Life After Perfect (20 page)

“Are they going to arrest me for vandalizing that woman’s car?”

“I think they are going to try to use it for leverage, though, Katherine, he admitted to the affair. Of course, he says it’s over.”

Katy closed her eyes. Just the thought of it made her cringe. “It wasn’t too darned over for him to share the video with her.”

“Yes, Melissa sure did take that and run with it,” Shaleigh said.

“Melissa?” The name came out like a hiss. “That’s her name?” A warm, sour taste rose in her throat, and her lips became numb. She’d just been “that woman” until right now. A nameless person who had interrupted her life. There was something less threatening about a woman with no name. But Melissa? Did he call her Missy for short? Of course not. Ron would never do that. Just like he would never call her Katy. Oh, no. He’d call her Melissa even if her parents had named her Missy, and he’d expect her to act as prim and proper as a Melissa should. Like she had, as Katherine, for so long. The perfect wife.

“Yes. He’s admitting to the affair. Says it was a mistake, that he loves you and wants to reconcile. He and his lawyer want to meet tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Two o’clock. My office.”

The last thing she wanted was to be in the same room as Ron, but it was going to have to happen eventually and at least Shaleigh would do all the talking. Besides, back home she could at least cash that cashier’s check. And if she sold her car on the way, all the better. Especially if she could figure out a way for Ron to notice it. He sure did love that car. “She won’t be there, will she?”

“The girlfriend. Good lord, no. His lawyer would never allow it. It’ll be you and me and Ron and his lawyer.”

“I’ll be there.”

How were you supposed to sleep when you had thoughts racing through your mind as fast as one of those high-performance cars lapping an oval track?

Katy sat in the bed, her laptop on her lap, at four o’clock in the morning. Her stomach
twirl
ed and her mind bobbed back and forth between anger and hurt feelings.

It had been a long day. Well, not longer than last Friday. Lately that whole TGIF thing was losing its luster. Last Friday, when she saw Ron with that woman, felt so long ago. And now this Friday she’d be sitting in her lawyer’s office facing him, with his lawyer. Step one toward dissolving their marriage.

She googled MotorCar Nation, and used the locator tool to see which locations would be on her way to Atlanta.

Ron would be shocked when he found out, but the car was in her name, and she’d spent her own bonus on it. This was completely her right to do.

He loved that car. Probably more than he loved her, if the remaining picture in his office proved anything. It was such a symbol to him. She’d never really cared one way or the other. It was pretty, but she’d been happy with her other car. Besides, this was money she could put to better use.

The dealership opened at eight-thirty.

An online price estimate showed they were paying the same no matter which location she went to, so she picked the one in Charlotte. She could be done before lunchtime, and then get down to Atlanta no problem. Finally, with a plan in mind she thought she might actually be able to get some rest before the long drive. She set the alarm on her phone and closed her eyes.

When her alarm went off, she’d actually gotten a little sleep. She turned off the alarm, got dressed, grabbed her purse and the folio of her important papers, and went into town.

Angie was just flipping on the
OPEN
light at the Blue Skies Cafe when Katy parked at the curb. Angie leaned out the front door. “What are you doing out and about this early?”

“I have some errands to run today. Thought I’d stop and grab a cup of coffee and a muffin for the road.”

Angie waved her in. “Come on. I’ve got the coffee ready.”

A few minutes later, Katy was armed with a brown paper sack containing a blackberry streusel muffin and a large cup of coffee already tanned and cooled to her liking. “
I’
m hoping to be back this afternoon and starting that job hunt. So be thinking about where I might start.”

“Of course.”

Katy gave Angie a hug. “Thanks for everything, Angie.” When Angie turned to put the coffeepot back on the warmer, Katy took an envelope from her purse and slid it on the counter next to the cash register. “I’m out of here.” She knew Angie would refuse the help if she offered, but this way the few hundred dollars Katy’d set aside for emergencies would help Angie out in some small way. It would at least cover the repairs on her car.

“Drive careful.”

“I will,” Katy said waving as she walked out.

She sipped the coffee as she got on the interstate and made it to MotorCar Nation just a little after they’d opened.

