The Liar

“You can’t miss it if you know where to look. A lot of people thought—probably still think—I was crazy.”

“That probably gave you another nice, hefty lift. We do prize our crazy in the South.”

“Why, you know that young Lott boy from up to Baltimore?” Emma Kate began.

“He may be addled,” Shelby finished, “but he’s handy.”

She saw Forrest wander in. Checking up on me, she thought. Some things didn’t change.

“The law’s coming,” Griff commented as Forrest walked over to the booth. “Hey, Pomeroy. Is this a raid?”

“Off-duty. I’m here for the beer and wild women.”

“This one’s taken.” Matt squeezed a little closer to Emma Kate. “But you can slide in and get the beer.”

“Beer first.” He nodded toward Shelby’s glass. “Is that water?”

“Yes, Daddy. Did you come from home? Is Callie doing all right?”

“Yes, Mama. She had a bubble bath of epic proportions, talked her granddaddy into two stories, and was sleeping with Fifi when I left. You want another round of water?”

“I should probably get back.”

“Relax. Another round?” he asked the rest of the table.

“I’d take a Diet Coke this time, Forrest,” Emma Kate told him. “I’ve had my quota.”

When her brother went off to order the drinks, Shelby looked around. “I know we didn’t come in here all that much, but I don’t remember it ever doing this kind of business.”

“You should see it every other Saturday night.” Since he had another coming, Matt drained his beer. “They have live entertainment. Griff and I are talking to Tansy—and she’s talking to Derrick—about adding on—bigger stage, dance floor, second bar.”

“They could use it for private parties.” Now Griff scanned the room. “You keep it all in line with the original architecture, make sure you’ve got good acoustics, good traffic flow. They’d have something.”

“Drinks are coming.” Forrest slid in on the edge of the bench. “How’s that kitchen going for Miz Bitsy?”

“A couple more days,” Matt said, “we’re out of there.”

“You know, my mama’s talking about doing a big master bath off the bedroom. With a steam shower.” He narrowed his eyes at Griff. “You did know.”

“Maybe we’ve had a few words about it.”

“It’s going to eat up Shelby’s old room, and as she has Clay’s now and Callie’s got mine, that’s all the bedrooms there are.”

“Are you planning on moving back in with your parents?”

“No, but you never know.” He shot Shelby a glance. “Do you? So if she gets her way—and she will—and my circumstances change, I’ll be moving into your place.”

“I’ve got the room. You still on for Sunday?”

“You still buying the beer?”

“I am.”

“Then I’ll be there.”

“Griff’s taking out another wall or two at the old Tripplehorn place,” Emma Kate told Shelby.

“Do you think when I’ve lived there twenty years it’ll be the old Lott place?”

“No,” Forrest said flatly. “Hey, Lorna, how’re you doing tonight?”

The waitress served the drinks. “I’m doing just fine, but I’d be doing better if I was sitting down here having a drink with all these handsome men.”

She set Shelby’s water in front of her, bussed the empties. “You watch out for this one, honey.” She gave Griff a poke on the shoulder. “A man this charming can talk a woman into most anything.”

“I’m safe enough. He’s pining for my grandmother.”

Lorna set the tray of empties on her hip. “You Vi’s grandbaby? Of course you are, you look just like her, to the life. Well, she’s sure on top of the world having you home. You and your little girl. I was in the salon today, and she showed me a picture she took with her phone of your baby after Vi did her hair up. She couldn’t be prettier.”

“Thank you.”

“Just give a holler if you need something else. I heard you, Prentiss!” she called over her shoulder when another table hailed her. “Keep an eye on him anyway,” she said to Shelby.

“I don’t remember her. Should I remember her?”

“You remember Miss Clyde?”

“I had her for English literature, twelfth grade.”

“So did we all. Lorna’s her sister. She moved here from Nashville about three years ago. Her husband dropped stone dead from a heart attack at fifty.”

“That’s sad.”

“They didn’t have any kids, so she packed up, came here to live with her sister.” Forrest took a sip of his beer. “Derrick says Tansy’s his right hand around this place and Lorna’s his left. Did you see Tansy?”

“I did. It took me more than a minute to recognize her. Matt said they’re thinking about adding on here, putting in a dance floor and a stage and a second bar.”

“Now you’ve done it,” Emma Kate said as the talk turned to demolition and materials. “It’ll be nothing but construction talk now.”

She liked the construction talk, and the extra half hour she took to sit with her brother.

“This was nice, but I’ve got to get on.”

“I’ll walk you out to your car,” Griff began as he slid over to let her out.

“Don’t be silly. I think my brother keeps the streets of the Ridge safe enough. You can take my seat,” she told Forrest, “spread out a little.”

“I’ll do just that. Why don’t you text me when you get home?”