The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love - By Beth Pattillo Page 0,75

rest of her family.

Maria slipped out the door and pounded down the narrow staircase. She let herself out the exit on the side of the building, around the corner from the square. At least they had a little privacy when it came to their comings and goings.

They’d only lived above the store for two months, but already the Munden women showed the strain of the close quarters. A combined kitchen/living/dining room and a shared bedroom—along with the world’s smallest bathroom—were hardly enough space for one person, let alone four. But what choice was there? Daphne was desperately looking for a job, but she hadn’t worked anywhere in years. Her major responsibility had been overseeing the farm. Stephanie was supposed to be looking for a job as well, but mostly she disappeared early in the day and didn’t come home until late. Maria had no idea what she did with her time, but she doubted it was anything constructive. And as for their mother, a job was out of the question, but criticizing and nitpicking had always provided her with full-time occupation.

Maria shoved her wallet in the pocket of her jacket and looked both ways before crossing the street. There was little chance of much traffic this early on Christmas morning, but habit was habit. She jogged across the street to the store opposite, Vanderpool’s Groceries and Sundries. Her father and Mr. Vanderpool had been cronies for as long as Maria could remember. They’d encouraged each other, extended each other credit, and generally kept each other afloat in the treacherous waters of the Sweetgum economy.

Maria ducked beneath the green-and-white-striped awning and peered through the door. The lights were on, which was a good sign, and then she saw Mr. Vanderpool’s familiar balding head moving down one of the aisles. She rapped on the glass, softly at first, and then louder until he heard her and turned his steps toward the door.

“Maria! It’s good to see you.” He leaned forward and she gave him her customary peck on the cheek, a ritual they’d followed since she was a little girl and had developed a tremendous crush on him. The fact that he’d given her a lollipop whenever she was in the store had secured her affection from an early age. “What did you forget?”

Maria laughed. “Sage. The dressing’s no good without it.”

“Well, come inside and get it.” He waved her into the store. “I thought I’d hang around down here for a while this morning in case anyone needed anything.” He tilted his head and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “Besides, I’m just in the way up there.”

Maria knew that Mrs. Vanderpool and her daughters-in-law would be hard at work on their own meal upstairs. She could smell mincemeat pie baking.

“I won’t be a minute.” She dashed down the appropriate aisle and snagged a tiny jar of sage. As she headed back to the register, she heard the door open and someone else enter the store.

“Morning, young man.” Mr. Vanderpool seemed pleased rather than perturbed to have customers this morning.

“Good morning, sir.”

Maria would have known that voice anywhere. Her first instinct was to hide behind the shelves of cake mix, frosting, and flour, and she followed it. James Delevan. What was he doing back in Sweetgum?

Daphne had been hurt that Evan never called or contacted her after their night at the movie theater. Maria wasn’t completely surprised. Evan seemed attracted to her sister, but he was old-money Memphis. He probably had women lining up outside his door. A sweet, gentle soul like Daphne wouldn’t stand a chance against a cosmopolitan woman who ordered dirty martinis and shopped at designer boutiques.

“Maria? Are you okay back there?” Mr. Vanderpool’s voice floated over the top of the shelves. From her crouched position, Maria cringed. Quickly, she scanned the shelf in front of her and grabbed a bag of mini marshmallows that rested at eye level. She lurched to her feet.

“Just grabbing some marshmallows for the sweet potato casserole,” she said with a bright, forced smile. Like an idiot, she waved the bag in the air. “Wouldn’t be the same without these.” She paused, then acted surprised, as if she’d just noticed James Delevan. “Oh, hello.”

Mr. Vanderpool gave her a funny look. Maria ignored it.

She darted for the end of the aisle and the cash register by the door. “I think that’s all I need.” She reached into her jacket pocket and grabbed her wallet, trying her best to ignore James Delevan. She could almost