To Commit by Carolyn Brown

Author:Carolyn Brown [Brown, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781477813065
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Published: 2012-11-20T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

A fine sprinkling of flour dotted Stella’s nose as she kneaded the bread dough. When she cooked, a job requiring no concentration for her, her mind wandered. She worried about how the pending divorce would affect Lauren, or if maybe Tommy would come to his senses. And if he did, would Maggie forgive him and take him back?

After Maggie, Lauren and her mother left at the same time last night, Stella roamed the house aimlessly. That didn’t work so she put in a half hour of vigorous riding on her stationary bicycle. That accomplished nothing either. No amount of plotting or planning could help Lauren and Maggie. Why couldn’t she just settle into her comfortable old routine?

Routine? That was blown to smithereens. Maggie was on her way to the divorce courts. She and Lauren were coming back to Sulphur. Her mother was dating Junior Howard, the retired middle school math teacher? Now that was a shock. Lucy and Wes Brannon were the prince and princess of Murray County in their day. Lucy with her long, jet black hair and Wes Brannon with his Greek-god good looks. It was the wedding of the whole decade and twenty years later the divorce of that decade.

Stella frowned at the ball of dough. “But Junior Howard?”

Her mother opened the back door. “What about Junior?”

“Wow, Rance must have really spooked you. I don’t see you around here for two months and then twice in less than twenty four hours,” Stella said.

Lucy poured a cup of coffee. “Oh, watch your smart mouth. I wanted to talk about Maggie and Lauren and I couldn’t while they were here. Started to call you on the phone last night but Junior came over to watch a movie.”

Stella plopped one big white lump of dough into a greased bread pan. “Mr. Howard kept you from talking to me last night? I didn’t think any man was ever going to tell you what to do again?”

“And I didn’t think you were going to fall for another tall, dark man. Come on Stella, let’s call a truce. I won’t bad mouth that Texan this morning if you’ll leave Junior alone. I came out here to talk about Maggie. They’re welcome to stay with me, but that little house two doors down from me is up for sale. To keep her from having to pay rent in an apartment, well, I’ve got a little put away. Maybe enough for a down payment and the first couple of payments. What do you think?”

Stella poured a cup of black coffee and joined her mother at the table. “What does Maggie think? She’s the one who’ll have to live in it. And it’s sure not that big two story she’s used to in Coffeyville.”

“I haven’t talked to her yet. Wanted to see what you thought.”

Stella reached for the phone on the bar. “Let’s call her then. Never know until we ask, will we?” The phone rang just as Stella’s hand touched the receiver and she jumped like she’d been shocked.

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