Her stomach churned as she ate, but pretending normalcy could get her through the day.“Is everything all right?” Michael wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back.“Fine.” She barely got the word out with crumbs from the corn bread stuck in her throat. All the moisture in her mouth had dried up. Every time her gaze wandered to the bruise on Michael’s chin, she thought of Clarence’s revelations the day before. It seemed unbelievable Michael would be involved in a bar brawl, and then pay some woman of ill repute to leave town. She shook her head. Obviously, her lack of social interaction had left her with poor judgment of character.“You seem to be doing some pretty heavy thinking this morning.” He grinned as he removed the plates and cups and deposited them into the sink. Then he leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. “How was the day with your family?”“Fine.” She glanced briefly at him, then with her head down, pleated the skirt of her dress with stiff fingers.He sighed and moved to the curtain separating them from the store.
