“We’ve got sweet tea in the refrigerator,” Mitzi said before Jody could refuse. “And we’ve still got leftover cake. There’s a situation going on in the house, but y’all are welcome to sit in those lawn chairs and have a visit. Just go on and sit down. I’ll bring out tea and cake.”

“That’s nice. I have a terrible sweet tooth.” Quincy unfolded the chairs and set them up a couple of feet apart.

It took Mitzi only a few minutes to put pieces of cake on a couple of plates, fill glasses with ice and sweet tea, and take it outside on a tray. She set it on the porch between the chairs and turned to go back inside. But before she’d taken a step, Quincy’s phone rang.

“Excuse me. I really have to take this call.” He stood up, left the porch, and took a few steps out into the yard.

“I’m not talking to you for a week. You could have told him I wasn’t here,” Jody whispered. “Is Ellie Mae any better? You do realize she hasn’t paid her bill in full. We still need payment for all the flowers and her mother’s and sister’s dresses. I need to be in there calming her down.”

“She’s relating to Paula better than me,” Mitzi whispered back to Jody. “And we both needed a break from her. Besides, I wanted to see what Quincy was like.”

“You are a dead woman. I could have refused to go for coffee with him, and this could’ve been avoided,” Jody hissed out the side of her mouth.

“Do I need to be careful what I eat or drink? Are you going to poison me?” Mitzi asked.

“I’d like to. Do you realize that only one person needs to drive down the street and see me out here with him?” Her phone rang before she could finish the sentence.

“Hello, Mama.”

Jody shot a dirty look toward Mitzi and listened for a good thirty seconds before she said, “No, Mama, I have not been cheating on Lyle. I only met the man this afternoon. He’s buying the property where our trailer used to be, and he brought my lawn chairs back to me.”

Another few seconds passed and another dirty look or two, then Jody said, “I’m hanging up. I don’t have to listen to this.” She shoved the phone back in her purse and sent another sideways look toward Mitzi. “See what you caused.”

“Hey, it’s either have a nice, pleasant conversation with a handsome guy or listen to Ellie Mae whine until dark. Your choice, but if you’re smart, you’ll stay out here even after he’s gone,” Mitzi said.