Seth climbed on the bike, and into the wireless microphone in his helmet, he said, “Tell me if you need to stop to take a break. Enjoy the ride and I’ll be your tour guide.”
Kate patted his beefy shoulder as the bike started with a nice, throaty roar, and said, “Thank you, Seth. I’m so excited about our ride today. Since we have these nice helmets, I want you to tell me all about the goings-on with Jayne and Toby.”
On the ride out to Bowie Lake, Seth filled her in and Kate felt a special kind of blessing. She knew from past experience that he didn’t normally talk as much as he did on that hour-long drive. Maybe it was the miles spread out before them, maybe it was the lack of eye-to-eye contact that made it easier for him to open up, but she felt special as they made their way back from the lake and headed toward Divine.
“Feel like a cup of coffee and a cupcake, Grandma Kate?”
“Are you treating?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
They rode around town, and Seth pointed out shops she might enjoy visiting with the girls. She had Christmas shopping that needed to get done whether she was home in Lusty or there in Divine. Might as well help out the economy.
“Anywhere else you’d like to go?” Seth asked as they turned on to Main Street.
She patted Seth’s shoulder and said, “How about that cupcake, cupcake? I could use that cup of coffee, too.”
Seth snorted and in a rugged, soft-spoken tone said, “Now don’t tell Jayne you called me cupcake. She’ll tell Grace and they’ll all start getting ideas.”
“It’s our secret.”
A few blocks down, he parked outside a cute little coffee shop called Divine Drip. The limestone face of the building was typical of a lot of the structures in the Texas Hill Country. It gave off a homey feel that reminded her of Lusty Appetites.
Seth opened the door for her and the scent of fresh coffee and pastries made her mouth water. They placed their orders for coffee and she picked out a carrot cake cupcake decorated with cream cheese frosting that looked almost too pretty to eat.
After choosing a booth near a window, Kate quizzed Seth about the holiday events in Divine. She was trying to decide how long to stay, since Jake and Adam had both called to check on her from home. She’d left the time frame open, wanting a sign from Veronica, or possibly Hank or Travis, that things were moving in a positive direction before she left the area. Some of the events Seth mentioned sounded like a hoot and she decided that she needed extra time in Divine.
Seth was across the coffee shop chatting with a friend and she was at the pastry case waiting while her order of cupcakes for Jayne and Toby was packaged up, when a woman rushed past her. She barely avoided being clipped by the woman’s handbag. The scent of housecats trailed in her wake.
Kate followed her progress to the counter where she spoke in curt tones to Cassie, the nice lady who owned Divine Drip. Cassie handed Kate her boxed order with a smile and thank-you, and then began making the woman’s coffee. The woman removed a stack of business cards from her wallet and clandestinely placed them in front of the register, where anyone walking up might see them but where it was unlikely Cassie would notice them unless she came around the counter.
Kate narrowed her eyes as she sidled over to get a look at the cards. She lifted one from the stack and looked at the fine print.
“Keep Divine Pure—Say No to Polyamory! Help us root out the rampant immorality growing in Divine. Follow our blog and like us on Facebook.”
The woman looked down at her and gave her a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as Kate took another card.
Unrepentant and unable to resist, Kate presented the woman with her best I’m-a-harmless-Granny smile and said, “Hello, dear. I’m not even sure what polyamory is. Is it bad?” It was a struggle to sound so guileless when she wanted to rip the harridan’s gizzards out. She had a feeling she knew who she was dealing with. “Oh, forgive my manners. I’m Kate Benedict.”
The woman held out her hand. “I’m Tabitha Lester, Kate. I’ve lived in Divine for a number of years and the sexual cesspool it has become is truly disheartening. Polyamory is what happens when three or more people of loose morals get together and all have sex with each other. It’s basically polygamy without the wedding ring. The vile acts they commit are immoral and should be prosecuted. Our own sheriff is friends with many of them and turns a blind eye, allowing them to proliferate their lifestyle amongst the innocent members of our community.” Her cheeks took on a mottled hue and her tone sounded more and more like a televangelist with each sanctimonious word.