The engine shut off and Daisy reached over and took the keys from the ignition. She grabbed Lily's arm to keepher from opening the door.

"He's not worth it, Lily."

The two moved to a white monster truck with metallic red flames blazing down the sides. Ronnie helped "Kellythe skank" up into the truck, then he fired up the Ford and the two of them took off. Anger for her sister burnedin Daisy's stomach as she watched them drive out of the parking lot. Lily covered her mouth but a high-pitchkeening leaked through her fingers. Daisy reached across the center console and pulled her sister into her armsthe best that she could.

"Lily, he's not worth your tears," she said as she smoothed her hair.

"I still love him so-ho much. Why can-can't he love me-me?" Lily cried. Daisy held her and felt her heartbreaking too. What kind of worthless man abandoned his wife and child? What kind of A-moral A-hole ranaround with another woman and emptied the family's bank account so he wouldn't have to pay for his child?

The more Daisy thought about it, the angrier she got. Somehow, Ronnie would have to pay for hurting hersister.

"Honey, have you thought of maybe getting some counseling?" she asked her sister.

"I don't want to ta-talk about it with a stranger. It's too-too humiliating." After that her sentences becameincoherent, and she mostly sounded like a distressed dolphin.

"Let me drive us home," Daisy said. Lily nodded and while Daisy ran around to the other side of the car, Lilycrawled to the passenger seat. "Do you want a Dr. Pepper?" Daisy asked as they drove out of the parking lot. "Itmight help your raw throat."

Lily wiped her nose on her sleeve and nodded. "Eee-hee," she managed.

She drove to the Minute Mart and pulled into a slot in front of the store. She pocketed the keys in case Lily gotideas, grabbed a five from her purse, and put her sunglasses on the dashboard. "I'll be right back," she told Lilyand opened the door. Once inside the store, she filled up a twenty-four-ounce cup with Dr. Pepper, sealed thetop with a lid and grabbed a straw. When Lily calmed down, she'd talk to her about her lawyer and see what hewas doing to help her.

"Good morning," the clerk said, his green uniform hung on his bony shoulders. His name tag said he was Chuckand that she should have a nice day. She doubted that was possible now.

"Morning." As Daisy handed over the five-dollar bill, a white Ford truck with red flames down the sides pulledinto a parking slot a few cars away from Lily's Taurus. She watched with a sense of impending doom as Ronnieand Kelly stepped out of the truck. "Oh no."

The passenger door of the Taurus flew open and Lily shot out of the car like a bullet. She confronted the tworight there on the sidewalk in front of the Minute Mart. Daisy could hear Lily's hysterical screaming through theglass, and she was sure the people at the gas pumps were getting a good show.

She set the straw on the counter and held up one hand, palm out. "I'll be right back." As Daisy yanked open thestore's door, Lily called Kelly a whore and a fat-ass, and Kelly swung and slapped Lily across the face. Lily'ssunglasses sailed off, and she raised her hand to retaliate. Ronnie grabbed her arm and shoved.

Lily fell and everything within Daisy narrowed, like looking in the wrong end of a telescope. Rage flowedthrough her like a toxic chemical, and she ran full steam, launching herself at her soon to be ex-brother-in-law.

Years ago, Steven and Jack had taught her how to defend herself. She'd never used those lessons before, but shehadn't forgotten. Like riding a bike. She got a shoulder into his sternum.

He grunted and grabbed her hair. He shook her but she hardly felt it as she tucked her thumb and punched himin the eye.

"Ow, you crazy bitch!"

Without thinking about it, she kneed him just below his belt buckle. She didn't think she'd hit him squarebetween the legs like she'd been aiming, but enough that the air left his lungs in a big whoosh. His fingersloosened and she stepped back. Ronnie doubled over and several long strands of Daisy's hair got tangled in hisfist.

"You ever touch my sister again," she told him between breaths, "and I'll kill you, Ronnie Darlington."

He groaned and stared at her through squinty eyes. "You can try, you stupid bitch."

Daisy didn't mind being called a crazy bitch, because sometimes it was true. But she hated being called a stupidbitch. She launched herself forward again, but someone grabbed her around the middle and pulled her back.

"You've won, buttercup."

She pushed at the arm around her stomach, but he pulled her onto her toes. "Let go. I'm going to kick his butt"

"I think it's more likely that he'd kick yours. Then I'd have to step in and knock the shit out of him for laying ahand on you. And I really don't want to do that. Buddy and I came here for a fill-up and a cup of coffee, is all.

