Southern Belles, a Novel About Love, Purpose & Second Chances (9781310340970) by Sarah Anderson Read Free Book Online Page A

surrogate mother for CeCe and me. She
always knew what to say to us to turn our day around. She also knew
how to handle the men that would come in and try to get fresh with
her. That was entertaining to watch. At 5’2, Trudy’s not the
typical blonde bombshell that most people, at first glance presume.
Smart and funny, she keeps the regulars coming back not just for
the food but for the feeling they get of being known by name. A
native of St. Marys, Trudy has never stepped foot outside this
small town. I don’t know how but she always seems happy even as a
single mom, working at a diner for a living. Years ago she fell in
love with a handsome stranger who abandoned her while pregnant.
Still after that she kept a smile on her face more often than not.
She says that she could have chosen to be angry for the rest of her
life but that Charlie, her daughter, is the best gift that anyone
has ever given her. I just never understood how someone so young
and full of life could be happy in the constraints of a small,
old-fashion town but Trudy was.
    Driving up to Trixie Rox, I spotted a few
familiar cars in the packed parking lot. A lot of other beach goers
must have had the same idea, an ice-cold milkshake and some cheesy
fries to fight off the heat and hunger that a long day at the beach
demands.
    “Hey that looks like Veronica’s car,” Richie
said, smiling.
    “Hey, that looks like Veronica’s car,” CeCe
echoed mockingly.
    “I don’t even know why someone as awesome as
yourself Richie would ever like someone so shallow and fake as
Veronica,” said CeCe in a sarcastic voice.
    Veronica was the only girl that drove CeCe
nuts and Richie knew it. Richie, who was liked by all, (especially
the girls) always, thought that Veronica was cute…and Veronica made
it a point to flirt with him. Veronica was 5’9 and 120 pounds of
perfect. Long, straight, blonde hair and legs a mile high, she was
the captain of the tennis team, co-cheerleading captain (CeCe was
the other co-captain of the cheerleading squad our senior year),
Miss Homecoming queen, President’s award recipient and CeCe’s arch
rival. Secretly, CeCe was always trying to out-do Veronica and
vice-versa Veronica did her best to make perfection look easy. I
think the competition started in fifth grade when CeCe was showing
Eric Sothersby off when Veronica Sweetly interrupted her parade by
walking by and smiling harmoniously at Eric. Feeling threatened by
the cute little blonde, with perfectly parted pigtails, whose
mother was also a powerhouse in the community, CeCe shot her a
laser-eyed look to shoo her away from her new prize possession.
Sweet, but not dense to her plan, Veronica shot her back an equally
menacing look when Eric turned his back, before she smiled at CeCe
and walked away, triumphantly. Since then CeCe and Veronica have
been competing against each other in everything from boyfriends to
cheerleading captain to fashion icon to president of the student
government body and then some. And when Veronica won Miss
Homecoming queen, CeCe was secretly devastated—even though she
smiled during the crowning on the football field to cover the pain
of defeat. CeCe didn’t quite feel as bold a competitor again until
she won Miss St. Marys a few months later. And then she was back
and as audacious as ever.
    Pulling open the door to the diner, I
quickly scanned the room and felt like it was a mini-high school
reunion. Amongst all the recognizable faces including Veronica’s,
there were many more unfamiliar, youthful ones. Next, I spotted
Trudy who was busy running the show, pinning up orders for the
kitchen crew, and getting ready to stack her tray with scrumptious
diner food. Looking toward our usual spot I spied four guys that
looked to be college-aged sitting in our booth. As soon as CeCe
discovered Veronica looking towards our table, CeCe realized her
new assignment—make sure Veronica saw CeCe befriending the guys she
couldn’t take her eyes off and make her