It was a beautiful compliment, but something about the way Tiny had phrased it had stayed with me. There’s a whole lot you don’t know about me. I got the sense there was a whole lot more to just about everyone I’d met in this small Smoky Mountain town, Wyatt included, but then, I had plenty of my own secrets, so who was I to judge?
I turned in their orders and got Wyatt’s beer and Jerry’s Coke at the bar.
Ruth shot Wyatt a dark look. “What’s he doin’ here? I haven’t seen him in nearly a week.”
“He came for dinner, same as everyone else.”
“Not the same as everyone else. He’s here for you.”
I flashed her a grin. “I’d like to think my sunny disposition brings some of the customers in now.”
She laughed and shook her head. “There’s more truth to that than you realize, a fact I made sure to point out to Max. He was losin’ lunch-crowd business until you showed up. Lula’s a hit with the football crowd because of her flirting and sweetness, but the lunch crowd is more inclined to appreciate competent staff with a”—she grinned—“sunny disposition.” When she noticed my look of surprise, she said, “Surely you’ve noticed that business has picked up.”
“To be fair,” I said. “You warned me in the beginning that it would be slow, but I never saw it because everyone wanted to drop in and see the waitress who’d found Seth’s body. They all thought I was a murderer until we caught Carson.”
“True enough,” she said, handing me Wyatt’s mug. “But you’re a big draw.” She gave me a forced smile. “And notice I didn’t spit in Wyatt’s beer.”
“Why won’t you tell me why you two hate each other?”
She frowned. “Hate’s a strong word.”
“Fine, then you have strong feelings of dislike. Why won’t you tell me?”
“Have Wyatt tell you.”
“He says to have you tell me.”
She released a chuckle. “It’s water under the bridge, Carly. Let it go.”
“But it’s hard to do that when my loyalty feels divided.”
Her expression softened. “That’s sweet of you to say, but what happened between us was long ago. We’re both nearly a decade older. I’ll only say it involved Heather. Let bygones be bygones, and all that. You two look happy. I won’t begrudge you that.”
Ruth and Wyatt had dated years ago, during a break in his off-and-on relationship with a woman named Heather. Heather was the woman who’d been with him the night of his arrest. She’d left town after the Drummonds paid her not to testify against him.
I delivered the drinks and settled up with a couple of customers, most of whom seemed intent on leaving before the football crowd showed up.
My section was caught up, but Lula seemed to be behind on bussing her tables.
“Let me give you a hand,” I said cheerfully as I started to clear the table next to the one she was working on.
“I don’t see how you can keep up with it all,” she said in frustration, and I realized she was close to tears.
Her section actually had fewer customers, but she was struggling to make sure everyone was taken care of in a speedy manner.
“It’s all about multitasking.”
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “I really need this job, Carly.”
My breath stuck in my chest. Did she want me to quit and give her my hours? Or was she worried her incompetency was going to get her fired? I was going to presume the latter. “I’ll help you, Lula. Don’t you worry.”
“Ruthie’s mad at me, and Max’ll barely talk to me.”
“You know what?” I said in a bright voice. “That’s in the past. We’re gonna move forward, okay? If you need help multitasking, I can help. I became a master at it when I was a—” I cut myself off as I realized I’d been on the verge of telling her about my past as a third-grade teacher. That was the old me. Caroline Blakely. I’d been Charlene Moore for a month now, and in hiding for even longer, but I still made slips. “I learned it back in retail. I’ll help you, so don’t you worry.”
“Why are you bein’ so nice to me?” she asked, swiping her cheek with her hand. “You don’t even know me.”
“Because, despite their current frustration, Max actually does like you and so does Ruth. I trust their judgment. They’re just mad that you left them high and dry. If you don’t do that again, you’ll be fine.”
She studied me with deep, soulful eyes, then said, “I won’t be goin’ anywhere. I need this job, Carly.”
“You just do your best,” I said. “Come to work on time. Don’t run off again. Do your job, and you’ll be fine. If you get behind or overwhelmed, I’ll help out, okay?”
She threw her arms around me and buried her face into my shoulder. “Thank you, Carly. I knew you were a sweet person the moment I laid eyes on you.”
I cast a glance to the bar and caught Ruth’s scowl. While I knew that Ruth liked the girl, I also knew her patience was thin.
Pulling free, I said, “Let’s get this section cleaned up. The football crowd’s due any minute, and they’re gonna be so excited to see you.”
“Really?” she asked in surprise.
“You bet. They nearly kicked me out my first night, wondering why I was workin’ instead of you.” I gave her a beaming smile. “So let’s clean off the tables, and you can head to the bathroom to fix your mascara so you’ll be ready to meet your adoring fans.”
“I’m sorry if they were mean to you.” Her frown was back. It was like she showed every emotion that fluttered through her head, and I suddenly felt a strong urge to protect her.
“I’m fine. Don’t you worry about me. I assured them you’d be back, and all was well with the world.” I picked up a stack of plates and held them out to her. “You take these to the back. The Applebaums are ready for their check.”
She took the dishes and I took the bill to my customers in the booth, who had shown signs of being ready to leave. Once we were settled, I took Wyatt and Jerry their food.
“What’s goin’ on with Lula?” Wyatt asked, casting a glance toward her as she bussed another table.
“She’s having a rough transition back,” I said.
“That girl’s touched,” Jerry said, turning his gaze on his plate. “Never been right since she almost drowned as a girl. About eight or nine.”
“What?” I said in horror. “How awful.”
“Her daddy done tried to drown her in the creek that ran at the back of their property, and her mother shot him with a shotgun. Heard she had to do CPR on Lula until the ambulance arrived. She ain’t been the same since.”
Now I felt even more protective of her. “What happened to her mother?”
“Incarcerated on second-degree murder.”
Gasping, I turned to Wyatt. “How in the hell did that happen?”
Wyatt’s eyes darkened. “Hensen County.”
I’d learned that the county was such a cesspool of corruption it was a wonder the whole place didn’t stink like a swamp.