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making a good life for himself. She just prayed that someone else didn’t take it all away from him out of hatred and fear.
    Wanda Nell paused at the counter. The front of the restaurant had just about cleared out, and Ruby and Melvin were bussing a couple of the tables. “I’ll be right back,” she said.
    â€œNo rush,” Melvin said.
    Ruby just smiled. She didn’t begrudge Wanda Nell any of the time she spent with Jack at work.
    â€œMayrene said she’d be happy to have Lisa stay with her,” Wanda Nell told Jack, slipping onto the stool beside him.
    â€œShe’s a good friend,” Jack said.
    â€œNone better,” Wanda Nell agreed.
    â€œNow I just have to make Lisa see that she needs to do this,” Jack said. “She’s terrified, but she also doesn’t want anybody else to get hurt if this guy suddenly gets violent.”
    â€œMayrene can handle herself,” Wanda Nell said. She had great confidence in her friend, but she knew the situation was potentially a pretty dangerous one.
    â€œLisa took some kind of sleeping pill,” Jack said. “She fell asleep before I left to come over here. She’ll probably sleep the night through, so I’ll talk to her about it in the morning.”
    â€œMake her see sense,” Wanda Nell said. She stood up. “Your order’s probably ready by now. Be right back.”
    Jack’s food was sitting in the window, and Wanda Nell brought it back to the counter. “Dig in, honey,” she said, placing the plate in front of him, along with a basket of dinner rolls.
    â€œLooks good, as usual,” Jack said, eyeing the plate of chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans. “If things are a bit calmer tomorrow,” he said, “you think maybe we can get away for a little while? Maybe take in a movie or something?”
    â€œI’d like that,” Wanda Nell said. She bent to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Now eat your dinner, and I’ll get you some pie for dessert when you’re done.”
    Jack laughed. “I’m going to skip the pie tonight, honey. Either that or I jog home.” He patted his stomach. “You’re fattening me up.”
    Wanda Nell eyed him with a smile. “I got to slow you down so I can keep up with you,” she said. “Can’t have you running away from me.”
    â€œI’d never do that,” Jack said. For a moment his eyes locked with hers, practically glowing behind his rimless glasses, and Wanda Nell had to take a deep breath. She put a hand on the counter to steady herself.
    â€œI know,” Wanda Nell said, her voice soft. “I know.” She tore her gaze away from Jack’s. “I’d better get to work now.”
    It was just as well that the party guests started arriving a few minutes later. Otherwise Wanda Nell might have had to grab Jack, take him to a dark corner somewhere, and have her way with him. She grinned at the mental image. Slow down, girl , she admonished herself. When the time’s right, it will all work out.
    The bartender, an older man named Wade Hemphill, turned up along with the first three guests. Wanda Nell had worked a few private parties with him before this, and she knew he didn’t need any instructions from her. He greeted her politely before getting right to work behind the bar.
    Tullahoma County was dry, and that meant nobody could sell liquor publicly. The way around that was, if you belonged to a private club, the club could sell liquor. For parties like this, the Kountry Kitchen became a private club for a little while, and whoever attended the party had to pay the “membership fee.” In this case, that was three bucks a head. They paid for what they drank and ate on top of that.
    Over the next twenty minutes, more men arrived for the bachelor party. A few of the tables in front had diners, but it was probably going to be a slow night out