She was crouched into one of the tiny kid-sized chairs when she felt Laurel settle into the seat beside her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Lovey shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”
“There now, there ain’t nothin’ that can’t be fixed here. Why don’t you just go talk to Royal?”
Lovey shook her head again. “I can’t. She’d never speak to me after the things I’ve said to her.” She leaned back and let out a long sigh. There. She’d finally said something real about what she was feeling. She drew in a shaky breath.
“You don’t know that until you try.”
“Why are you so interested in what’s going on with me and Royal?”
“I have my reasons.” Laurel smiled and patted Lovey’s arm. “I have my reasons.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
It was probably past midnight when Royal stepped out of the car and walked toward Frank Mosby and a small group that gathered around Mason’s car. Ned exited the passenger side and followed along on her heels.
“I figured you wouldn’t show, Royal,” Mason yelled in her direction.
“And here I figured you for the no-show,” Royal yelled back at him. She took another sip from the flask she had in her jacket pocket.
Mason Griggs was a regulation asshole. He spent weekends at his grandparents’ place outside of Dawsonville. His daddy had money, and Mason made sure everyone knew what a glamorous, exciting life he led in Atlanta. He loved rubbing everyone’s face in it whenever possible, tonight being no exception.
“Royal, don’t do this. You’ve got nothing to prove to this jackass.” Ned was leaning into her, talking to her in hushed tones.
“I’ve got this, Ned.” She brushed him off. “It’s time someone put him in his place. And I’m in just the mood to do it.”
Royal approached the small cluster of folks with Ned trailing on her heels.
“We run wide-open. The first one to the turn wins.” Mason had been drinking also. His words were a little slurred.
“What do I win?” Royal needed just a bit more motivation than putting Mason in his place. She decided she wanted a trophy, a reward of some kind.
“Whoever wins gets a date with me.” Vonda Harris draped her arm over Mason’s shoulder with flirtatious flair.
Royal took another swig from her flask. Vonda Harris loved to pop a cork and had a reputation for going around with lots of boys. She was pretty, but not the settling down type.
“I could show you a thing or two, Royal Duval. And I’d have a good time doin’ it.” Vonda twirled a finger in Royal’s direction as she hung on Mason’s shoulder. The low-cut opening of her dress dipped low to reveal a distracting view of her cleavage.
Royal winked at Vonda. “I might just show you somethin’, Vonda.” She took one more sip of whiskey before she turned toward her car. She pulled her car up in line with Mason’s.
“I’ll start you off,” Frank offered.
The car bumpers were lined up with each other on either side of the dirt road. Royal depressed the accelerator and her V-8 roared.
Mason cranked up the car his daddy had recently purchased for him. It was a tan roadster with a ragtop. It was also equipped with a V-8 but without the special modifications that Ned had made to Royal’s.
Royal figured fair was fair. He didn’t ask and she didn’t offer. Everyone knew she was the better driver. He was stupid to call her out.
Ned leaned into the driver’s side window. “Royal, don’t do this. You’ve been drinkin’ and you’re just being bullheaded. Don’t let your hurt feelings over Lovey make you do stupid things.”
Royal shoved Ned’s arm out of the window. “Shut up, Ned. This has got nothing to do with Lovey. Just go stand on the sidelines like you always do.”
She saw the hurt look on Ned’s face, but she didn’t care. She was in a bad mood, and driving fast and showing the insufferable Mason Griggs who was the better driver would be the only cure for her ill temper.
Frank stood between the two cars with raised arms. A few other onlookers, including Vonda, stood on either shoulder to watch. Both drivers revved their engines.
“Ready! Set! Go!” As he shouted go, Frank dropped his arms, and the two cars lurched past him in a cloud of dust.
The heavy Ford blasted down the straightaway, pulling ahead of Mason’s roadster. Royal white-knuckled the steering wheel as she fought to pull ahead of the other car. Visions of Lovey flashed through her mind and anger knotted in her chest. It had been two weeks since she’d seen Lovey, and with every passing day, the hurt of it just kept expanding. She felt the sadness of their breakup like a creeping web of cancer spreading to her bones.
Distracted momentarily, she realized she’d let Mason slip up on her. She gave the Ford some gas, but Mason matched her speed. Then, without warning, he swerved into her. She glanced over at him, but he seemed to be struggling with the weighty car at such a great speed. He bounced into her again, and this time the right front tire of her car caught a ridge of raised dirt at the shoulder, and she realized she was going off the road.
A tree flashed in her headlights just a split second after the car left the roadway, over the shoulder and slammed at full speed into the base of a gnarled, leafless oak. Her forehead cracked loudly against the steering wheel; blackness enveloped her senses.
❖
Days and days had passed with no word from Royal. Lovey wasn’t sure what she’d expected. Did she think Royal would pursue her? She’d made it pretty clear what she was going to do. She’d left Royal with every impression that she would accept Joe’s marriage proposal and that they should both move on with their lives.
Joe had been very attentive to her since he’d popped the question, no doubt expecting her response to be yes. Lovey cared for
