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“Patricia was a good woman. Missed by many.”
“She was…is.” William cleared his throat.
“Know things haven’t been easy since she died, but she’d be proud of you.” Jim squeezed William’s shoulder.
He swallowed a punch of emotion. Those words, spoken in that fatherly tone, meant everything. He had given up, long ago, hearing them from his own father. But this…well, strangely, it brought him peace.
“Thank you. I’ve ah…” William gestured to his truck. “Got some personal business.”
“A special someone, eh?” Jim winked. “I’d know that look anywhere.”
William jerked his chin to the building. “Let’s get this done so I can get back to her.”
* * *
Disbelief. Total shock. Lucy stopped the message, clicked replay, and listened again. She nearly had it memorized.
“Lucy, it’s Carlos. Carlos from California. You remember me. Of course you do. Long time no talk. Hey, I saw your alligator spot. I was hoping I could convince you to come work with me again. I’m managing a station here in Ohio. I have a couple of positions available right now…a morning anchor position and a general assignment reporter. I’m hoping one of these might interest you. Would love to work together again. Call me.”
She took a huge breath. Leaving Confluence would be her reality.
Numb, she started making a list of all she’d need to do before she made the move.
Stupid Caterpillar.
It was too late to return Carlos’s call. She’d do it first thing in the morning, and start packing immediately.
In the meantime, she’d keep her chin up. Keep living her life. Which, at the moment, included taking out the trash.
She hefted the overfull bag from the plastic bin, turning her head away from the smell of three-day-old yogurt containers and the chicken she had never gotten around to cooking.
“No.”
She jumped at the word and glanced up.
Neilson crossed his arms across his chest.
She glowered at him. “Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Surprising me. Is it that hard to announce yourself?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. With his freaky ability to fade into the background of her life, he had probably been there the entire time.
“Trash day’s tomorrow.” She grunted as she heaved the heavy bag.
“No,” he said again.
“Uh. Yes.” She started past him, but he put his hand out to stop her.
“It’s late. It’s dark. No.”
She set the bag down. “Don’t care. It stinks. Yes.”
No response.
“Look. If you won’t let me, could you be a gentleman and take it out?”
