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Sorrow caught her sister’s eye and gave a self-effacing shrug Billy could see she was pleased and touched Just how long had the wo in the kitchen without thanks?

Sully bristled "Wait a h "We love your cooking, Sully You knohat I irl wants soup and a salad instead of cheesy chili fries"

"I can cook" Sorrow stood tall, and Billy felt a spurt of pride "People like , Dad"

Bear scowled "So everyone tells enuinely curious The girl was too ood

"Hiaped "What?" The attention flustered hiot the cutest perplexed smile on her face "You told my dad I could cook?"

The way she’d asked tugged at so cool and collected to say, but Sorrow’s father didn’t give him a chance

Bear turned on her "Girl, I don’t knohat you fed our sheriff, but he’s been crowing about…I don’t know…bread or soot how to eat hed "I love meat For the record"

Sully added, "Sorrow does do a fine brisket, sir Her secret is to add Coca-Cola, if you can believe that"

"Fine, fine" Her father waved iht a week Tuesdays, how about We’ll call it Ladies’ Night"

"Ladies’ Night?" She rolled her eyes "Should I feel insulted?"

Billy couldn’t help it--he couldn’t keep his hands to hi her in a quiet voice, "This is a good thing He’s saying you can cook"

"You start tonight" Bear walked to theand shoved aside the lace curtain "And you better get a move on Jack Jessup’s truck just pulled into the lot"

Twenty

Marlene stole a peek into the kitchen and knew a surprising wash of relief to see Sully She didn’t knohy she was being so silly After all, the man was always there It was only that she wanted hi, of course

For a brief second, she wondered what it was Sully did when he left the tavern, driving away on that noisyfor hi about a man she’d seen and said hello to for over two decades now?

There was so to spy as she touched up her hair She pulled off her scarf and cupped a hand along the botto under

It looked like the Baileys were having some sort of appliance trouble Bear had his usual crotchety face on, though for once his girls weren’t at each other’s throats

The door that led between kitchen and dining roo out a little "Oh!"

Laura stopped short before running into her The girl put a startled hand at her chest and did a quick side step "Sorry, Marlene Gotta run get soredients froirl ran off, Marlene stole a gli words Quiet words

She bit back a smile, pleased that she’d insisted her fa afoot, she’d not miss a second of it

She went to the table to join her son Jack and his fa that sourpuss face she always had on--she’d wanted to go somewhere else for dinner, naturally If Marlene said tomato, Tina would say to Especially money Tina had a taste for the fancy restaurants in Silver City, and though Marlene’s boys Jack and EddieJessup Brothers Construction, Tina clearly had yet to understand that row on trees

Jack stood to scoot her chair in, and she gave her son a warht be a son of a bitch, but they sure had raised therab us some menus," he said

"No need for that," Bear said as he burst into the dining room

Sully was on his heels "Freezer’s down"

Marleneinstead on unfurling and sentleenteel

Jack stopped, midstride, a handful of menus in his hand "Want me to take a look?"

"No need," Bear said "They’re both down"

Marlene finally looked at Sully, and his eyes were already on her, riveted, like he h her She cleared her throat "So, you’re not cooking then?"

"Sorrow’s trying her hand at it tonight," Sully said, and his expression softened

It gave Marlene pause What else made his expression warot to see that face? She felt a twinge, like loss, and brushed it off as foolish