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Vivian kept her lips zipped. Since she hadn’t ever lost anyone in life, at least, not through death, she had no way to relate. She could sense Gretta’s loneliness and perhaps even pain, though the emotions were covered by layers of stalwart determination and an unparalleled stubbornness. Vivian doubted that, even when her time came, Death would have an easy time of talking the woman into following him.
“So I heard you had a little run-in with a certain gentleman in town today.”
Vivian knew instantly who she was referring to and snorted derisively. “I’d hardly call him a gentleman.”
“Well, even I have to pretend to be nice every now and then.” Gretta winked up at her, and then with a gentle hand on her elbow, guided Vivian from the room and locked it back up. As they made their way back downstairs, she complained, “I don’t know why he feels the need to keep hounding me.”
“Well, if I had to guess, he’s just looking to have his cake and eat it too.”
“I don’t follow.”
Gretta’s feet shuffled against the hardwood floor as they entered the kitchen and she filled a kettle in preparation for a fresh pitcher of iced tea. “Considerin’ what you’ve told me and what I’ve gathered and witnessed firsthand, he realized there’s somethin’ he’s missin’ that you can provide.”
“I don’t know what,” Vivian said as her mind struggled to figure out the answer.
Gretta shrugged. “Could be he just needs to keep up appearances. Especially considering his preferences,” she said suggestively.
Vivian hated to admit that she was probably right. His sudden about-face had caught her off guard, and everything in the world she left behind always came down to perceptions.
“Well, he can figure all of that out on his own. I’m done with that chapter in my life.”
Dunking a handful of tea bags into the pot, Gretta lifted an eyebrow and cast her a speculative look. “That’s not how I heard it.”
“Again, I don’t follow.”
“By now, you must have noticed that there isn’t a lot of privacy in this town. Everything is seen and heard by somebody.”
Vivian grunted. Shehadnoticed that. It was hard not to.
“Well, just like the grape vines whispered about your little encounter today, they also knew some of the details. Like the pesky little fact that y’all are still married?”
Vivian hissed a breath through her teeth. She hadn’t exactly forgotten—how could she?—but she’d been hoping to set that little detail aside until she could deal with it later.
“That’s what he claims.”
“Is there any truth to it?”
“I thought it was all squared away, honestly,” Vivian confessed, “but I’m not totally sure. He’s so insistent, I’m doubting myself now. I left town so fast, I just assumed everything was in order. I just knew I couldn’t be there anymore, surrounded by all the judgment and backstabbing and whispering. I needed a change.”
“Seems you got one,” Gretta agreed, “but I don’t think this is going to just go away. And what about Nash?”
Vivian’s initial reaction was to ask, “What about him?” But she knew that wasn’t going to fly anymore. She and Nash had grown closer than could be denied, and everyone knew it. Whether they had something official going or not was a moot point. Everyone had already determined they were together or bound to be, which made Vivian accountable.
“I don’t know. What can I do?”
Emptying the hot teat into the large pitcher, Gretta cracked a full tray of ice into it and filled the remainder with cold water from the tap, then carried it over to the table where Vivian had two tall glasses waiting for them.
“I’d say keep moving forward, but get on that phone and figure out what the hell is going on with that divorce right away. If y’all really are still married, secrets like these have a way of coming back to bite your ass in the end, and as you can see, secrets don’t stay secrets for long.”
“Clearly not.”
Gretta filled the glasses and pushed Vivian’s toward her. Pouring a hefty bit of sugar into hers, Vivian tested its sweetness before she continued.
“How do you think Nash will react when he hears about all of this?”
“Poorly,” Gretta stated bluntly, “but if he cares at all about ya, he’ll get over it.”
Vivian prayed she was right because if that little twist in her gut meant anything, it was that she was falling in deep and fast with the man, and being forced to give him up now would be about as fun as getting a tooth pulled without Novocain.
