“Don’t call her names. She’s my wife.” If looks could kill, Jody would have been nothing but a greasy spot on the grass.

You never were the wife, her mother’s voice taunted her.

“I’ll always have a special place for you in my heart.” He held out his arms as if he would hug her.

She glared at him. “You can light a match, stick it up your rear end, and burn that special place and that damned motorcycle at the same time.”

Paula and Mitzi both giggled.

Lyle shot them a dirty look and stepped closer to Jody.

Paula took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists. “I think it’s time you left.”

“Me, too,” Jody said.

“You always did like your friends more than you loved me,” he growled. “That’s what was the matter with our relationship.”

“Bullshit!” Jody said. “You not being able to keep your jeans zipped was what destroyed us and you know it. Get out of here and don’t come back.”

She turned around and stormed into the house, leaving him standing there. He jumped into his truck, slung gravel against the house, and disappeared in a cloud of gray dust.

“Are you okay?” Paula and Mitzi asked at the same time when they made it inside.

“I’ll be fine when I cool off,” Jody said. “The bastard had no right comin’ up here in his fancy clothes and new truck to ask me to sign so he could sell his motorcycle. Who does he think he is?” Jody said in a rush before she took a deep breath. “Special place in his heart, my ass—he was just butterin’ me up so I’d sign the title.”

“You keep that attitude,” Mitzi said. “If you ever have a doubt about any of that shit being your fault, just remember the way you feel right now.”

“I promise I will.” Jody took a beer from the refrigerator, twisted the cap off, and took a long gulp. “Too bad you can’t have one of these, Paula.”

“Honey, I’d rather have a double shot of Jack Daniel’s on the rocks,” Paula laughed. “But you deserve that after the way you stood up to him.”

“And you deserve a whole bottle of whiskey after what you endured tonight.” Mitzi pulled the tabs on two cans of root beer and handed one to Paula. Then she raised her can in a toast. “To friendship.”

“Amen.” Jody touched her bottle to Mitzi’s can.

“Halle-damn-lujah!” Paula raised hers to join them.

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Mitzi sat up straight in bed that Friday morning when the alarm went off. Until she slapped the alarm clock, she wasn’t sure if she was awake or still in that horrible dream. She’d dreamed that Paula’s baby was stillborn and they were planning the baby’s funeral.