She’d seen the commercials on television a million times. It had never occurred to her that she might actually need the service someday. While she’d been online this morning, she’d submitted all the details on her car and gotten an instant cash quote. She’d taken a screenshot of the quote. It was good for four days. But she only needed it for one.

She didn’t want to stand out. She didn’t want to spend her days trying to get one step ahead of everyone else anymore. She just wanted to stop and enjoy things. To blend in for a while. You couldn’t blend in anywhere in a bright red Mercedes.

She cruised up on the lot just after the dealership opened.

By the looks of the giant neon numbers plastered across the windshields on the cars filling the front of the lot, she’d be able to have the pick of the litter and still have money left over to live for the next few months without bothering any of the joint accounts she and Ron had. Things would be settled and she’d be single before she could spend the money from that check and the sale of the car.

With her purse on her shoulder, she walked across the line of shiny used cars to the front door of the huge dealership. A young man with shaggy hair wearing a polo shirt with the MotorCar Nation logo embroidered across the pocket raced to her side as soon as she walked in. “How can I help you today?”

“I submitted an online quote for my car.”

The sales guy glanced out to the lot and then back at her. “That one?”

She nodded.

He looked puzzled, but then he lifted his chin and nodded along with her. “Trying to get out from under a payment, aren’t ya? Happening a lot these days. We can pay the lien holder directly.”

“No. It’s paid for. I’ve got the title right here.”

“You trading it in? I’m not sure we have something on this lot that is going to be . . .” He looked out to the lot then lowered his voice. “Ma’am. Our cars are more for the economically minded, if you get my drift.”

She was so tempted to go for the minivan. That would totally kill Ron, but she did have to drive whatever it was she bought. “I’m interested in the black Chevy Malibu. Says it’s this year’s model. How many miles are on it?”

“Um. Yeah, well.” He looked totally flabbergasted. “Guy who brought it in had bought it for his daughter to take to college, but the girl ran off and got married instead. He traded it for a pickup truck.”

“How many miles on it?”

“Just over three thousand. It’s like brand-new. It’s clean. When we got it detailed, I got to take it up to the street to our other location. She has some get-up-and-go.”

“Sounds perfect. Can I drive it?”

He patted his pockets and pulled out a key. “Sure. Let me get the key.” He turned to walk away. “Oh, and if you want to give me your keys, I’ll have my manager take your car out for a test ride and then he can work up the final quote.”

She pulled her keys from her purse and tossed them across the aisle to him. “Let’s do it.”

A few minutes later the shaggy-haired salesman walked out with his manager. Clearly the manager wasn’t buying the story the kid was selling. She remembered fighting for respect at his age in business. It always sucked.

The manager repeated pretty much everything that had already transpired between her and the young salesman. “Yes. What he’s told you is exactly as we discussed.”

“Excellent. Well, I can take care of you from here.”

“No.” She countered icily. Maybe this was more about just changing her life. Maybe she could do a little something to help here too. “I’m pretty happy with . . .” She glanced at his name tag that hung crooked from his shirt. “Marcus.”

Marcus straightened, clearly proud that he’d just gotten kudos from his best chance at a commission all month.

“Well, ma
’am, I was just thinking since you were considering trading in the Mercedes . . . What year is it?”

“Last year’s model.”

“Yes, well that perhaps we could put you in something a little nicer than the Malibu that Marcus was telling you about.”

“Marcus and I have already discussed, and pinned down, exactly what I’d like. I don’t really see any need in wasting your time. Why don’t you work up that price for me while Marcus and I take a test-drive?”

The manager’s lips thinned in anger, but he kept his mouth shut. Good, because no matter what he said from here on out, she had no intention of letting him steamroll that kid out of the commission. It had turned into a cat-and-mouse game and she felt like winning.

His voice was curt. “I’ll need your license and information for a credit check.”

Of course you will. Now he thought she was a big fat fraud. She pulled her driver’s license out of her wallet. “What do you need me to fill out?”

The manager put her in a small office where she could fill out the form.

Marcus stood just outside the door, flipping the keys in his hand.

She filled in the blanks and then walked out, handing the form off to the manager, then nodding to Marcus as she headed for the door. “Let’s test-drive this cute little car.”

