Clinton was careful not to make eye contact with Paula, but she glared at him the whole time. She’d bet he was never separated from Kayla, and now that bi-atch, as Tabby had called Gloria, had ruined everything for Mitzi as well. It was a good thing that a stuffed unicorn’s horn couldn’t kill a man, because even with a touch of dizziness, Paula couldn’t miss his black heart at that distance.

Her eyes wandered to Kayla’s big belly. Was that twins? When was the baby even due?

“Rita told me at the funeral that you’d moved back to Celeste but you still run the dealership here.” Kayla flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and shifted her focus to the girls. “She said the girls were all grown up, but good Lord! Last time I saw y’all, you were just babies. Which one is Dixie and which one is Tabby? Mercy, but y’all are big . . . I mean, t-tall . . . girls,” she stammered.

Dixie waved a hand. “This is Tabby. I’m Dixie.”

“I’ll see you at Lizzy’s wedding, I’m sure, but right now I’m starving for pizza, so we’re off to a late lunch. Been craving it ever since I got pregnant. Who are all y’all?” She looked from one person to another in the group.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve already introduced all y’all. This is Mitzi, Paula, and Jody,” Graham said. “And Kayla, Rita was wrong. We’re never getting back together.”

“Never say never,” Kayla said.

“Nice to meet all y’all.” Clinton finally made eye contact with Paula.

The tension was so thick it would take a machete to cut through it. Dixie and Tabby looked like they could chew up two-by-fours and spit out Tinkertoys. Mitzi had one of those forced smiles on her face.

Jody bumped Paula on the arm and whispered, “Are you okay?”

“Later,” Paula answered, but she gripped the handle of the cart so tight that her hands ached.

The awkward silence deafened them until Clinton finally pulled Kayla close to his side and spoke up. “Darlin’, we’d better get you fed and headed toward home. I didn’t even want her to come down here this close to her due date but”—he kissed her on the cheek—“women have a mind of their own.”

“When are you due?” The words slipped out of Paula’s mouth so fast that she wasn’t sure she’d said them out loud.