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“Ha. Oh, I get it. A little snarky, are we?”
“Sorry. I made this when I went to the art center. Doing origami is very interesting and relaxing. The woman who owns the shop is having a workshop today, and I signed up for it.” Tory was standing her ground, and she wasn’t about to divulge either of her secrets.
“Well, good for you, I guess. What are you going to do with your newfound talent?”
“Who’s being snarky now?” She put her hands on her hips.
He put up his hands. “I give up. You go and fold your papers. I’m going to shoot pool.”
“Ringo’s?” Tori waited for his reaction.
“No. A new place. It’s an arcade in Chester.”
Chester was a town about eight miles north of where they lived.
“Who are you going with?” Tori again waited for a reaction.
“Jack and a few other guys.”
“Well, OK. Have fun.” The chill was gone from her voice, and she headed out the door.
“You too!” he called after her.
Tori knew she was going to have to confront him soon. She was starting to feel a bit puffy, the way pregnant women look before their bellies start to bulge.
Two major things to discuss was going to take a lot of strength.I’m pregnant, and you’re cheating.How does one start that conversation?
Tori plugged the address to the art center into her GPS. She knew the way but she liked to know if there were any detours and how long it would take to arrive. According to the calculation, she should be pulling into the Stillwell parking lot in forty minutes. There was very little traffic, and she cruised along to the sounds of country music singer Miranda Lambert. Not only was she beautiful but she had a lovely, lilting voice. Tori remembered the humiliation Miranda had suffered when the tabloids were all over the Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani affair. Who knows when it had started, but it was clear Miranda was devastated. Speculation was that he chose being a judge on the showThe Voiceover his marriage.
Tori took comfort knowing that if someone like Miranda Lambert had marriage problems, anyone could. Plus, if Tori’s personal issues became public, at least they wouldn’t make it to national television.
The drive to the center took less time than she’d thought. She had over an hour to spare before the workshop began. Tori decided to get another one of those excellent sandwiches and do a little more window-shopping.
As she passed the Jimmy Can-Do Shop, she stopped abruptly. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she spotted something that resembled a double-wide trailer. Chills went up her spine. She was drawn to it and repulsed at the same time. She cautiously moved past large metal palm trees, an assortment of animals, both wild and domestic, vases, sundials, and weather vanes.
She moved closer to the three-foot replica of the trailer-style house. It gave her the spookiest feeling. A major flash from her past. She peered at it intently. Even the details looked familiar. More goose bumps went up her spine and down her arms. She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. If she weren’t pregnant, she would have run to the wine shop and bought a bottle. Instead, she bolted to the Namaste Café for a cup of chamomile tea. A young woman greeted her at the door. “Welcome to the Namaste Café. How can I make your day better?”
Tori was caught off guard. Her first thought wasGet that thing out of there!But she knew that her guilt was getting the better of her.
Chapter Fourteen
The weekend
Luna mapped out her route to Charlotte and entered Gaines’s address into her GPS. She broke up the scone in several pieces so she wouldn’t be messing with it when she was on the highway. The GPS gave her two choices, and she decided would take Interstate 40 to 321 South. Route 74 was more scenic, but she wanted to get there by the most direct route. Today she wasn’t interested in the flora and fauna of the countryside. She was nervous enough. The sooner she got there, the better. If all went well, the trip would take two hours. She picked a playlist of music to listen to on the way. It occurred to her that she didn’t know much about Gaines’s taste in music. She knew he wasn’t into heavy metal or rap, but she wondered what he listened to when he was home. She guessed she would find out soon.
Between verses of “Love Shack” she chewed happily on the sweet dough.
The ride went without a hitch and she was soon pulling into Gaines’s driveway. It was exactly how she pictured it, with large shade trees and a meticulous lawn. The driveway was wide enough for two vehicles, so she parked next to his. As she unlocked the cargo door, Gaines appeared in his doorway. He hurried to the car to help her with her bag. This time there was no debate about a welcome hug. And it was a good one. Luna thought he just might swing her around.
He still held her close. “Good to see you.” His smile and eyes were like neon welcome signs. He could not contain his delight. “Wow. You’re really here!” He finally let her loose and took a step back.
“I am indeed.” Luna could hardly believe it herself. Luna popped the tailgate as Gaines moved to the back of her car.
“Let me help you with your things.” He grabbed her weekend bag. “You pack light.” He chuckled.
“Oh, you should have seen what I started with!” Luna was surprisingly relaxed now. When she first got in her car, she was gripping the wheel for almost an hour. Now that she was finally at his place, she felt she could breathe normally.Just be yourself,she kept telling herself. “Your trees are magnificent.” She gestured toward the red maples and the willow oaks.
“Wish I could take credit, but they were here long before I bought the place.” Gaines smiled. “Come on.”
