Charlie Perkins was behind Royal in line and snorted a laugh he tried to cover up with a cough.

“I’m just trying to warn you. Folks around here—the decent ones—aren’t going to associate with a person like that. A murderer.”

“I’ll let you know when I’m speaking to a decent one.” He pulled some twenties from his wallet, tossed them down, cancelled his card and put it away before grabbing his grocery bags. “You ought to try being decent, Melanie. It does your heart good.” He strolled out, annoyed.

He’d gone out with Anne Murphy for several years so he was more than familiar with the stupidity of those in Petal like Melanie. It wasn’t that he didn’t know Caroline would be judged by some. Her mother’s murder had been a horrible event in Petal history, and the trial and subsequent conviction of her father had the town splitting up into camps.

Royal had been young, a senior in high school when the whole thing had gone down. He wasn’t sure what to think other than to know Caroline was not to blame for what her father did or didn’t do.

He loaded the bags into his truck and headed home. He’d had some major tingles for Caroline Mendoza. She made him laugh. Called him sexy.

It had been eighteen months since he and Anne had broken up for good. He’d wanted something permanent, and she never would accept it so he finally had to walk away.

Eighteen months of licking wounds and then moving on. Dating a lot. Having some great sex too. But nothing like he’d had with Anne, because he’d been in love with her. It was old fashioned, he knew, but f**king was a hell of a lot better when you were connected with the person you were in bed with.

Caroline was someone he’d known peripherally, but there was something new about her too. Unusual. He liked it.

He planned to make it his goal to find her around town to get that number. He could have gotten it on his own, but he rather liked the idea of letting it all play out slow. Enjoy it.

She’d give in eventually. She was pretty clear about that, so why not let it play out and see what happened?

This was the best thing that had happened to him in a grocery store pretty much ever. He snorted and started home.

Edward Chase was mighty glad the pastor must have been hungry and finally closed out the sermon so Edward could head home with his wife and have lunch.

Polly gave him a look, a hint of amusement on those pretty lips of hers. She knew him inside and out. Hell she probably had a snack for him in that giant handbag.

“Shane and Cassie are coming over with Ward. I think Maggie and Kyle are bringing the boys by as well. Good thing I started that ham before we left.” She was talking about their two oldest sons, their wives and their grandsons.

He grinned, knowing how much noise and energy his boys and their families came with. Knowing his wife was in raptures when she got to love all over their grandchildren.

“Hummingbird cake for dessert and I’ve got potatoes in the slow cooker too.” She winked and he squeezed her to his side.

“I’m a very lucky man.” He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Even luckier when everyone goes home,” he whispered as he straightened.

Her delighted laugh sped his heart. There wasn’t another person on the whole of the planet who made him feel like the one he’d cleaved his life to.

He might even be able to squeeze a little time with her in bed before everyone arrived if they could get out of church fast enough.

He steered her toward the doors but before they got there, Abigail and James Lassiter stepped into their path.

Abigail extended her hands, and he took them, squeezing before letting go to shake James’s hand.

“We won’t keep you long.” Abigail’s accent was old-school Georgia. She’d been third runner-up for Miss Georgia in her day. Even in her eighties she was still striking. She was a powerful person with very set opinions on everything. She’d grown up in Atlanta, where her people owned and ran one of the oldest and largest building companies in the Southern US. She’d met and married James, a Petal boy born and raised, and they’d settled just a few blocks from where Edward had grown up.

There was history there. James was fifteen years older than Edward. He’d been the quarterback, the most popular this or that. His family and the Chase family had been tight as James’s father had been a judge in the county for forty years. James Lassiter was sort of like an older cousin in Edward’s extended family.

Abigail smiled Edward’s way. “We wanted to thank you for giving Caroline a job at the firm. She needs some roots here and with you she has them.”

Edward shook his head. “Believe me when I tell you it was no imposition or even a favor on our part. Your granddaughter is a coup for us. She’s incredibly accomplished. For her to have so much experience at her age is stellar. We’re thrilled to have her on board.”

Polly shifted, sliding her arm through Edward’s. “Caroline is so intelligent and successful. You and James must be so proud.”

Edward knew she had taken a shine to Caroline, but this was more. Polly had just planted a flag with that declaration. Caroline Mendoza was under her protection. Woe to anyone who lobbed anything at the girl now.

Abigail though, she smiled, a genuine flush of pleasure that reached her eyes. “We’re very proud. James’s daddy would have been so thrilled to see his great-granddaughter go into law and do so well.”

But then the smile faltered. “Now that she’s back, James and I are hoping she’ll finally let go of her fool notions about that man.”