I started rooting around in my purse for my keys when he spoke.
“Don’t drivethatanymore,” Abraham said, jerking his chin sideways.
“What, my car? How am I going to get places?”
“Use the truck,” he said, pointing an oil-stained finger in the other direction.
I looked over but all I could see was a shiny new Dodge Ram truck, its sides still gleaming with new-car sheen.
“That one?” I asked, horrified. “But it’s brand new.”
“Needs a woman’s touch,” Abraham said, tightening a bolt with his wrench. “Needs you to hit a few curbs and break it in a bit.”
“Oh you jackass,” I couldn’t help laughing, and I could have sworn I saw his lips twitching up, too.
Since Perry was busy at work, I picked Laurie up at the airport to bring him back.
“Wow, mom,” he said. “Sweet truck. Did—dad get this for you?”
I always hated to make my son think less of his dad, because they had a hard enough time getting along as it was.
Perry was always trying to pressure Laurie to be something he wasn’t—change majors, care about status and wealth, meet the right people to advance his career.
Laurie didn’t care about any of that. He wanted to work on his art projects and teach others how rewarding art was.
“No, I have a new job,” I said pleasantly. “Working at The Legends Motorcycle Club.”
“Wow, Mom, I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. See, you barely even missed me.”
“I always miss you,” I smiled. “But yes, I’ve been keeping busy.”
However, when I dropped Laurie off, Perry wasn’t impressed with my new ride.
“Where did you get that truck from?” he demanded, stalking up to it with his floppy hair and tight-ass khaki pants halfway up his butt cheeks.
“Nice to see you too,” I replied politely.
“That’s a-a-a- $80,000 truck!” he said.
“Is it?” I asked.
“Did you go that deep in debt? You need to be better with money, Polly.”
“It’s none of your business,” I retorted. “But I’m not in debt for it at all.”
He stared agape at me.
“Did-did thatmotorcycle gang memberbuy this for you?”
“It’s actually none of your business, Peregrine.”
My ex-husband looked frustrated as hell, but he was beginning to bore me, and my eyes roamed over the house. Weirdly, for once it didn’t give me a little pang to see it. Maybe it had never been my perfect place anyways.
Irritated at my lack of caring what he thought, he moved on to Laurie.
“So when are you going to choose a grown-up major?”
Laurie gave me a silent appeal with his eyes, and I took a deep breath.
