werenât good for you.â
The question niggling in the back of her mind came to her. Cocking her head, she gazed at her sister. âDo you think Mama and Daddy had a happy marriage?â
Kate frowned. âOf course they did.â Pausing a beat, she gave Linny a questioning glance. âDonât you think they did?â
Linny rubbed her eyes with her fingers. âIâve been remembering about when we were growing up, and how Mama and Daddy werenât together very often.â
Kate put her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand, and asked cautiously. âWhat do you remember?â
Linny hesitated. âDaddy in the living room listening to the farm report, and Mama in the kitchen slamming pots around. Daddy going out to buy a pack of cigarettes and coming back hours later. Mama walking around all tight-lipped, giving him the freeze-out for days after.â She gave her a sidelong glance, wondering if Kate would think she made it up. When they were kids, one or two of their friendsâ parents had divorced, and the girls had been shocked, and smugly secure that their parents would always stay married.
Her sister said firmly, âThey were happy. All married couples fight.â
Linny thought about it. âMaybe. Or maybe itâs when you stop fighting and just give up is when things get bad.â But she glanced at Kate and saw she had that stubborn set to her jaw. Her sister wasnât ready to hear any more.
âWhatâs this?â Her sister rose and peered at the purple flyer on the refrigerator. âThis cookout sounds like fun. Wouldnât hurt you to get out.â
Linny shook her head. âIâm not ready for socializing.â
âItâs just dinner, Linny. Your first experiment, right?â Kate slid back in the chair and clicked her pen. On the prime-the-pump side, she wrote G O TO NEIGHBORâS COOKOUT . Giving her a cheeky grin, she said, âAfter you go, you can check it off.â She mimicked putting a big checkmark beside the line on the page.
Linny smiled despite herself. Kate knew all about her lists and how she enjoyed checking off items. She just wasnât sure about this. âI canât cook. What would I bring?â
âJerryâs guys and their families are coming that night for supper. Iâm already cooking, I can just make extra for you to bring.â
She started to protest, but her sister raised a hand. âOh, I insist.â Kate was going to make sure she didnât have an out.
Linny was grateful when her phone rang. She glanced at the ID and then Kate, âItâs the lawyer,â she explained as she picked up.
Diamond trilled, âYoo-hoo, Linny. Itâs Diamond. Weâre at the pre-Belmont Stakes parties. So tedious, but it must be done. Can I place a bet for you?â
âNo, thank you,â Linny said politely. Was the woman ever in her office?
âWell, your husband owned a failing Internet parlor. Itâs called The Big Break Jackpot.â
âNever heard of it,â Linny said dully.
âJackpot . . . I adore that word,â Diamond purred. âMust be a sign. Iâll put money on a horse with a name just like that.â
Linny heard the sound of rustling paper, guessed it was a racing form, and rolled her eyes at Kate.
Diamond muttered, âLetâs see. Weâve got Jumpinâ Jack Flash, Jack Be Nimble, and, ooh! Sure Thing Jackpot. Fabulous. Thatâs the one.â
Linny put a hand on her hip. âCan you make your picks later and just focus now?â
The lawyer gave a tinkling laugh. âSorry, darling. Do you want to sell?â
âSell what?â Linny asked, frustrated. The woman was hard to follow.
Diamond tsked. âThat business, of course. Youâll lose money, but you can clear that book, settle up, start fresh as a daisy.â
Linny felt a too-familiar flash of fury at Buck, and said flatly, âSure.
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