We weren't planning on a brawl."

Daisy blinked and her peripheral vision came into focus again. She was aware of her heart pounding in herthroat as she looked over her shoulder. "Jack?"

The shadow from his beige cowboy hat cut across his face, and she watched his mouth form the words, "Goodmornin'," but he didn't sound like there was anything good about it.

She turned her attention to Lily standing with her back against the front of the store. She had a cut on the bridgeof her nose and a red palm print on her cheek. A man in a blue T-shirt stood next to her, talking to her as sheshook her head. Kelly sat on her butt on the ground, and her ponytail was pulled to one side of her head. Ronniestraightened with a grunt and felt his crotch as if to make sure everything was still there.

"I hope you can't use it for a month." Daisy spat at him, and Jack pulled her lighter against the solid wall of hischest.

Then Jack spoke to Ronnie from beside Daisy's temple. "Take your girlfriend and get out of here while the twoof you can still walk."

Ronnie opened his mouth, shut it again, then grabbed Kelly, who'd started screaming at the top of her lungs. Heshoved her inside his truck, fired the engine, and the two of them took off, monster truck tires squealing out ofthe parking lot.

"Are you okay, Lily?" she called out to her sister.

Lily nodded and took her sunglasses from the man talking to her.

"What was that about?" Jack asked. "The two of you out here spreadin' sunshine for the hell of it?" He didn't letgo, and she looked up at him again. The breeze picked up several strands of her blond hair and carried themacross the front of his dress shirt. She raised her gaze past his mouth and looked deeper into the shadow createdby the brim of his hat. His light green eyes stared back at her. Waiting.

"That's Lily's husband and his girlfriend."

He tilted his head back and the shadow slid from the middle of his nose to the deep bow of his top lip."

The adrenaline in her veins made her feel suddenly shaky, and she was glad Jack held her so tight.

"He's a rat bastard."

"So, I've heard."

Daisy wasn't surprised that Ronnie's reputation preceeded him. Lovett was a small town. "He emptied their bankaccount and won't give her any money for Pippen."

Jack slid his palm across her stomach as he dropped his arm. He took a step back, and the solid wall of his chestwas replaced with cool morning air. Her hand throbbed, her head hurt, her shoulder ached, and her knees feltwobbly. It had been a long time since she'd felt a man's strength surrounding her, supporting her, and she wouldhave liked nothing better than to melt right back into his chest and arms again. Of course, that was impossible.

"I hurt my hand."

"Let me see." He turned her to face him and cradled her hand in his warm palm. The sleeves of his bluebroadcloth shirt were rolled up his forearms, and over his breast pocket, was embroidered PARRISHAMERICAN CLASSICS, in black. "Wiggle your fingers for me," he said.

With his head bent over her hand, the brim of his hat almost touched her mouth. He smelled of soap and deanskin and his starched shirt. His thumb brushed the heel of her hand and little tingles radiated outward from herpalm over her wrist and traveled up the inside of her arm. Her adrenaline was doing funny things to her. Eitherthat or she'd pinched a nerve.

He lifted his gaze and his eyes stared into hers. For several long seconds he just looked at her. She'd forgottenthat when you looked real close into Jack's eyes, you could see darker green flecks. She remembered now.

"I don't think it's broke, but you probably should get an X-ray." He dropped her hand.

She made a slow fist and winched. "How do you know it's not broken?"

"When I broke my hand, it swelled up almost immediately."

"How did you break your hand?"

"Fighting."

"With Steven?"

"No. At a roadhouse bar in Macon."

Macon? What had he been doing in Macon? In the last fifteen years, he'd had a whole life she knew nothingabout. She was curious about it, but she doubted he'd tell her much if she were to ask.

The clerk from inside the store moved toward Daisy and she turned to him as he handed her her sunglasses.

"Thanks, Chuck," she said and slid them on her face. He gave her the change and she took the Dr. Pepper withher good hand.

"Should I call the police?" he wanted to know. "I saw them hit the other blond woman first."

A police report might help in Lily's divorce, but Lily wasn't completely innocent. There was the little matter ofLily's stalking. She didn't know if Ronnie knew about that, but he might. "No. That's okay."

"If you change your mind, let me know," Chuck offered and headed back inside.

Daisy turned her attention to Lily and the man talking to her. "Is he with you?" she asked Jack.