By the time they got back, the manager appeared to have cooled down. The flush of his skin had returned to normal and he was treating both her and Marcus with a bit more respect.

An hour later she was walking out of MotorCar Nation with a big fat check and a clean, sensible ride. She hadn’t let them take the time to tidy it further. A little dust on it would just make Ron go that much more crazy, and that was fine by her.

Marcus had pulled the Chevy up next to her Mercedes and was going to help her transfer all of her things from one car to the other while the lot boy put on the thirty-day tags.

She’d just popped the trunk when she got the text from Shaleigh.

SHALEIGH:
Ron’s rescheduling until Monday at 2.

Auuggghhh. Could he have waited any longer? Seriously? She breathed through her nose because she knew if she opened her mouth she just might scream.

She took a couple steps away from the car and texted Shaleigh back.

KATHERINE:
Seriously? I’m in Charlotte
.

SHALEIGH:
I think he was planning that. Said you could stay at the house for the weekend. He’ll be back in late Sunday night.

KATHERINE:
Not on his life. No wait. Maybe his life would be worth it.

SHALEIGH:
Don’t talk crazy. I’m not that kind of lawyer ;) Monday?

KATHERINE:
Yes. Damn him. Tell him if he doesn’t show Monday, I want the house.

SHALEIGH:
Now we’re talking.

KATHERINE:
Don’t tell them I want the house. I don’t want that big mortgage. He can have it. But tell him 2:30 just so he doesn’t get his way.

Katy shoved her phone into her purse and rubbed her left hand along her temple. He was exhausting. She could go around and around with him like this forever if she wasn’t careful. She knew how he operated. Of course, she’d always admired how he could manipulate things to get his way, but then that was when she wasn’t on the other end of that game.

Her phone rang and she checked the number. It was Derek.
I definitely can’t talk to you right now.
She pushed the button on the top of the phone to shut it down, then got behind the wheel of her new car and headed back north toward Boot Creek.

Chapter Eighteen

Derek didn’t know if he was happy for Todd Keefer or not. Angie had said he made it into town yesterday to be with Kelly Jo. Part of him knew he should go over there and offer his support, but things were moving forward. He’d received the call from the hospice team to get all of Kelly Jo’s medications and things transferred to them for her final care.

No one else knew what hell it was to watch the person you loved die, except someone who’d been through it. But he wasn’t sure that mattered when you were going through it. Mostly he’d just wanted to be left alone with Laney. Todd probably felt the same way.

The transfer of Kelly Jo to hospice had made those old demons kick back at him again. That dark hole in his chest that he’d thought was finally lightening up had grown heavy once more. He was a little afraid, hell, terrified, that being too close to Kelly Jo and Todd’s situation would land him right back at the brink of the darkness he was just now getting past.

He wasn’t sure he could put himself through that again.

In the past week, he’d seemed to have found a new normal. Rather than staying so busy that he’d fall into bed at the end of a day, he’d looked forward to finding pockets of time where he might stop and enjoy doing something. And suddenly, he wasn’t feeling as lonely. Maybe it wasn’t a new normal. Maybe it was more like his old normal. Whatever the case, he hoped it would stick around. Well, not it, so much as her. Because this new normal was a much better place to be than where he’d been the last couple of years.

He’d be lying if he didn’t admit that even if it weren’t Friday and his normal French toast morning at the Blue Skies Cafe, he’d be sitting right here waiting for a chance to talk to Angie anyway. She and Katy had planned to spend the previous day together, and he was curious to see what she had to say.

He finished his breakfast, pushed his empty plate to the side, and opened the newspaper, biding his time until Angie had a chance to walk over. She would. She always did, but they’d been friends for so long, she wouldn’t bother until she caught a break in the morning flow of customers. Angie walked through the cafe topping off coffee, giving and getting her usual round of good mornings and hellos. She wasn’t working his booth today, though.

“Hey, handsome,” she said to him as she came back over near his booth to start a fresh pot of coffee.

“You’re in a good mood today.”

“I’m always in a good mood in the morning.”

He narrowed his eyes, feeling pretty certain she was hiding something. “True. But there’s something a little springier about you this morning. You and Katy must have had a good time on your afternoon off.” Okay, it wasn’t a subtle lead-in. Katy was on his mind and Angie would know he was digging.

