Dottie looked pleased and then gave her a curious look. “And there was never anyone who tempted you?”

“Once. I was barely eighteen. He swept into town and swept me off my feet, if you can believe it.”

“So what happened to him?”

“He went back to his wife.”

“Oh.” Dottie frowned. “I’m sorry.”

Adelaide waved a hand in dismissal. “Like I said. William was one of the rare good ones.”

“Wait—you never took another chance? You were only eighteen.”

“I was old enough to know what I didn’t want, and that was it. Watched my momma put up with too much crap. It didn’t seem like a good fit for me. Figured I’d end up in prison while the cops dug up my backyard looking for a body.”

Dottie sighed. “Why do you have to take everything to the extreme?”

“Because then I can be pleasantly surprised when things don’t go poorly.”

“There’s a certain dismal logic in that. Anyway, what is this favor?”

“I want to be your date for the charity thingy.”

Dottie shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“You didn’t even hear my reason why.”

“There is no reason good enough for me to risk taking you as my guest to the LeDoux’s.”

“What if Christ was returning?”

“He wouldn’t go to the LeDoux’s.”

“Fair enough. You know my cousin Luke is the new game warden, right?”

“Of course. He’s one of the guests of honor, although I’m guessing Preston isn’t overly happy about that now, given that he helped Avery get out of jail.”

“Yeah, well, he just added insult to injury. He’s taking Marina as his date.”

Dottie’s eyes widened. “You’re lying.”

“I’m a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them.”

Dottie covered her mouth with her hand. “Good. God.”

“I told you I had a reason.”

“Christ returning would have been easier to manage. What in the world is he thinking?”

“Maybe he’s thinking that Marina is pretty and the LeDoux suck.”

“Well, what is she thinking?”

“That Luke is hot and Harold never was?”

Dottie wrinkled her nose. “He’s your family and at least twenty years your junior. You can’t go around calling him hot. It’s unseemly.”

Adelaide shrugged. “I got eyes, don’t I? Him being younger just means he looks better cause he’s still got his teeth and hair. And he’s like a fifth cousin or even further down the line. I probably share more blood with you.”

“I don’t know why I bother.”

“Neither do I.”

“Well, you have to tell him that he can’t do this.”

“Already did. He said pissing the LeDoux off was just a bonus.”

Dottie threw her hands in the air. “Then we have to talk to Marina. Explain to her what a horrible idea this is.”

“Did that too. She told me she had her reasons and nothing I said would change her mind.”

“What in the name of all that is holy is going on in this town? When sane, low-key women like Marina Trahan start acting this far out of character, I have to wonder what’s in the water supply.”