Her booze-dulled eyes narrowed. “So your backbone was hidden under all those rolls of fat.”

Molly laughed.

Marcus cleared his throat. Then he made the time-out sign. “Ladies, let’s set aside the family shit for one night.”

Where had he come from? And who the hell was he to butt his busted nose into their business?

Brandi put her hand on his chest. “You’re right, Marcus. Where’s Alan?”

“Right here.” He parked himself on Brandi’s other side. “Hey, Molly,” Alan said, ignoring Brandi completely. “Do you remember me?”

“Of course she remembers you. Everyone knew who you were,” Brandi assured him.

Alan tried to send Molly a smoldering look. “We’ll have to catch up.”

Right. You never deigned to speak to me before, and I’m not so hard up that I’ll swoon at your feet now. “I’m only here for a short while, and I’ll be busy.”

“I’ll make time for you.”

“Are you seriously trying to pick me up on the day my grandma died?”

Alan blinked in confusion.

Brandi snorted. “I’m thinking she’d be more into you if you had tits and a pussy.”

Silence. Then Alan sneered. “You’re gay?”

Unreal.

Molly handed the bartender cash and said, “Keep the change.”

“See? She’s not denying it,” Brandi said.

“I’m not gay, but it wouldn’t be your business if I were. And for your information, I have a boyfriend.”

“A boyfriend. Uh-huh. Why haven’t I heard anything about this”—she made air quotes—“boyfriend before now?”

“Because I haven’t talked to you in a year. Oh, and because I can’t fucking stand you.”

A nasty look crossed Brandi’s face. “What a faker you are. Acting innocent when you have the mouth of a truck driver. I’m sure Grams would be ashamed of how you’ve treated me on the day she died. You’re not the only one grieving for her.” She affected a sad look. “Even the reverend had to get after Molly today for acting out.”

How many times had she dealt with Brandi or Jennifer lying to cover their own bad behavior? Too many to count. Molly felt herself reverting into that old role, keeping her mouth shut and letting it go.

You’re not reverting. Not calling your cousins out on their lies and walking away isn’t cowardly; it’s the smartest option, because you know no matter what you say, you can’t win.

Molly bit off a civil, “See you in the morning,” to Brandi and escaped from the bar. On the walk back to the motel, she stayed alert just in case one of those drunken bozos followed her.

After she’d made it inside the safety of her room, the day’s events overwhelmed her and she couldn’t stop the tears. She clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the gasping sobs.

“Your tears fuckin’ wreck me, woman.”

She screamed. Luckily she’d already covered her mouth, but still she froze. She lowered her hand and whispered, “Deacon?” into the darkness.

“You expecting someone else?”

“No. But I wasn’t expecting you.”

“You should have.” He moved into her line of sight, fury and frustration burning in his eyes. “I shouldn’t be the last to know this important shit. I oughta be the first one you call.”

“You’re mad.”

“Damn straight I am.”

“That’s not fair. You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“Tell me.”

“I stayed by Grams’s side until she . . .” She closed her eyes against the sharp sense of loss that sliced through her. “I hadn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours, so after I checked in, I crashed.”

“But you had time to text Amery and let her know what was goin’ on,” he pointed out.

“I would’ve texted you, but you’re Mr. I Don’t Like to Text, remember? I planned to call you tonight. But it sounds like Amery already filled you in.”

“Wasn’t like I gave her a choice.” Deacon reached out and curled his hand around the side of her neck. “Goin’ crazy knowing how bad you were hurting. Knowing you shut me out.”

“What was I supposed to do? You’ve already told me you don’t do family shit. This is big family shit, Deacon.”

He stroked his thumb across her jawline. “I said I didn’t do my family shit. I didn’t say a damn thing about yours.”

“Oh.”

“We decided to do this relationship thing, babe. That means you don’t decide to take off without a word to me. It makes me do crazy stuff.”