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“I’d be upset if he didn’t check on me either,” Janice reasons. “You spent the entire night laughing, drinking, and having a great time. You said it was going great until Garrett ruined everything.”
I sigh. “Yeah, it was.”
“And,” Alison starts, “he came to apologize after, which is proof alone it was screwed up that he went after Garrett and not straight to you. Cass, when I pulled up, you were shaking. That’s how upset you were.”
“Well, I think he likes you,” Peggy finally speaks up, sealing her statement with a sip of her morning coffee.
I snort. “How did you get to that conclusion?”
Peggy smiles brightly, setting down her coffee with a look of triumph. “I’m glad you asked, my dear Cassidy.”
“Oh, boy, this is going to be good.” Alison laughs.
“I ran into Butch’s mother, Julie Montgomery, yesterday evening at the Quick-Mart. And I must say, she knows about you,” Peggy announces. My eyes widen. “My point exactly. Apparently, Butch was not onlylateto Sunday dinner, but he had quite a few words to say to his family about you installing a water heater by yourself.”
“Wha—What did he say?” I ask in shock.
Peggy hums. “She didn’t say, she was making a quick run for milk for Lily’s boy. But she wanted me to tell you she says, hello.”
“Ooo, hello, huh?” Janice snickers. “She already knows.”
“Knows what?” Alison demands, practically on the edge of her seat.
Peggy muses, “That her son has a crush.”
I scoff loudly. “Butch doesnothave a crush on me. We’re not in high school. He’s thirty-four years old.”
“Hey, you said that wasn’t too old for you,” Alison exclaims.
Janice adds, “It’s not. Billy and I are thirteen years apart, and it’s perfect.”
I roll my eyes so hard my head begins to pound. “Janice, don’t even go there. You complain about Billy like he’s the hardest stain to get out of your carpet.”
“I do, don’t I.” She laughs. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love him to bits.”
Peggy holds me with a stern gaze. “I think you should give him a chance. The poor boy is clearly hurting for someone in his life. He’s been single ever since Mary was unfaithful to him. I heard he even had a ring for her—threw it in the woodchipper at work. Joe told me all about it years ago from Stanley Hall. That wasnota good day on the mountain.”
“Wait,” I say, pausing. “Mary Thompson? When were they together?”
“Oh, you were away at college,” Janice tells me. “They were together for two years before someone caught her cheating with a younger fella in Billings. That was five years ago. No one’s seen Butch with a woman since. Apart from at the bar.”
“Maybe that’s why he asked you to go there.” Alison attempts miserably to put the pieces together. “He wanted a quicky in the back alley.”
I sigh. “No, Alison, he didn’t want aquicky. I was sitting right there when Lauren Bishop tried to take him out back. She flat out offered him a blow job in front of everyone.”
Janice scoffs, shaking her head. “Unbelievable. You know, she had chlamydia last year. Gave it to Anthony Smith who ended up giving it to his pregnant wife.”
I cringe. “Jesus.”
“Butch didn’t do it, did he?” Alison asks, disgusted.
“No. He told her to get lost. I guess it was the second time that night by the time I got there.”
“Because he likesyou,” Peggy says as a matter of fact. “You know, I wonder if he’s even been with anyone recently. What do you think, Janice? Think we should call up Roger and see if he knows?”
Janice starts to take out her phone, but I stop her immediately. “No one is calling anyone,” I snap. “Butch will be here any minute, and I don’t need you all staring and making him uncomfortable.”
Alison snickers, Janice smiles, and Peggy wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Since when do you mind if Butch Montgomery is uncomfortable?”
