go to hell.”

“I wanted to, but”—Lily finally grinned—“why spoil a good source of what people are saying or thinking about me with one little temper fit. A gossip is a good way to find out things. I may hide every time she comes into the shop. Now, how about showing me how to run that cash register?”

“Soon as I finish my candy bar.” Sally picked up her candy bar and took another bite.

Lily didn’t leave until almost four that afternoon. She had just walked in the door when the school bus pulled up and let Holly and Braden out. They rushed into the house, both of them talking at once about going to the feed store again—this time for more than goat feed.

“Do I need to change clothes?” Holly asked.

It had been so long since Holly had asked for her mother’s opinion that Lily was taken aback for several seconds.