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“Hey, Huds. I need some advice on one-night stand protocol,” I say, getting straight to the point. “Seems I’m a little rusty in that department.”
“Hello to you too.” He chuckles. “And how the fuck would I know?”
“Don’t give me that shit. You’ve pulled enough chicks in your time. Most of the single girls in this town.”
“I might remind you there aren’t that many, bro. And if Dolly Simpson is talking about me again, it’s all lies.”
I snicker. Dolly certainly likes to get her fake nails into any fresh meat around. She runs the beauty salon and is the biggest gossip in town.
“I’d like to think you were really drunk to even consider taking her home.”
“I was. And it was ages ago. Did you call for a pep talk or advice?”
I laugh. “Well, in other news… Hartley from New York is apparently my new divorce lawyer.”
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah, get this. Her dad is Jim Chambers.”
“No way.”
“I ran into her this morning at his office. That meeting was nice and awkward.”
“So let me get this straight. You had a one-night stand in New York with a woman who you didn’t know lives in Stoney Creek?” He can’t contain his laughter.
“She just moved here on Monday, smart ass. I had no idea. You know Jim’s been unwell of late, so it all happened fast.”
“I heard somethin’ about that. Is he gonna be okay?”
“If the old bastard listens to doctor’s orders and stops trying to come to work. Between Linda and Hartley, I think they’ve got it covered.”
“So you bonin’ her yet?”
I drive along Main Street, my window down as I let a woman cross the road with her stroller. This is what I like about small towns; everything is at a slow pace.
“No. Now she’s spouting something about being disbarred if Keira finds out about us.”
“Can she really do that?”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Can’t you wait until settlement? Shouldn’t be far away now, surely.”
“Yeah, that’s the other thing. Keira sent a caveat through on Coyote Run this morning, just to piss me off.”
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah, I mean, Hartley said there’s nothing she can do since the land wasn’t part of the prenup, but she just likes to mess with me.”
“That’s a low fucking blow if I’ve never heard one. She’s still nuts about you, that’s why.”
“Nuts being the appropriate word. I mean, how did it come to this? She was the one cheating, for fuck’s sake. I should be the one leaving her high and dry, not the other way round.”
“But you’re not vindictive like she is. That’s what makes her lower than dog shit.”
“Maybe I should be. I already took gifting the Nashville house out of the equation. I originally talked about it as a peace offering to get her off my back. It’ll be part of the settlement, but my offer is now fifty percent instead of ongoing alimony. So if she wants the house she’ll have to buy my half. Otherwise, we will sell it and split the proceeds fifty-fifty. I’m feeling like I might get a little hard to deal with myself, see how she likes it.”
“I like your style. She deserves nothing. I guess she’s out for all she can get now,” he says. “Thank fuck it will be over for you soon.”
