“Yes.”We got it sorted with a promise to have it restored within 48 hours.Between renting the trailer and the travel back and forth, I was in deeper debt than I wanted without a clear paycheck in sight.
I touched Vinny who was still on the far side of the bed.“No power this morning, bud.We’ll pick something up at the coffeehouse in town for breakfast.”
“We go through spells without power.”He sat up and blinked around.“I’ll stick my head under the faucet and wash my hair.That’s usually what I do when we only have cold water.”
How bad off financially had Dad been?Out loud I said, “I hope they get it back on today.”
Later, when we walked into the coffeehouse Vinny beelined for the display of sugary items.I expected this to be the busiest time of the day, but we were the only ones there.
Of course, Milly stood ready at the register.Her name tag read, “Manager.”
She shot me a saccharine smile.“What’re you drinking today?”
“I’ll take a large coffee.Black.Vinny will have a small hot chocolate.”I looked over at him, and he pointed eagerly at the display case.“And the cookie.”
“Breakfast of champions, huh?”He tone dripped with judgment.
Her opinion wasn’t on my give-a-shit list today.I would have to evaluate funds soon.We couldn’t keep spending like this.Then, again, it was only money.I should have a little bit of money after selling the condo I’d been paying on for about four years.
Milly handed Vinny his cookie and whispered to me, “Just a heads up, he wasn’t happy to hear you were back.”
“Who wasn’t happy?”
“Josh.He told me last night,” she said it in a superior tone like this had been pillow talk for them.
“Hishappinessisn’t my problem.I make decisions based on what’s best for Vinny and I.Josh and I have a business to sort out.If he has a personal problem with me, I have no doubt he’ll tell me.”
“I heard you were getting close to Drew?”Her tone was neutral, but I sensed she wanted me to assure her I had my eyes on anyone but Josh.
“He’s a handful, that’s for sure.”
She spoke low to me, “Best you stick with Drew.He’s more your type.”
“As compared to who?Josh?”I tried to be empathetic, to imagine myself in her shoes.If it was me, I wouldn’t be whining about it to someone I perceived as competition.
“Josh could never be with someone like you.”She looked me over like something smelled bad.“You bring nothing to the table but debt and a kid in tow.You dress like you shop at the bargain bin.And your makeup?Please.He needs a polished, God-fearing woman who can actuallyelevatehim and help grow his reputation,notdrag him down.”
“I never saw him as a man looking for a trad-wife.”I signaled Vinny to grab his stuff and return to the car.He skirted ahead of me out of the door.Her words stung, mostly because they weren’t entirely wrong.Ididbuy my clothes from clearance racks, and makeup had never been my thing.But the God part?She got that twisted.I did fear God.A lot, actually.
Milly rounded the counter and threw out her hand to block my exit.“He might need you to work for him temporarily, but he’s trying to figure out how to replace you.”
“He told you that, did he?”
“You’re an annoyance to him.Bad for business.”
“I’ll bring up howbad for businessandannoyingI am at our meeting this morning.”
“You do that,” she snapped.
“Good gravy,” I muttered.I skirted around the hand she’d thrust out to stop me and paused.“Just a bit of advice.If I was as worried about another woman stealing my man as much as you seem to be, I’d make damn sure he was so satisfied in our bedroom that he wouldn’t care to look elsewhere.”
“Wha—?”Milly’s neck snapped back as if I’d hit her.
“Thanks for the heads up on how he feels about me.”I didn’t look back as I exited.
A text came in from my realtor.She informed me I was likely to be under water with how much I owed versus how much she thought she could get for the condo.I quickly texted back asking if we could at least target me not owing money after the sale.
Vinny finished the cookie by the time I dropped him at school.He hugged Tracker before getting out of the car.I noticed the dog looked sad to see him leave.
