Page 131 of It Runs in the Family

Boone moved next to me and extended a hand. “I’m Boone, Iris’s friend. Pleasure to meet you.”

Merriment danced in Deanna’s eyes. “Friend?” she asked him.

“I’d like it to be more,” he said in amusement. “I’m hoping I’ll win her over.”

She looked him up and down, keeping her gaze on him when she said, “Iris, if you don’t want him, send him my way.”

The jealousy that rose in my chest caught me by surprise, and I reminded myself Boone was playing a role, and I was supposed to be playing one too.

“We’ll see how the day goes,” I said, shooting Boone a pointed smile before I glanced back to Deanna and gasped. “I love your bracelet! Where did you get it?”

Her smile fell, and a sad look filled her eyes as she fingered it. “Marvin’s Mercantile.”

“It looks like a friendship bracelet,” I said.

“It is.” She grimaced. “Or was.”

“What happened?” I asked sympathetically. Boone might think I’d seen an opening, but I was being genuine. Deanna and I had never been close, but I liked her and hated to see her upset.

Tears filled her eyes. “It’s hard when you find out who your real friends are. Or aren’t.”

“Deanna,” a woman snapped from the end of the aisle at the back of the store. “You’re supposed to be stocking that shelf, not having Happy Hour.”

Deanna’s face shifted into irritation, and she propped a hand on her hip. “It can’t be Happy Hour if there aren’t any alcoholic beverages, Rhonda.”

“Even so, I’m payin’ you to stock the shelf, not have a conversation with your friend.”

Deanna grabbed a cereal box from a larger cardboard box on the floor and plopped it on the shelf. “Happy?”

“Keep workin’,” Rhonda grunted, then moved away.

Deanna rolled her eyes. “That woman…” She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a flask, unscrewed the top, and took a sip. “Now it’s Happy Hour.”

If Boone was shocked, he didn’t show it as she recapped the flask.

“Now where were we?” Deanna asked as she bent down to pick up another cereal box.

“Who’s your friend with the other bracelet?” I asked softly.

She gave me a sad smile. “Who says there’s a friend?”

“It’s a friendship bracelet,” I said. “While you can be friends with yourself, I suspect it was someone else.”

“Rebecca,” she said, tears filling her eyes again. “Rebecca Threadgill. She was several years behind us in school. I met her workin’ at McDonald’s and we became best friends. But about a month ago, she met a man and she changed.”

I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “How so?”

“She became secretive. She used to be a happy, outgoin’ girl, and she got quiet. I asked what was goin’ on, but she insisted everything was fine. I knew it wasn’t, though, because she lost her job. She couldn’t afford her share of the rent last month. I told her it was okay, I’d cover it, but she said she was workin’ on something, and soon she’d have enough money for rent and more.”

“You and Rebecca live together?” I asked in surprise.

“Yep, for the past two years.”

“Do you know what she was workin’ on that would give her rent money and more?”

Deanna shook her head as she placed the cereal box on the shelf. “Nope, but I saw her new man, and based on him, I’d say it was nothin’ good.”

“What do you think it was?” I pressed.