and not talking to our mothers,” Sally sighed. “It must be horrible to be the mother and going through that.”
“I have boys,” Teena said. “They’re inclined to either tell too much or not enough. It’s totally different than raising girls, or so I’m told. I’m glad she’s confiding in you, and really glad that my new daughter-in-law is at least nineteen years old and not fourteen. Messin’ around with a girl that age could land my boys in jail.”
Lily nodded. “And Mack kissed me.”
Teena grinned and Sally nodded.
“That’s all I get?” Lily asked. “Just a grin and a nod?”
“Come on. We’ve been expecting it,” Teena told her. “We just knew if you ever came home even for a weekend visit that the two of you would hit it off.”
“It was just a kiss, and that doesn’t mean wedding bells,” Lily told them.
Sally opened her mouth to say something but didn’t get the first word out before the jingling bell above the door announced a customer.
“Good morning, Ruth-Ann!” Sally called out. “What brings you out in the middle of the week?”
Ruth-Ann came straight to the counter. “I had to run some school errands for Mr. Stewart and thought I’d stop in to buy more of Granny Hayes’s cute little earrings. They’re the big thing at school right now.” She adjusted the mirror beside the display so she could see herself, and held one up to her ear.
She held up another earring. “I like these better. I heard that Holly had a falling-out with the Sanchez twins, and that Holly is now best friends with Faith Torres.” Ruth-Ann laid two pairs of earrings on the counter and fumbled in her purse for her credit card. “I would never have put those two together. I guess opposites really do attract.”
“I guess they do.” Lily exhaled slowly.
“Is Holly devastated that she won’t get to go to the quinceañera party?” Ruth-Ann asked.
“Not in the least.” Lily rang up the sale and ran the credit card. “And I’m really glad, since I don’t have to buy a fancy dress for her to wear.”
“I went to one for Janie Green when I was fifteen,” Ruth-Ann sighed. “It was even better than our high school proms or the school Christmas party we throw for the teachers every year.”
Teena headed for the door. “I’m showing a house at nine, so I have to be going. See y’all later.”
The minute Teena was out the door, Ruth-Ann leaned across the counter and whispered, “I also heard that Ryder Smith is getting married real soon because his girlfriend is pregnant. Do y’all know the date?”
Lily shrugged as she handed Ruth-Ann the sales slip to sign. “Thank you. I know Granny Hayes will be tickled that her earrings are selling so well.”
“They’re really cute.” Ruth-Ann headed toward the door, then turned back. “We really must do lunch or go shopping sometime, Lily.”
Lily nodded but didn’t commit to anything. She eased down into the chair that Teena had vacated, and sighed. “I told Mack about the kids in confidence.”
Sally patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. Mack does not spread gossip. Ruth-Ann probably heard about the parties from a student in the hallway. Kids tend to think that teachers can’t hear their whispers.” She picked up her coat. “I’m going to an estate sale in Fredericksburg this morning. The advertisement said that it would open at ten and that there would be lots of crystal glassware. This younger generation doesn’t know what they’re passing up when their grannies offer to give them their priceless collections of pretty dishes.”
She hadn’t been gone but a few minutes when Lily’s second customer of the day arrived. By noon, she’d had a total of five. Two of them were small-time buyers and spent less than twenty dollars each. The other three made up for it. They came in together and said they had a shop in San Antonio that sold only items made in Texas. Lily showed them Granny Hayes’s shawls, scarves, and earrings, and they bought the entire stock for resale in their business.
When they’d left, Mack arrived with a brown bag in his hands. “I brought food,” he said. “Burgers and fries and root beer. Hope you haven’t eaten already.” He pulled two cans from the pockets of his denim coat.
“No, but I’m hungry.” She opened the bag as soon as he set it down. “Ruth-Ann came by this morning.”
“I already heard.” He got out the burgers and fries and set them on the counter. “That’s