Yeah, he could believe that.It was how some powerfulfamilies worked.But they were getting off topic.“How would he treat Samdifferently?”
“It was snide remarks.Nothing I heard about until after webroke up,” Olivia explained.“As to the engagement he was talking about, henever got around to it.We dated for a couple of years, but it wasn’t like helived in town.He worked at the office in Dallas most of the time.That was howI missed the whole he-had-a-girl-on-the-side thing.”
“But you were serious about him?”Keane asked, trying to geta feel for the situation.This guy looked like the kind of man a wealthy womanfrom a good family would pick.He was well dressed, looked rich, and had somecharm to him.
Of course, Keane learned long ago that charm could cover alot of darkness.
Olivia sighed and sat back.“I want to say no.I want totell you that it was a flirtation that made me feel better.I kept it from myparents for a long time.The last thing I needed was them to know I was datinga coworker.When I couldn’t hide it anymore, I described it as a way to take mymind off the fact that Bobby was in Massachusetts and we were taking a break.”
“Is that the gay boy you’ve been protecting for years?”Gwenasked.
Olivia turned her head, her jaw slightly open.“How did youknow that?I mean I know I brought him to town a couple of times, but we weregood at the act.”
Gwen’s silver helmet of hair shook in the negative.“Sweetgirl, I’ve lived a lot of years.I married a man who was gay.I can clock thatfrom a mile away.”
Olivia sounded shocked.“Are you talking about Darren?”
“No, honey.Darren was a gambler, but he liked the ladies.No, I’m talking about Harvey.”
Keane held on as an eighteen-wheeler blew by them, makingthe car shake and the Chihuahua go crazy.She leapt onto his lap, tiny paws onthe window as she barked like mad.
No one seemed to notice.
“But you were married to him for twenty years,” Oliviaremarked.“You didn’t divorce him.He died.”
Gwen nodded and raised her voice slightly because the dogwas still letting its rage be known.“Yes.Best husband I ever had, and I had afew.Four, now that I think about it.But Harvey was the best.Oh, he thought Ididn’t know, but I caught him with the pastor several times.He also had awife.Nice lady.I think we would have been good friends if she hadn’t run offwith the pool boy.I’m sorry.Pool man.I’ve been told it’s sexist to call hima boy, but he was twenty-two.That’s a boy to me.”
“I’m getting confused,” Keane admitted.“And is thereanything I can do to help your dog calm down?”
“Don’t you worry about Muffin.She’s very protective,” Gwensaid, grinning in the mirror.“I think she likes you.And don’t worry about thefamily stuff.It can be confusing.”
“That happens a lot around here,” Olivia agreed.“All thefamily trees are weird and slightly contorted in this town.Everyone knowseveryone else’s business, even when you think you’re doing a great job ofcovering it up.I’m still shocked about Harvey.I can’t believe you stayedmarried.”
Someone needed to protect him from his protector, who wasjumping up and down and getting way too close to a place he didn’t want a dog’sclaws in.
“Well, he was meticulous with the house chores.He loved tocook, and he always looked nice.He used to watch my soaps with me, and wecould laugh forever.And he didn’t bother me about sex.It was my bestmarriage.I miss him.I thought you were making an excellent choice,” Gwenadmitted.“So, no, I didn’t mention it, but I did mention to your momma that Ithought the city boy wasn’t a good match.”
“Ah, so that’s how she found out,” Olivia said with a sigh.
Gwen turned Olivia’s way.“I don’t know why you try to keepthese things from your parents.They’re the kindest people in the world.”
And she drifted into the other lane.So they swerved againto avoid hitting a truck with a horse trailer behind it.
“Well, they are also insanely protective.”If Olivia wasfeeling worried about the state of their travel, she didn’t show it.“The truthis the only time I remember my parents fighting over anything real was about meand the men I dated.It was worse after I found out my high school boyfriendwas dating me because of my family’s money.I cried to my mom, who told mydads, and that’s how Jason Hart’s beloved Mustang got cubed.No one knows howthat happened.”
“Cubed?”Garrett asked.
Olivia nodded.“My dad likes to cube vehicles that offendhim.It’s a family tradition.My mom has a cube, and so does Papa.He uses hisas a footrest.”
He was genuinely happy he hadn’t brought his beat-up trucknow.It seemed like Muffin was finally chilling out.Or maybe dying.TheChihuahua flopped down on his lap, her belly up to the world.“He had yourex-boyfriend’s muscle car crushed into a cube?And he didn’t get sued?”
“Oh, he paid Jason’s family for the car,” Olivia admitted.“They were so happy about having the cash they signed all the documents myuncle put in front of them.It’s one of the only times I’ve seen Uncle Lucasreally go at my dad.They joke around a lot, but Lucas read him the riot actthat day, and Momma cried and Papa told Dad he went too far.It was a lot ofdrama.Josh and Grim were complete assholes who ate popcorn and watched thewhole thing.So no, I don’t bring up my love life a lot.I hate it when theyfight.”
“That’s why you were okay pretending to be Bobby’sgirlfriend?”Garrett asked.
“I think we call that his beard,” Gwen cut in.
Olivia huffed.“That is a little on the offensive side, andI did it because I love him and his parents were being difficult.They kepttrying to set him up with young women.”
