BooksBarbecue
Back Two Truths and a Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (100)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. June
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. July
  33. 28.
  34. 29.
  35. 30.
  36. 31.
  37. 32.
  38. 33.
  39. 34.
  40. 35.
  41. 36.
  42. 37.
  43. 38.
  44. 39.
  45. 40.
  46. 41.
  47. 42.
  48. 43.
  49. 44.
  50. 45.
  51. 46.
  52. 47.
  53. 48.
  54. August
  55. 49.
  56. 50.
  57. 51.
  58. 52.
  59. 53.
  60. 54.
  61. 55.
  62. 56.
  63. 57.
  64. 58.
  65. 59.
  66. 60.
  67. 61.
  68. 62.
  69. 63.
  70. 64.
  71. 65.
  72. 66.
  73. 67.
  74. 68.
  75. 69.
  76. 70.
  77. 71.
  78. 72.
  79. 73.
  80. 74.
  81. 75.
  82. 76.
  83. 77.
  84. 78.
  85. 79.
  86. 80.
  87. 81.
  88. 82.
  89. 83.
  90. 84.
  91. 85.
  92. 86.
  93. 87.
  94. 88.
  95. 89.
  96. 90.
  97. Acknowledgments
  98. About the Author
  99. Also by Meg Mitchell Moore
  100. About the Publisher

Rebecca could write the script for the whole evening right now. There would be a signature cocktail that people would drink too fast. Eventually, some drunk husband would jump in the pool. There would be at least one scene of marital discord—or possibly two. An unhashed-through argument between friends might make its way to the surface.

Brooke’s children would watch all of the madness from their bedrooms windows, and the sight would cement in their minds the image of adults behaving badly, which they would then lay out as part of their defense when they were caught drinking or vaping weed in high school or (God forbid) middle school.

On a more positive note, the food would be superb, and there would be dancing.

Was that a positive note, though? Did anybody really need to see people over forty shaking it on the dance floor? Well, it was a note anyway.

I’ll be there! She hesitated, then scrawled on the card, Plus one.

56.

The Squad

Naturally Brooke told us that Rebecca had included a Plus One on her RSVP to the end-of-summer party.

Who was it? we wondered.

Esther said Rebecca would bring her Mystery Man. But Tammy and Melanie got all over her for that. If Rebecca had a man, why would he be a mystery? We’d never judge her for having a new man! We wouldn’t judge her for anything! We’re her friends!

57.

Alexa

“Ready?” said Cam.

“Ready for what?” Alexa was wary. The last time Cam showed up at her door and asked if she was ready, he was on his way to pick her up for a brisk hike straight up Mount Major.

“For the water stop. Remember? Yankee Homecoming Ten-Miler? Mile five? I volunteered us. I’m positive you said yes.”

Alexa groaned. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t.”

“You did,” Cam confirmed. “You definitely said yes.”

Yankee Homecoming was the big summer event in Newburyport. It lasted a week, with different events every day, and would culminate with fireworks on Saturday followed by a parade on Sunday. The Yankee Homecoming race was on the Tuesday evening before the fireworks and comprised a 5K and a ten-miler; it was almost always unbearably humid during the race.

“Can’t we at least do mile nine?” asked Alexa. Mile nine would be almost at the finish. It would be so much more interesting to watch people who were really close to achieving their goal than those who were seriously considering dropping out halfway through, just before the hills.