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It was one of those days I regretted having a job I could have gone to Clarice and waited for the birth of the babies, sitting in the waiting room with the other people Tara cared for

I went into Merlotte’s feeling ridiculously happy I just had time to put the mail on Sam’s desk when Kennedy came in the employee door, and India was hard on her heels Both of the any of that "Ladies," I said "We are gonna have us a good day here"

"Sookie, I’d like to oblige, but ," Kennedy said pathetically

"Oh, bullshit, Kennedy! It is not You just ask Danny to share with you, you tell him what a man he is and how you love his hot body, and he’ll tell his heap big secret You got no reason to be insecure He thinks you’re fabulous He likes you more than his LeBaron"

Kennedy looked stunned, but after a moment a small smile flickered across her face

"India, you’ll meet a woman who’s worthy of you any day now, I just know it," I told India, who said, "Sookie, you are as full of bullshit as a cow is ofto hold hands and say a prayer for Tara, cause she’s having her babies right now"

And that e did

It wasn’t until I was halfway through my shift that I realized how ht heart How long had it been since I’d let go of my worries and simply allowed myself to enjoy the happiness of another person?

It had been way too long

Today, everything see beers and tea and water with le in the kitchen He had a fine voice, so we all enjoyed that The custoood word for ly at Kennedy, and his face when she gave hi I h this day with happiness all around, Alcide ca; there was a hard hat impression in his thick black hair, and he eaty and dirty like most of the men who came in at midday in the sulad to be in the air-conditioning They breathed sihs of relief when they sank into the chairs at a table in my section

Truthfully, I was surprised to see Alcide in Merlotte’s There were plenty of places to eat in the area besides our bar Our last conversation hadn’t been exactly pleasant, and he’d never responded to the e I’d left on his cell phone

Maybe his presence constituted an olive branch I went over with menus and a tentative sreeting Alcide had been a partner in his dad’s surveying co it well, I heard I’d also heard there’d been big personnel changes

"We’re getting ready for the new high school gym in Clarice," Alcide said "We just finished Sookie, this is Roy Hornby"

I nodded politely "Roy, nice to et for you-all to drink?"

"Could we have a whole pitcher of sweet tea?" Roy asked He gave off the strong nature of a olf

I said, "Sure, I’ll just go get that" While I carried a cold pitcher and two glasses filled with ice over to the table, I wondered if the new people at AAA Accurate Surveys were all two-natured I poured the first round of tea It was gone in a few seconds I refilled

"Damn, it’s hot out there," Roy said "You saved my life" Roy was ht a reat teeth and a winning sirlfriend, Ms Stackhouse"

"Who would that be? Call me Sookie, by the way"

"I date Palomino"

I was so startled that I couldn’t think of what to say Then I had to scra wootten to know her real well, but I see her around"

"Yeah, she works for your boyfriend, and she hts at the Trifecta"

For a vampire and a Were to date was very unusual, practically a Rouy Funny, that wasn’t the vibe he was giving off Roy see-willed

There weren’tat Roy, wasn’t scowling, either

I wondered what Roy thought of Palomino’s nestmates, Rubio and Parker I wondered if Roy knew Palotasia Since Roy was a bit clearer to read than so to a bar with hiotten an idea, but I wasn’t sure what it was There was a connection I should be drawing, but I’d have to wait for it to pop to the top ofin the world?

The next tione to the men’s room Alcide reached out to ask e Nobody’s seen Mustapha yet, and nobody’s heard froave e for you," I said "You want to coht" Alcide rose and walked to the door, and I trailed after hi lot on a day this hot

"I know you won’t want to hear this, but he said Jannalynn was out to get reen eyes widened "Jannalynn He says she’s untrustworthy"

I raised my shoulders, let theh she hasn’t been herself for a feeeks, she’s more than proved herself as my enforcer" Alcide looked both bewildered and irritated "I’ll think on what you’ve toldmy eyes and ears open, and you’ll hear soon’s I know so"

"He wants you to call hiht on that"

"Thanks for passing along theme he’d place the call, I made myself smile at him as ent back inside He resumed his seat as Roy returned to the table "And nohat can I get you hungry guys for lunch?"

Alcide and Roy ordered a basket of fried pickles and two haers apiece I turned in their order and made the rounds of my other tables I had my cell phone in my pocket, and I checked it from time to tioing to bug JB I figured he was nervous enough as it was, and there was a good chance he’d have turned off his cell phone since he was in the hospital