Carnal Innocence by Nora Roberts Page A

And there’s your own Darleen, and her being best friends with Edda. I tell you, I can barely stand to think on it.”
    “I expect I’ll have to call Darleen, see how she’s bearing up.” Happy let out a sigh. It had been a great relief to her when Darleen had married Junior Talbot and settled down in town with her husband and brand new baby. But she knew Darleen’s wild ways were flaring again. “We’re going to have to get some of theladies together, Birdie, and go pay our respects to Mavis Hatinger.”
    Birdie started to make an excuse, but the paper Jesus glared at her. “It’s the Christian thing to do. Do you think Austin’ll be there?”
    “Don’t you worry about Austin.” Happy set her chin. “We’ll have the power of motherhood on our side.”
    That night, doors were locked in Innocence, guns were loaded, and sleep came hard.
    Come morning, Edda Lou was the first thought on many minds.
    For Darleen Fuller Talbot, Happy’s third child and first great disappointment, grief was mixed with lethargy. Throughout her teenage years, Darleen had trailed along behind Edda Lou, thrilled by the risks they took together. Hitching clear to Greenville, swiping cosmetics from the counter at Larsson’s, hooking school with the Bonny boys to have sex down at Spook Hollow.
    They’d worried together if their periods were late, talked frankly about their sexual encounters, and double-dated at the Sky View Drive-In Theater more times than she could count. Edda Lou had been her maid of honor when Darleen had married Junior, and Darleen was to have returned the favor when Edda Lou finally snagged Tucker Longstreet.
    Now she was dead, and Darleen’s eyes were puffy from weeping. She barely had the energy to settle little Scooter in his playpen, wave her husband out the front door, and shuffle into the kitchen to let her lover, Billy T. Bonny, in through the back.
    “Oh, now, darlin’.” Billy T., already sweaty in his athletic T-shirt and torn jeans, took the red-eyed Darleen into his tattooed arms. “You shouldn’t go on like this, sugar plum. I just hate to see you cry.”
    “I can’t believe she’s gone.” Darleen sniffed against his shoulder and comforted herself by squeezing his butt. “She was my dearest, closest friend, Billy T.”
    “I know.” He moved his full, ready mouth down tohers, sliding his tongue in and around in sympathy. “She was a great girl, and we’re all going to miss her.”
    “She was like my sister.” Darleen drew back so he could slip his hands under her nylon nightie and find her breasts. “More a sister than Belle or Starita ever were.”
    “They’re just jealous ’cause you’re the prettiest.” He pinched her hardened nipples while he backed her up against the counter.
    “I’d rather it’d been one of them instead of Edda Lou.” Tears sparkling in her eyes, she unzipped his jeans. “I don’t care if they are my blood kin, I could always talk to Edda Lou, you know. Just talk about anything. Even us.” She sighed as he pulled her nightie down far enough to nip at her breasts. “She was always happy for me. She was a little jealous when I married Junior and had Scooter, but that was only natural, don’t you think?”
    “Mmmm.”
    “I was going to be her maid of honor when she married Tucker Longstreet.” She tugged his jockeys down. “I can’t hardly stand to think about how she was killed.”
    “Don’t think about it, honey.” His breath was coming quick and hard. “Let Billy T. help you forget all about it.” He brought his hands down to push her thighs apart. “Edda Lou would’ve wanted it that way.”
    “Yeah.” She sighed and snuggled against his hand. With a shiver she shoved a bowl of Cherrios aside to brace herself on the counter. “She’ll always have a place in my heart.” When she wrapped her fingers around him, she opened her eyes, love shining. He was already wearing a condom. “You’re just so good to me, honey.” She guided him in