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“What will you do with the diner if you can’t work this out?”
“That’s just it—I don’t have a good answer to that question.”
“The business has your name on it, Lu. He’s the one who’d have to move on.”
Talulah doubted Paul would think so. He was too excited about their success, too set on expanding. Losing her would be one thing; he’d never really had her to begin with. But he felt firmly in control of the diner and wouldn’t easily walk away from it. “Hopefully, neither one of us will have to move on,” she said.
“After you talk to him, call me and let me know how it went. I have to get going. I have a doctor’s appointment, and I’ll be late if I don’t jump in the shower right away.”
“Okay. Good luck at the doctor’s.” Tossing Phoebe’s ugly vase into the trash along with the fake flowers made Talulah feel slightly empowered. But that feeling quickly faded as, once again, she hit the redial button to reach Paul.
Thirteen
Jane guided Mitch, Averil’s son, to the edge of the pool as Averil came out of her parents’ house with two glasses of iced tea.
“You thirsty?” she called over.
Jane wasn’t thirsty; she was anxious. After Averil had told her Talulah had been injured, she wanted to call and check on her. But she knew if she did, or left Averil’s too soon, Averil would feel she was choosing Talulah over her and would be offended. This was a test of her loyalty, one she hadn’t faced before because Talulah had never come back to Coyote Canyon. Although Averil knew they got together once a year in Seattle, and Jane could tell she didn’t like it, it wasn’t quite the same as flaunting their continuing friendship under her nose. “Not right now.”
“It’ll be on the table when you’re ready.” Keeping her own glass, Averil sat in one of the wicker chairs in the shade of the patio, propped her bare feet up on the glass-topped coffee table and took a sip.
“You’re not getting in the water?” Jane asked. Swimming had been Averil’s idea.
“In a minute.” Sliding her sunglasses higher on her nose, Averil checked her phone.
“You’ve been tethered to your phone ever since I got here,” Jane said. “What’s going on?” She was afraid Averil was sending scathing texts to Talulah, so she was somewhat relieved when Averil put her phone aside, leaned back and said, “Fighting with Cash—as always.”
Cash was her ex-husband. Averil had met him at Montana State University and they’d settled in Bozeman where, after they graduated, he’d worked as a physician’s assistant. “What’s going on now?”
“He hasn’t sent his child support this month.”
“Why not?” Jane asked. “He knows perfectly well that he owes it.”
“Claims he doesn’t have the money.”
“I thought he had a good job.”
“Not anymore. He couldn’t get along with the doctor he worked for, so he quit.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Maybe...two months?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t realize I hadn’t. I didn’t keep it from you on purpose.” She adjusted the straps on her blue-and-white-striped bikini. “It’s just one more thing in the ongoing saga between us. To be honest, I try not to think about him anymore. But now that he’s not paying his child support, I have no choice.”
“He hasn’t found another job? How’s he been living since he quit?”
“My guess is that he’s found another woman and she’s supporting him. Or he’s working construction with his brother and getting paid under the table.”
“I can’t believe he’s not more of a stand-up dad.” She jerked her head toward Mitch, who was holding his breath and putting his face in the water. Averil’s son was still wearing floaties, but he was super proud of the way he was “swimming.” “This is one special kid.”
“Watch me, Aunt Jane!” Mitch said as soon as he came up for air.
She’d been watching him since she got there, but she smiled anyway. “I’m watching, buddy. Great job.”
“Cash doesn’t care about anyone other than himself,” Averil complained once her son’s head was under water again. “That’s why I had to leave him.”
