Read Online Blame it on Texas by Amie Louellen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amie Louellen
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Shelby pushed herself up from the sofa. “I’m going into town to get the ingredients for the cakes.”
Ritt shook his head, his expression telling her without words that he thought she was running away from their conversation. Like she cared what he thought.
“Whatever.” She grabbed the keys to the rental and headed out the door.
Two hours later she pulled into the drive, thankful to be done. Well, she still had to bake the cakes tomorrow. An exhausting prospect, but well worth the joy of her friends.
She was barely out of the car when Ritt came out to help her take the groceries inside.
Bag after bag, they hauled her purchases into the house. “Damn. All this for one cake?”
She shrugged. “They wanted all three flavors, then I’ve got icing to make and the groom’s cake. I figured chocolate cupcakes. You think that’ll be okay?”
Ritt nodded. “Chocolate was always Craig’s favorite.”
“Yours too.”
“Yep.”
She was all too aware of his steady gaze on her as she loaded the perishables into the fridge and stacked the other supplies on the counter.
Once the chore was complete, she propped her hands on her hips and surveyed the kitchen. “Now for dinner.”
He shook his head. “No way. You’re not cooking in my kitchen again.”
“I baked cakes in it yesterday.”
“Totally different.” He took her by the elbow and steered her toward the door. “Let’s head over to the diner.”
Walking into the diner was like stepping back in time. Others thought so too. All eyes were on them as they sat down in the booth.
“Land sakes alive.” Fannie George greeted them as they scooted into a booth. Fannie was as much a part of Ned’s Diner as the chili cheese fries. “I never thought I would see this day.”
“Hi, Fannie.”
“Shelby McCoy, what brings you to town?”
Shelby opened her mouth to correct her, but closed it instead. She was Shelby McCoy, for a little while longer anyway.
Ritt adjusted his hat and sat back in his seat. Was he waiting to see what she would say?
Strange, but it seemed almost as if Ritt wanted to stay married to her. Could it be that what Craig said was true? That Ritt felt she hadn’t given them a chance after she lost the baby?
Nah, that couldn’t be. He was toying with her, kissing her, then leaving her all alone on the couch. He was tying her in knots and he knew it.
“I’m here for…the wedding.” She couldn’t very well tell Fannie she had come to get a divorce from Ritt. The whole town assumed that had been taken care of a long time ago.
“Ain’t that somethin’? Delilah and Craig finally getting hitched and you and Ritt back together. Love is a wondrous thing.” Fannie winked like she held the secrets of the world in that one simple statement.
“We’re not—” she started with a shake of her head.
“Fannie, I’m parched. Can you bring me an iced tea?” Ritt smiled at the woman with all the charm of a movie star.
“Of course, sugar. Shelby, you want a tea?”
“Unsweetened, please.”
Suddenly she felt put on the spot. No one drank unsweetened tea in this diner. “Calories, you know,” she mumbled by way of an explanation.
Fannie threw back her head and laughed. “You almost had me goin’ there. I’ll be right back with y’all’s drinks.” She stuck her pencil back behind her ear and sashayed to the counter.
“You don’t have to try so hard to prove that you don’t belong here anymore.”
Shelby blinked, hurt by his words. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“What is it then?”
“Do you know how many tablespoons of sugar are in one glass of that tea?”
“Why can’t you relax and enjoy yourself? You used to.”
But that was a long time ago, when she had to accept her plight in life, daughter of a hippie mother and an unknown father. Shelby had only lived in Randall for two years, having moved around time and time again as her mother looked for whatever was missing from her
Shelby pushed herself up from the sofa. “I’m going into town to get the ingredients for the cakes.”
Ritt shook his head, his expression telling her without words that he thought she was running away from their conversation. Like she cared what he thought.
“Whatever.” She grabbed the keys to the rental and headed out the door.
Two hours later she pulled into the drive, thankful to be done. Well, she still had to bake the cakes tomorrow. An exhausting prospect, but well worth the joy of her friends.
She was barely out of the car when Ritt came out to help her take the groceries inside.
Bag after bag, they hauled her purchases into the house. “Damn. All this for one cake?”
She shrugged. “They wanted all three flavors, then I’ve got icing to make and the groom’s cake. I figured chocolate cupcakes. You think that’ll be okay?”
Ritt nodded. “Chocolate was always Craig’s favorite.”
“Yours too.”
“Yep.”
She was all too aware of his steady gaze on her as she loaded the perishables into the fridge and stacked the other supplies on the counter.
Once the chore was complete, she propped her hands on her hips and surveyed the kitchen. “Now for dinner.”
He shook his head. “No way. You’re not cooking in my kitchen again.”
“I baked cakes in it yesterday.”
“Totally different.” He took her by the elbow and steered her toward the door. “Let’s head over to the diner.”
Walking into the diner was like stepping back in time. Others thought so too. All eyes were on them as they sat down in the booth.
“Land sakes alive.” Fannie George greeted them as they scooted into a booth. Fannie was as much a part of Ned’s Diner as the chili cheese fries. “I never thought I would see this day.”
“Hi, Fannie.”
“Shelby McCoy, what brings you to town?”
Shelby opened her mouth to correct her, but closed it instead. She was Shelby McCoy, for a little while longer anyway.
Ritt adjusted his hat and sat back in his seat. Was he waiting to see what she would say?
Strange, but it seemed almost as if Ritt wanted to stay married to her. Could it be that what Craig said was true? That Ritt felt she hadn’t given them a chance after she lost the baby?
Nah, that couldn’t be. He was toying with her, kissing her, then leaving her all alone on the couch. He was tying her in knots and he knew it.
“I’m here for…the wedding.” She couldn’t very well tell Fannie she had come to get a divorce from Ritt. The whole town assumed that had been taken care of a long time ago.
“Ain’t that somethin’? Delilah and Craig finally getting hitched and you and Ritt back together. Love is a wondrous thing.” Fannie winked like she held the secrets of the world in that one simple statement.
“We’re not—” she started with a shake of her head.
“Fannie, I’m parched. Can you bring me an iced tea?” Ritt smiled at the woman with all the charm of a movie star.
“Of course, sugar. Shelby, you want a tea?”
“Unsweetened, please.”
Suddenly she felt put on the spot. No one drank unsweetened tea in this diner. “Calories, you know,” she mumbled by way of an explanation.
Fannie threw back her head and laughed. “You almost had me goin’ there. I’ll be right back with y’all’s drinks.” She stuck her pencil back behind her ear and sashayed to the counter.
“You don’t have to try so hard to prove that you don’t belong here anymore.”
Shelby blinked, hurt by his words. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“What is it then?”
“Do you know how many tablespoons of sugar are in one glass of that tea?”
“Why can’t you relax and enjoy yourself? You used to.”
But that was a long time ago, when she had to accept her plight in life, daughter of a hippie mother and an unknown father. Shelby had only lived in Randall for two years, having moved around time and time again as her mother looked for whatever was missing from her
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