“We did. The guys at Criss Cross flocked around her like seagulls over a fat guy on the beach with French fries.”

Jealousy surged through Derek. He never did have a good poker face.

She knew him so well; her reaction told him that she knew exactly what he was thinking. “But don’t you worry; she is crazy about you,” she said pointing an accusatory finger in his direction. “Not that I think you mind that one bit. Oh, but she did land me a date.”

“Really? With who? Anyone I know over there?”

“Jackson.”

He’d met Jackson. “He’s a good guy. I could see you two together.”

“Well, you just might if you happen to be in Level Green for the antique car club thing tomorrow night. It’s Vette night and the Night Crawlers are playing. He’s taking me.”

He was glad she was getting out. She worked hard. She needed a little playtime. Of course, everyone was always telling him that too.

When Laney died, he’d made sure he was too busy even to miss the thought of romance ever again, but that had been shattered the moment he set eyes on Katy at the gas station that day.

She’s so different from Laney. Maybe that’s what was so perfect about it. A different kind of perfect for a different time in his life.

“You’re thinking about Katy, aren’t you?”

Ol’ Man Johnson called out, “Order up.”

Angie shrugged. “It’s good. Don’t go trying to dissect it.” She started to walk away, but then came back and leaned over his table. “Seriously, Derek. I think this is really good for you.”

“I do too.” He repeated those words to himself. And he believed them.

He left the money for his tab and a generous tip on the table and headed out the back door. The short walk over to the clinic wasn’t short enough when the air was thick and swampy like it was this morning. The constant rain and heat cycle they’d been experiencing had been downright tropical, and not in the nice “lie on the beach” way, but more in the “sweat your ass off in the rain forest” kind of way.

At five-thirty Derek drove over to the firehouse for the weekly meeting and a check-in before the storm that was expected arrived to cause trouble in their area. The captain shared the final numbers from the Blackberry Festival and they’d beat their target. Someone had even taken the time to analyze which parts of their efforts brought in the most profit. The carved bears brought in the most money, but after the artists were paid their portion, it wasn’t the most profitable.

The captain raised his hand in the air. “Big firehouse shout-out to our own Derek Hansen for rocking the Turnout Gear Challenge with a record-winning heat and retaining his title, and for being the most profitable gig on the ticket.”

The guys cheered. “Could have been more if you’d have done those stripper moves Patrick put on,” one man shouted.

“That’ll never happen. I may have won, but Patrick was the star of that show,” Derek said. Although he’d walked away with Katy that night, so he considered himself the real winner.

Derek’s mind remained on Katy as the captain reviewed the calls from the last two weeks and discussed lessons learned and concerns. The meetings were always short and productive. Derek liked that about the captain. The last captain they’d had would keep them there for over an hour just to hear himself talk.

The team talked through the drills, contingency planning for power outages, and communications during the time of the storm.

When they wrapped up, Derek decided to skip the dinner. He walked out to his car and dialed Katy’s number. If he didn’t catch her, at least he could leave her a message. But when she didn’t answer, he hung up. He’d try again later.

At home, he heated up some leftovers in the microwave, and then he tried her number again.

“Hey there. Was hoping I’d catch you. Angie said you had to go out of town.”

Katy’s words came at a clip. “I’m on my way back to Naomi’s now.”

“You sound a little frustrated. Are you okay?”

He heard her let out a sigh. “I’m fine. Tired. What’s up?”

“I was going to see if you wanted to go to the movie tonight. They have one of those big blow-up screens out at the park. Since you’re back, you up for it?”

She paused, then said in an apologetic tone, “Not really. I’m kind of beat. I was up early. Maybe another time.”

“Sure. They’ll probably do it a few more times before the weather changes.”

She didn’t say anything.

“Okay, well I’ll let you go.”

“Talk to you soon,” she said.

He hung up the phone, sorry that he’d called. He’d had his hopes pinned on a date or at least some conversation. Maybe she’d just had a bad day.

While he was washing his dish, he noticed the shock of pink flowers outside, and a thought occurred to him.

