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“That’s a killer red dress,” Cass said.“It addled his brains, that’s all.”
Lauren waved her wine glass and then took a sip.“That’s all.I’m done.My job is great.I’ll be back in Sweet Water Falls to host the next Supper Club.Blah blah blah.Cass?”She looked at the brunette next to her.
Cass drew a big breath.“I’m here to go through the house again.I’m taking Conrad to college in a couple of weeks.Then…” She looked over to Bea, the two of them exchanging a glance.Joy hated being on the outskirts of things, but she supposed she had her own close relationships inside the Supper Club too.“Then I don’t know,” Cass finished.
“What do you mean you don’t know?”Joy asked.
“I mean, I’m not sure I can sell the house here,” Cass said.“I’m not sure I want to go back to Hilton Head.”
Silence descended on the group, and Joy looked at Bea.She looked as shell-shocked as Joy felt, so perhaps she hadn’t heard this before.
“Why wouldn’t you go back?”Sage asked.“You have a beautiful home there.”
“I have a beautiful home here,” Cass said.“I don’t want to talk about it.That’s my Real Update.Bea?”She hadn’t poured herself any wine, and she didn’t try to hide behind the glass.Cass had never tried to hide behind anything.
Bea blinked at her, then shook her head.“I’m still trying to catch up.Uh…” She looked around the table.“Grant hired me as his full-time secretary.So far, we haven’t killed each other.”She smiled and brushed something from her plate.“Shelby is going back to her mom’s soon.I’m going to miss her.My kids are all alive and well still.”She cut a look at Cass.“So I’m good.”
She looked at Bessie, who sat beside her.“Uh, yes.”Bessie cleared her throat.“Good News Minute for me is that Cherry.”She nodded to the woman beside her.Joy hadn’t assigned any seats, but they’d all found a comfortable place for them.“Has given me two weeks off to take my Norwegian cruise.”
“Wow,” Joy said, and she started the applause.The others joined in, all congratulating Bessie for finally taking a vacation.
“Is this the one you’re doing with your sister?”Lauren asked from the head of the table.
“Yep.”Bessie nodded to Cherry.“You’re up.”
She smiled around at everyone, but the edges of the gesture shook.“Y’all make this sound so easy, but I can’t think of a goldarn thing to say.”
“You’re just introducing yourself,” Joy said.
“Oh.Uh, I’m Cherry.”She lifted one hand.“I run The Dough Boy for Shane West, because the man is brilliant with dough, but not so much with anything else.”She relaxed.“I’m married to Jed Forrester, and we own Cowboy Ranch.It’s always in a state of constant repair and fixing up, but my husband says we are too.As people.We love it, and he lets me have as many goats and dogs as I want, so I can’t really complain.”She laughed, and everyone joined in with her.“That’s about all.”She looked at Sage, who covered her hand and patted it.
“I’m not sure if this is good news or bad news,” she said.“But I think it won’t be a surprise to anyone.I certainly wasn’t surprised by it.”She smiled, and once again, Joy sensed something scared behind the action.She loved Sage, but the woman kept to herself a lot.She did a lot of things herself, including all the trips they’d gone on.
“Jerry and I are separating,” she said.“I’m going to file for divorce once he’s moved out.”No tears escaped, and in fact, her smile returned.“We just…he’s like a roommate, and I think we both want more.”
After another few beats of silence, Cass said, “I understand that, Sage.I’m still sorry.”
“Thank you,” Sage said.She drew a deep breath.“It’s fine, ladies.I think it’ll be good in the long run.”She looked at Joy, as they’d made it all the way around.“Your turn, Joy.”
She startled, because she’d heard a few surprising things at the table tonight.“My Good News Minute is that I’ve been offered a permanent classroom aide position at my elementary school.”She accepted the congrats and applause on her behalf.“And…I joined a dating app.”
That caused an uproar, but Joy waved both arms above her head.“Nope.I’m pulling my Cass-card, and I don’t want to talk about it.”There wasn’t much to say anyway.She hadn’t actually gone out with anyone yet.“Dinner is ready, so let’s eat.”
She grinned as everyone did what she said, and she caught Cherry Forrester’s eye a few minutes later.She lifted her eyebrows, and Cherry nodded.She exuded warmth and confidence, and she laughed and talked with the others there.
Yes, she’d fit in great with this Supper Club, because Joy really felt like they needed to replenish if they wanted to keep going.She watched Cass, and the other woman might not know exactly what she wanted, but Joy had the very real feeling that she’d be back in Hilton Head before long.
Bea lived there already.Lauren would figure out something with Blake—or someone else on the island.
And that would leave Joy, Sage, and Bessie with only a trio.So they needed more people, and while others hadn’t fit, Cherry certainly did.
