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“You know Holly, my world was already completely upside down and now it’s catapulted the other way, and I just wish there was something I could do about it but I know I can’t.”
“So…why are you so convinced this is an impossible situation? I mean, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear you really like this guy.”
“Well, for starters…because Quade made it deadly clear that he will pull out everything I thought was mine if I displease him. If I even lock my damn door he thinks I’m rebelling against him in some spiteful way. He threatened to take back my house and business Holly. Don’t you get that? And I don’t give a fig about the house…I mean, I love it but it’s too big. I could afford a downpayment for my own house now, with or without any help from my inheritance. But I cannot afford to lose my business. You know that’s everything I have. I will literally eat my savings if he takes that from me, and my dad’s determined to hang on to all his moneys until he keels over dead. And if I cross Quade… the guy could easily cajole my dad into leaving me nothing.”
“This is all so crazy—”
“I don’t know what he’ll stop at Holly. All I know is that he scared me within an inch of my life, and now he wants to talk about ‘us’. Can you even believe that? He says he feels like I’m slipping away from him and he doesn’t like it.”
Holly sits alertly on the other side of the tub, speechless and compassionately angry on my behalf. She’s always been there for me, letting me dump everything on her all the time. But I’ve never been up against a wall like this before, and the poor thing would have no idea what to do with it. I have no idea what to do with it.
“Well sweetie,” she eventually responds, “let’s just wait to find out if your phone’s really tapped and then we’ll figure it all out. One thing at a time. How’s that going by the way? Heard anything back from the investigator guy yet?”
“No. I’ve left three messages and now I’m afraid they’ll ignore me because I’m a nuisance.”
“Well…you’re staying at my place, forever as far as I’m concerned, so there’s no pressure on you there.”
I nod along appreciatively. My wineglass is emptying fast and I’m feeling looser. I have the sense my tongue’s about to start operating against my own will.
“So how was the call with Quade on Monday then? I guess he got everything off his chest?”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
“No, you’ve barely said two words all week,” she replies, sounding concerned rather than miffed.
“I don’t exactly know. Honestly, he didn’t say much. He’d built up this huge thing that we were gonna have this stupid, uncomfortable talk about us, and then he just sort of touched base and got off the phone. Said he’d call again tonight and then didn’t.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Um…well…other than the fact that it doesn’t change or fix any of the insane things he said and did to me the week before. Thus…me walking around a ticking bomb twenty-four seven.”
“You have a point,” Holly says, pouring us another round. “Well, I think the best thing might be for Levi to have a talk with Quade, guy to guy…right? Not that he wants to be in the same room with that monster anymore. But… considering we can’t really take any legal action, a calm collected conversation might be our best bet. Not to make any excuses for Quade, but I’m sure he’s just been all caught up in his emotions and could be reasoned with at a more casual time.”
“Oh Holly, I do hope you’re right about that. And yes, I think Levi’s a good approach.” I huff out a slight laugh of relief. “You’re a pillar of ideas…I don’t know how I’d live without you. I will pray, pray, pray that he catches Quade when he’s normal though. Cause I’ve gotta tell you, the man I witnessed was a psychopath, and he was in no way the one I married, divorced, or have ever been friends with.” Silence again. And really, how is a person supposed to respond to that? “I’m sorry, I’m just rambling again.”
“No, not at all,” she reassures me. “So, tell me about this Bo. What was he like? Where does he live?”
I sink down till the water line is between my mouth and nose.
“I know you hit it off, you couldn’t convince me otherwise. You might not wanna talk but it’s been written across your face all week.”
“Really?” I ask, bursting back to the surface with a laugh. “Don’t you think I’d be happy or something, I don’t know… in a better mood, if things had actually gone well?”
“No, because you’ve been brooding. I think something happened, big time, and you don’t want to deal with it.”
Busted. “Oh God Holly.” I mute myself in the water again, while she laughs. “I wouldn’t even know where to start. Um…Well, he lives down there actually, in Fort Myers.”
“Oh! You know…that’s where my cousin Teah lives. I’ve actually been there a few times, but I was really young and don’t remember much.”
“Yeah…isn’t she the one always bugging you about how beautiful it is?”
“Yes, she’s been trying to talk me into leaving the Iowa winter forever, since we used to be so close. And I’m telling you, I’ve thought about it more than once.”
I sink back into the bubbles, relieved by Holly’s change of subject…but it doesn’t last long.
“So, what does ‘Big Bo’ even look like?” she asks, putting finger quotes around his nickname.
I guess Holly’s not going to let it go, so I may as well give the people what they want. “Well…he’s huge, he’s a total stud, an absolute southern gentleman, incredible to look at…got this gorgeous, ornate tattoo sleeve of flowers all over one arm. In black ink…it’s crazy manly on him. He’s bursting with muscles, he barely fits into normal clothes…he’s almost a hulk, but completely slim. And I’ve seen him everywhere,” I add with a dreamy eye roll, partially dunking again.
