Cash's Fight(91)

“I’m glad to hear it, cousin. We Porters always pay our debts.”

Drake’s laughter sounded over the phone. “I almost feel sorry for Cash. I’ll take care of it today. Satisfied?”

“Yes, but be discreet,” she clarified.

“Okay. Anything else?” he inquired mockingly.

“Nope. Thanks, Drake.” Rachel hung up, happy her cousin would help out Cal’s family.

Lily smiled at her. “I was going to ask Shade to help them out, but this works out better.”

“Why?” Rachel asked curiously.

“That way I can save it for the next time I need a favor.” Lily’s happiness was almost tangible as she talked about her husband. Her confidence that he could solve any problem was heartwarming.

The sound of Brooke’s heels on the tiles in the hallway warned of her approach. Rachel braced herself for her presence; she was really beginning to dislike the woman. There wasn’t a day she didn’t come by to ask for help with some task she needed done. She was passing off her duties of being a minister’s wife to both Rachel and Lily while she took all the credit from her husband and the congregation.

“Hello, girls, how are you both doing today?” The false sweetness in her voice had Rachel wanting to heave. “I’m having a small dinner for the wives of the deacons. Would it be possible for you to do the grocery shopping for me, Rachel? I would do it, but Jeffrey is teething and running a small fever.” As she held out a list, Rachel reached out and took it. It would take over an hour to do the shopping for the large list.

“I’ll do it during my lunch hour.”

“Perfect. I knew I could count on you.”

Rachel thought she would leave since her purpose had been achieved; instead, she lingered, leaning casually against the counter.

“Lily, I have several maternity outfits that I no longer need. If you’d like, I could give them to you. I noticed yours are getting tight.” A long, manicured nail tapped the counter. “You may want to watch your weight. Baby weight isn’t easy to get rid of.”

Rachel couldn’t believe the bitchy remark. Lily was smaller at eight months pregnant than Brooke was now.

“I bought my maternity clothes in Atlanta. They aren’t as tacky as the ones you’ll buy in Treepoint.”

Rachel almost smacked Brooke when Lily self-consciously ran her hand over her blue-jean maternity dress that she looked gorgeous wearing.

“I don’t think it’s the clothes that make a person pretty, but the person wearing them,” Rachel told Brooke sharply, moving protectively closer to Lily, who was sitting on a stool behind the counter.

Brooke’s eyes lowered to Rachel’s simple, blue dress, letting her distaste show. “I’m going home to Atlanta next week. I could pick up a few things for you, Rachel.”#p#分页标题#e#

“No, thanks. Clothes are clothes to me. I don’t place much importance on them. You can turn shit into fertilizer, but it still smells like shit.” Rachel had dealt with enough of Brooke’s snide comments, and she wasn’t going to tolerate her attitude any longer. She wanted to give her the grocery list back and tell her where to shove it, but she was afraid she would get Lily to do it instead.

“If you change your mind, let me know.” Brooke didn’t let her comment bother her. The plastic expression on her face didn’t change. “I need to be getting back to Jeffrey.”

“I’m really starting to hate that woman,” Rachel stated once she had left.

“I don’t think she likes us very much, either,” Lily said unhappily.

Rachel fumed. “She’s really going to dislike me when I shove my foot up her ass.”

* * *

The rest of the day didn’t get much better. The grocery shopping took longer than expected, and when she returned to the church store, it was crowded. It took over an hour to see that the customers were waited on.

When she and Lily were able to catch their breath, Rachel went to the diner to get them a late lunch and came out to pouring rain. Lily was unable to keep from laughing at her disheveled appearance.

“I’m really starting to question our friendship.” Rachel dried herself off with a towel.

“I’m sorry.” Lily straightened her face, taking the sandwich Rachel handed her.

“You can make it up to me. Tell me what I should wear tonight so I don’t look like a dork.”

“As little as possible.”

When Rachel choked on her sandwich, Lily had to hit her on the back several times before she could catch her breath.

She stared at her through watery eyes. “Are you serious?”