Secrets in the Sand by Carolyn Brown

            If looks could kill, Angel would be stretched out on the floor, ready for the undertaker to embalm her. Janie and Melissa had been inseparable in high school, and evidently, their friendship was still as strong as ever.

            Angel picked up her hamburger and forced herself to eat a bite even though the burger had lost some of its taste.

            Janie turned back to Clancy and ignored Angel. “Melissa told me she was going to Florida to see you and that you two might work things out,” she said, as if Angel were just another piece of furniture. “Then she called and said she was flying to Virginia to settle things there, so I thought—”

            “Evidently you thought wrong,” Jim interrupted. “It’s good to see you, Angela. Where have you been keeping yourself all these years?”

            “Oh, I live in Kemp part of the time and in Denison the rest,” Angel answered.

            “What are you doin’? Besides outrunnin’ storms and singin’ with that band of yours.” Jim picked up his chili dog and took a bite.

            “She’s the president of Conrad Oil Enterprises,” Clancy answered.

            “You’re kiddin’.” Jim’s eyes were as round as saucers. “You are that Angel? Red talks about you all the time. Says you’re smarter’n anybody in the business. Lord, I didn’t know he was talkin’ about Angela Conrad.”

            “Thank you,” she said. “How do you know Red?”

            Janie picked at her salad as if she expected to find a cockroach hidden under the lettuce leaves.

            “I’ve been workin’ for him eight years now,” Jim said. “Lots of us here in Tish commute together down to the offshore rigs. Out two weeks, home two weeks. Janie loves half of it.” He grinned. “That would be the half I’m gone.”

            “Oh, hush!” Janie almost growled at him. “It’s just I can’t get anything done with him home twenty-four hours a day for two weeks.” She continued to ignore Angel. “He’s always underfoot somehow. I just talked to Melissa again today. She’ll be back in town, maybe even tonight or tomorrow. I’ve invited her to stay with me.”

            Clancy reached over and draped an arm around Angel’s shoulders. “Let’s get something straight right now, Janie. Melissa and I are history. She’s the one who wanted a divorce so she could marry someone else. I’m not interested in a rematch. She needs to get on with her life.”

            “Oh, sure, you’d say that. You’re running from your responsibilities. If you’d been a decent husband, then she wouldn’t have left you.” Janie flared up at him. “Melissa told me she was pregnant and going to Florida to tell you. Evidently she found you there with Angela.”

            “The baby is not mine.” Clancy said through gritted teeth. Then he chuckled. That soon turned into a guffaw. “This is so damned funny. It should feed the gossip mill here in town for weeks.”

            “Are you crazy?” Jim stared at him.

            “Not me!” Clancy wiped his eyes. “It’s the rest of the world that’s crazy. You’re crazy, Janie.” Clancy leaned forward until his nose was just inches from hers. “Melissa may be pregnant. That’s her business. The baby might be Daniel’s or someone else’s. That’s still her problem and her life to sort out. If she told you I got her pregnant, then your best friend lied to you. If the two of you hatched up this scheme together, then you know I’m telling the truth.”

            “Well, if it weren’t for you”—Janie spun around and stared at Angela—“Clancy and Melissa might work things out. They belong together.”

            “Janie, why don’t you shut up?” Jim asked softly. “This ain’t your business.”

            “Yes, it is.” She turned on him. “Melissa’s been my best friend since we were three years old. So, she made a big mistake by leaving Clancy for Daniel. So, she got pregnant and her husband’s not the father, but—” Janie clamped a hand over her mouth and blushed.

            “Just exactly who is the baby daddy?” Angela asked.

            “Oh, go to hell. You never did belong to our crowd and you won’t now, just because he’s got blinders on,” Janie hissed. “Don’t think we’ll all welcome you with open arms just because you slept your way to the top of some oil company, and Clancy thinks you’re hot stuff.”