Van grimaced. “I’d completely forgotten about that.” She looked at the cakes she’d beautifully arranged and grinned at Becca. “I promise I haven’t spiked these ones.”
“That’s a shame.” Becca’s eyes twinkled. “It would have livened things up.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You want to come and sit with us?”
“I’d love to.” Van followed Becca to a group of ten chairs clustered beside the creek. As she sat down, she could hear a loud voice from a group of old ladies call out.
“Is that the Butler girl?”
“I think so.”
“I didn’t know she was back. She sure looks like her mom.”
Van straightened her spine, and made sure she smiled over in their direction.
“Yeah, I hear her husband left her for another woman.”
“The Butler girl?”
“No, her mom, silly. Anyway, probably want to avoid the brownies tonight. Just in case she’s up to her old tricks.”
A few of them laughed. Van sighed and turned her back on them.
“So this is Maddie. You might remember her?” Becca said, pointing at a pretty brunette sitting in the chair next to hers.
Van didn’t, but she remembered what Regan had told her in the café. Maddie was Ashleigh Clark’s sister. She remembered Ashleigh from when she was dating Gray, back when he was in high school. Van had never really liked her. Tanner hadn’t either. The girl had had a mean streak that could cut like a knife.
“Hi, Maddie,” Van said, reaching forward to shake
her hand.
Maddie grinned happily at her. “You probably don’t remember me. But I remember you. I loved hearing about your and Tanner’s escapades when I was little.”
Van felt herself relax. “I guess my reputation precedes me.”
Maddie laughed. “Ah, I wanted to be just like you when I grew up. Except I was too scared of getting in trouble.”
“You wouldn’t believe how freeing it is to not give a damn,” Van told her. “You should try it.”
“I can’t wait to tell Gray I met you,” Maddie told her. “He told me about the time you restrung his guitar right before his first concert at Murphy’s.”
“Oh no.” Van covered her face with her hands. “That one was all Tanner’s idea.”
“Oh, he knows that. He’ll still be happy to hear I’ve met you. I think he has a soft spot for you.”
“All my brothers loved Van,” Becca said, grinning. “She took the heat off them, and that’s saying something.”
Van smiled at the memories of the Hartson brothers, all around the kitchen table, bickering as they shoveled food into their mouths. Gray who was either humming a song or arguing with his dad. Cam who would run home from football practice and eat everything in sight. Logan who had the best way of talking to you, so you ended up spilling your guts to him without even noticing.
And then there was Tanner. Her best friend. He’d start a sentence and she’d end it, then they’d both collapse into laughter.
“Don’t believe her,” Van told Maddie. “They were all much worse than me.”
“Savannah,” a voice called out, making Van turn in her seat. “Johnny told me you were back in town.”
Van looked up to see Nora Fairfax standing over her, a strange smile on her lips.
“Hello, Mrs. Fairfax.” Van smiled back, determined to be civil. “How are you?”
“I’m very well. More importantly, how’s your mother? I heard her husband left her.”