He took the scissors from the knife block on the counter and walked outside. He must have snipped twenty-five flowers, forming a big bouquet that would cheer up just about anyone. He cut a piece of cotton twine from the ball he’d used to tie the tomato plant stems to their stakes.

Not bad.

He went inside and grabbed his keys and headed for his truck.

When he got to Lonesome Pines, Katy’s car wasn’t there. He must have beat her home, which was good because he hoped the flowers might cheer her up after a long day on the road. He went to the front door, knocked, and let himself inside through the open front door.

Naomi stopped mid-sentence, and Katy was standing right across from her.

He knew her car hadn’t been out front, but it was most certainly her. “Hey, Naomi. Katy. I . . . I.” He glanced back toward the door. Confused. “I didn’t think you were back yet. I was just going to leave these for you.”

Naomi looked as impressed as if she’d been the one to raise him.

“Thank you,” Katy said.

“We just got done with our meeting at the firehouse. The storm is expected to cause some trouble. Looks like you just barely beat the rain.”

“I ran through some showers on the way in,” she said.

“If the creek starts to rise, I want y’all to know that you can come stay at my house. Just call and I’ll come get you.”

Naomi didn’t look worried. “That’s sweet of you, Derek, but that creek has never risen high enough to cause a problem here. We’ll be just fine. If worse comes to worst, we’ll take to the second floor.”

Katy gave him a half smile. “I’ll just go put these in a vase.”

She left the room and now what had seemed like such a fun and romantic gesture felt awkward as hell with Naomi standing there smiling that knowing smile at him.

Thank goodness it only took Katy a minute to grab a vase and fill it with water. She returned, put it on the table in the front room, and started fussing with the flowers.

“I’m just going to go check on Kelly Jo and I’ve got some . . .” Naomi spoke as she headed out of the room. “I’ve got stuff to do upstairs.”

“That was subtle,” he said with a laugh as Naomi hotfooted it out of the room.

“Yeah,” she said pushing her hair behind her ear. “Look, Derek. This is really nice. Sweet, really, but I think we need to slow things down. I—”

“No pressure. I know you’re tired. I just wanted to stop by. You sounded kind of stressed after the drive. I thought the flowers might make you smile.”

“You sure know how to do that,” she said, then stepped around to the other side of the table fussing with the flowers, only he had a feeling it was more to put space between them.

“So?” He wasn’t quite sure what had changed, but the signals were clearly different.

“It’s complicated,” she said.

“No. What Todd and Kelly Jo are going through, that’s complicated.”

She pulled her arms up and crossed them tight at her chest. “Okay, so it’s not life-and-death complicated, but it’s complex. I have to go back to Atlanta on Monday.”

“Okay. So, what is in Atlanta? I thought you lived in Virginia Beach.”

She shook her head. “I grew up in Virginia Beach, but I live on the outskirts of Atlanta.”

“Oh?” Only he wasn’t really understanding. He was falling for this girl. Not even a week. It was ridiculous. Crazy. He knew it was. Even his hopeless romantic of a mother would say so, but it was true. She’d awakened feelings that he thought he would never feel again. And he liked it. And now she seemed afraid.

“I’m sorry I know I’m not making sense. I’m so tired.”

“I didn’t see your car when I pulled in.”

She looked puzzled, then nodded. “That’s because I got rid of the Mercedes this morning.”

“Is it the money? Do you need money? I could help—”

Katy’s face flooded a soft pink. “No, it’s not. Money isn’t a problem. I can get a job. I’m just a grump. I’m sorry. I’m never like this.”

“Why don’t you come with me? I’ll put you in a better mood.”

Naomi poked her head around the corner. “Go on, Katy. We’ll be fine here.”

Derek and Katy shared a smile. Had Naomi been hanging right there around the corner the whole time?

“I won’t even make you go outside in the rain.”

She laughed. “You were the one who didn’t want to go out in the rain. Not me. You almost sacrificed our pork chops because of a little rain.”

“How about popcorn and a movie? We’ll veg out in front of the television and just relax.”

“I’ll probably fall asleep.”

“I happen to be a pretty good cuddle,” he said. “Come on. The rain sounds great under the tin roof.”