Free Softly and Tenderly by Sara Evans Page A

hound on the hunt.” If she’d learned anything, Rebel respected strength.
    The skin around his eye crinkled, but his lips remained sober.
    “By the way, you’re in my shop, so keep your voices down. I can hear every word and footstep.”
    “Sorry to have disturbed you.” Rebel’s slacks gracefully fell into place as he stood. His silver and black hair was thick and neat, and his jaw had the strength of a younger man. He looked regal. Like the leader of a great Southern law firm.
    Not at all like the weak man Jade had caught cheating on his wife.
    “Haven’t you left yet?” June appeared at the edge of the kitchen, her face locked with determination, her arms folded like an X across her middle. Keep out . The small loft was filled with large resentment.
    “Call me,” Rebel said, slightly stepping toward her as if he wanted to kiss her. Jade stared at her shoes.
    “Not this time, Reb. Not this time.”
    With a lingering glance at his wife, Rebel passed Jade, lightly pressing her arm as he started down the stairs. “Tom tells me you’re in an insurance battle. Over the downtown shop.”
    “Apparently the Danica Patrick wannabe didn’t realize You Buy It insurance company was no longer licensed to practice in the greater Chattanooga area.”
    “I’ll check in with Tom. See if he needs help. I’ve got some friends at the insurance commission.”
    Sure he did. Reb had all kinds of friends. “Thanks,” Jade said, feeling like she was consorting with the enemy. But this wasn’t her fight. It was June’s.
    As Rebel’s footsteps faded away, June emerged from the kitchen, hot anger trailing her. “He can’t find anything at the house, so he comes crying to me.” She fluffed the couch pillows. “‘Junie, I miss you. I can’t find the popcorn. We’re all out of almonds. I can’t find any of the good movies.’”
    Jade rested against the open door, one ear to the women still browsing downstairs. Lillabeth should be along in the next few minutes.
    “Did he apologize? Give you a reason for being with Claire?”
    “Of course not. He tries to brainwash me into thinking I’m overreacting. Tells me she means nothing to him. Well, it means something to me.” June kicked the coffee table leg. Hard. “And I’m not going to take it anymore.”
    “Just how long have you been taking it?” Jade scooted down a few steps and peered under the slanted wall into the shop. The women were perusing the vintage vinyl. “My name is Jade, if you need anything, ladies.”
    They turned, smiled, and nodded, square album covers in their hands.
    “I thought . . . if I just hung in there . . . showed him I was sincere, that I wasn’t going anywhere, he’d—”
    “What do you mean, you weren’t going anywhere?” Jade leaned to see into June’s eyes, but she kept her gaze fixed on an image not in the room.
    June shook her head slowly. Strands of her blonde hair stood on end. Green eye shadow ran into the corner of her eyes. “I’m tired of paying.” She lifted her hand and fiddled with the pearls of her necklace. “Simply tired.”

    In the afternoon, Jade picked up Mama for a doctor’s appointment. The news wasn’t good. The doctor wanted Mama to submit to another round of Rituxan.
    She’d jumped to her feet, billowing, “No!”
    As Jade steered her out of the office, Mama barked at the nurse. “No.”
    To the receptionist, Mama said, “No.”
    On the ride home, she repeated no a dozen times, and muttered against the window she was going home to Iowa no matter what.
    When Jade brought her back to the Blue Umbrella, Mama greeted Lillabeth with a no. Then asked what she was doing on the weekend. “How about a girls’ road trip?”
    Okay, Mama, I get it .
    Meanwhile, Lillabeth watched over the shop.
    “Is June still upstairs?”
    “She left about fifteen minutes ago. Said something about going to the club for a meeting.”
    All morning Jade heard June’s melancholy, “Simply tired,” bounding around her