But Arden knows he’s excited to be going to breakfast with him. Because he’s excited to be seeing Carly. “You already know what you’re going to order?”

Cletus scoffs. “I haven’t been to the Uppity Rooster in decades, boy. Probably changed the menu twenty times since then.”

“They have coffee. Looks like you could use a pot of that.”

“You know what that place is full of?”

“What?”

“Cocks.”

Arden swerves slightly in the driveway. “Come again?”

Pure glee shines in Cletus’s eyes. “Cocks, boy. Roosters. Miss May was obsessed with ’em, if you know what I mean.”

“Nice, old man. Nice.”

The drive is a short, talkative one. Cletus remarks again on how nice the weather is, how much moonshine he just purchased, and how horrible but potent it is.

“Tastes like sweaty butt crack,” Cletus insists. “But it gets the job done.”

They pull into the Uppity Rooster Café and Arden revs the truck engine to let Carly know they’ve arrived. This earns a disapproving look from Uncle Cletus. “Is that supposed to be some sort of mating call, boy?”

The hostess seats them in Carly’s section. She waves to them from behind the drink station, and signals that she’ll be with them in a minute. Arden acknowledges with what he knows is a cheesy grin.

“Oh no,” Cletus says. “You’re dating her, aren’t you, boy.”

Arden didn’t plan on having this conversation with his uncle just yet. That is to say, he had planned on having it in a different way—a way in which he started and finished it. “So what if I am?” Nice way to begin maturely.

“Just in case you’re unaware, son, she’s too good for you.”

“She doesn’t seem to think so.”

Cletus waves his hand in dismissal. “Psh. They never realize it.”

“You’re the one who’s always talking about how smart she is. Can’t be that smart if she’s dating me.” Wait, what?

“Smart people make stupid mistakes.”

Carly arrives then. Her hair is swept back in a messy bun and her cheeks are an alluring pink. Arden’s not sure she could be unattractive if she tried. “Sorry about that. I have a party table in the back. What can I get y’all to drink?”

Arden loves it when she says “y’all.” It means he’s rubbing off on her. “I’ll have my usual.”

“Sweet tea it is. Uncle Cletus?”

Cletus seems enchanted that she’s calling him Uncle Cletus instead of Mr. Shackleford now. “I’ll have a Bloody Mary. More Mary than Bloody, if you know what I mean.”

“Gross. But okay.”

She disappears again, and Cletus wastes no time in resuming the conversation. “End it, Arden. For God’s sake. What would your father say?”

“You know I don’t care what he thinks.”

“You know I don’t care what that S-O-B thinks either. You know what I’m talking about. Does he know?” There has never been any love lost between Cletus and Sheriff Moss. Cletus was against his niece marrying Arden’s father from day one; even back then, he knew Dwayne Moss was a punk.

And Cletus knows the depths of the sheriff’s racism. That’s why he retired from the county when he did. Arden’s father was already developing his platform to run for sheriff. And Cletus would be damned if he sat by and watched it happen on his shift.

“Unfortunately, he does,” Arden says. He feels his jaw locking, remembering what happened that night. “He’s already expressed his disapproval.”

Cletus balls his fists. “What did he say? No, don’t tell me. That nitwit. Does Carly know how he feels?”

Arden feels the blood draining from his face. “She was there when he expressed his sentiments.”

“You took her to your house, didn’t you? Are you stupid, boy?”

“Yes.”

Cletus nods, satisfied. “Maybe you’re not a lost cause after all. If he would have hurt her—”

“I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

“But if he had? I would put my fist through his skull. That’s what I would do. And I trust you to do the same.”

“He won’t lay a hand on her.”

“And what about you? You thinking about putting your grubby hands on her like you do all the rest of them senseless girls?”

“I’m in love with her.” Now the blood rushes back into his cheeks. It’s the first time he’s said it out loud. He feels relieved and burdened at the same time.

A slow grin crawls over Cletus’s face. “You are, aren’t you.”

“Bad. Really bad.”

Carly comes back then, and sets the drinks down in front of them. “Do you guys know what you want? If you hurry, I can get your order in before the big party. It’s a bridal shower, so they’re sipping on mimosas right now.” She leans down then and whispers to Arden, “Huge money, hopefully.”

Cletus has a gleam in his eye as he says, “I don’t know what the fancy name for it is, but I’ll have scrambled eggs and bacon and some biscuits and gravy.”

This takes Arden off guard. He didn’t expect Cletus to be ready to order yet. Or to be so … alert. “I’ll have pancakes.”

“Bananas Foster?” Carly says.