Page 34 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“Why socks?” he said, staring at the acre of them pinned above his head. Striped, collared, plain white. They’d strung sports socks along with some of the fancier ones featuring designs ranging from pineapples to dogs’ heads above him.

“Lyntacky, bud, ’nuff said, surely,” Sawyer said.

“Who’s Henry?” Dan Duke asked from his left. This Duke had brown hair, blue eyes, and plenty of charm. He could be really annoying when he wanted to be, but like all Dukes, the women in this town adored him.

“What?”

“Apparently you talked to someone on the phone in The Gnat three days ago called Henry, and he pissed you off. The town is now speculating who Henry is,” Dan said.

“Dr. Hannah says it’s short for Henrietta and it’s the woman who broke your heart that you’ve never gotten over,” Sawyer said.

“You’re kidding me?” JD said.

“June Matilda told me that Henry is a parrot you had to leave behind, and someone rings you just so the bird can hear your voice,” Dan added. “Seeing as you love animals.”

“This town needs to get a life,” JD muttered.

“You came here, which means you’re one of us, even if we still consider you an outsider,” Sawyer said.

“How long you reckon they’ll give me until I’m considered a local?”

“Never going to happen, bud. Sorry,” Red Heckler said from behind the bar. Clearly, he’d been listening to their conversation.

Big with bright red hair, freckles, and blue eyes, the man looked like everyone’s favorite teddy bear, unlike his wife, who looked like a man-eater.

“Red, you pour those beers and stop your jawing!” Delores yelled.

“Yeah, yeah, you hold yours,” he yelled back. He then winked at her, and she giggled.

Love, JD thought, it came in all shapes and sizes.

“It’s busy tonight, Red,” JD said.

“The Slatters have this big boating, hiking trip starting tomorrow. Everyone’s having their last night of fine dining,” Red said, smiling at his own joke.

“So Henry?” Sawyer said, drawing JD’s eyes back to him.

“He’s my brother,” JD said. This man was the closest thing to a real friend he had, and maybe it was time he told him something about his life.

Sawyer whistled. “How many you got?”

“Just the one.”

“You didn’t know he had a brother?” Dan asked Sawyer. “I thought you were friends.”

“Unlike you, we don’t pour out our life story to anyone we meet,” Sawyer said. He then looked at JD. “And what did Henry say to annoy you?”

“Dan’s right in that we’ve never really talked about my family. I see no reason to start now.”

“Good to get it all out, JD. Holding shit in just festers, you ask my girl,” Red said. “She never holds on to anything but a grudge. I know from the minute she opens her eyes what she’s doing next.”

“You know everything about my life now,” Sawyer said.

JD knew Dan was listening, but Ryder and Brody, the other two Dukes with them, were playing pool. Red clearly was listening, but he had dirt on everyone in this town who sat on these stools pouring out their woes each day, so he didn’t concern him.

“You may as well come clean,” Dan said. “There are no secrets in Lyntacky. Everything comes out like a bowel movement eventually.”

“Charming,” Dr. Hannah said, coming to the bar. “But Dan’s right. Spill your innards, JD. It’ll be cleansing.”

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