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Four
Archer
I finished answering emails on my laptop. I had expected to drive to a larger town for decent internet service, but the motel had the best I’d encountered yet on my trip.
When I’d commented about the excellent Wi-Fi to the front desk clerk who owned the motel, she made a dry comment about being surrounded by energy industries. There was a coal mine not far away, the oil refinery, the coal gasification plant, and depending which direction I faced, wind farms. Stories-tall windmills circled in the distance. At night, their red lights dotted the horizon for miles. Those industries couldn’t rely on crappy internet and cell service, and locals reaped the benefits.
I called Wilson. When he answered, I jumped right in. “I got the weather cycle reports for the Hernandez property and compiled the crop rotation and yield information. Tomorrow I’ll dig into the water and mineral rights.”
“It’s done, then?”
“After I get the rights information and double-check the latest EPA regulations.”
“No, Barron. The annulment.”
I didn’t want to talk about my annulment. I could picture him smoothing his pencil tie as he waited for my answer. What color did he wear today? As much as Briony tried to get me into the different colored suits her husband wore, they weren’t me. Maybe I’d get there. Deep inside me was still that insecure country kid who got dumped for the star quarterback. Ansen and I hadn’t been able to play sports. We’d had to help Dad every free minute we had.
“I’ve met with Delaney.” I made our impromptu picnic table discussion sound like a corporate deal. “We have more to discuss.”
“Discuss? It’s yes or no.” He made a knowing sound. “She’s after the money, isn’t she?”
I tamped down my irritation as thoroughly as I would a spark in dry grass. “It’s complicated, Wil.”
I thought back to our relationship. We’d dated for a few months before the trip to Vegas. Delaney hadn’t asked to go on some expensive honeymoon. She’d been content with Vegas.
Since she’d been gone, she hadn’t used our accounts. The last time she’d spent any money, it had been to buy a plane ticket to Bismarck the night she left me. When we were together, she’d seemed uncomfortable with my personal chef and the housekeeper. After we got married, I had insisted she get a better vehicle than the old rattletrap Corolla she’d driven when we met. That car hadn’t moved since she’d last parked it.
Whatever Delaney had wanted out of me, it wasn’t money. Notmymoney. Could it be something about my relatives?
“How complicated?” Wilson asked in the tone he used that made him seem worldly and made me seem like the poor boy who had taken two-minute showers because the hot water hardly worked.
“She dated my cousin.” I regretted telling him. He’d been ambivalent about Delaney when I married her, but afterward, he wasn’t afraid to tell me I didn’t need her anymore.
“Aren’t your relatives rich? She’s after his money, then.”
“He died a few years ago.” It was weird to say that about a relative I’d never met. Would we have been close? Friends? Would I have thought he was crazy when he dumped Delaney?
“Shit. I guess I can see it’s not that straightforward. Let me know if you need any help on the Hernandez property.”
Grateful he was willing to change the subject, I said, “Will do.”
“But, Archer, don’t let her get her hooks in you. Father has a good lawyer. If she’s going to fight you—”
“Thanks, Wilson.” I couldn’t explain why I didn’t want to hear Wilson talk about dragging Delaney through the courts. He’d been suspicious of her since I’d first told him I’d metthe one. At the time, I thought he was looking out for me. I had assumed it was what friends did. I hadn’t had many friends growing up. “I’ll keep you informed.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear how it’s going.”
I hung up and stared at my computer screen. It’d gone blank. I wished my mind was as empty.
* * *
Laney
I reclined against the beam of the porch railing. Kennedy had asked me over again this morning, so after I finished topping off the water tanks, I rode Target over. She’d invited Aspen and Lyric. Lyric was besties with Derek’s cousin, but she was younger than me and we hadn’t talked much until now. Aspen had moved to Coal Haven a few years ago and worked with Kennedy.
“What would I have done if he’d showed up during the school year and you weren’t here to listen to me whine?” I tossed my ball cap onto the wood next to me. The porch was shaded, and the temperature wasn’t oppressive yet. It would be soon.
“Good thing summer school’s done, or we’d have had to wait until the afternoon to hear how it’s going.” Kennedy rocked on one of the two chairs she had on the porch.
