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“This morning,” Trevor said. “He said he’s got a tan.”
“And what did he say about Rina?” Kerry asked.
“I asked,” Trevor said. “But only because you told me to, my love.”
Kerry rolled her eyes. “And what did he say?”
“He said they were very good friends,” Trevor said.
Everyone in the living room groaned.
“Is that all?” Kerry asked.
“He said there was some confusion between them,” Trevor went on, “about what they were or could be to one another. But they’ve talked. And they’re going to remain friends.”
Again, everyone groaned. Claire felt herself giggle just the slightest bit. It felt nice to care about something so trivial.
“And what did you say?” Kerry asked.
“I told him I understood,” Trevor said. “Laura hasn’t been gone long. And it’s important to grieve.”
“That’s wise, Dad,” Charlotte offered.
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t think he should find love eventually,” Trevor added, adjusting his spectacles. “Having a life partner is a beautiful thing. It’s stabilizing.” He eyed his children one after another— first Andy, then Charlotte, then Claire. “I’m thrilled all of you have found wonderful partners. Charlotte, I’m guessing I’ll weep like a little baby at your wedding to Everett.”
Charlotte laughed into her hand as Claire’s stomach did a somersault. Again, her gut spoke to her. This time, it said: Dad doesn’t know the real Russel. Not anymore.
“One final thing Steve said,” Trevor added, returning his attention to Claire. “Apparently, Rina is digging more into this Nathan Rodgers fellow. Steve says she can’t resist a case. And more than that, she apparently fell in love with the Montgomery clan during her time here. She wants to help.”
“That’s wonderful,” Claire whispered. A wave of emotion crashed into her chest.
“It’s perfect,” Charlotte agreed. She reached up to tug on Claire’s hand. “She’s going to find him. She always does.”
“We’ll have our Gail back in no time,” Trevor said.
The family was quiet for a moment, imagining Rina out there, hot on Nathan Rodgers’s heels. Although Claire didn’t know what he even looked like, she’d begun to insert various features of men she knew from films. He had Jake Gyllenhaal’s face and Jeremy Allen White’s hair; he had the body of George Clooney and the voice of Bradley Cooper. And if he was really responsible for taking Gail away, Claire was unafraid to punch him directly in his perfect nose.
“Rina didn’t just fall in love with the Montgomery family if you ask me,” Kerry said under her breath, interrupting Claire’s reverie. “Didn’t you see the way she looked at Steve? A mother knows when someone loves her son. A mother always knows.”
ChapterSixteen
Bent on taking back control of a life so completely off-kilter, Rina insisted on driving Steve’s rental back home from the restaurant. Her knuckles were bright white as she shot them out of the parking lot, driving twenty miles over the speed limit, whizzing through the California dark. Steve was quiet beside her, gripping his knees with terror. He knew better than to say anything, not now, as Rina’s mouth tasted of pennies, and her heart dropped into her stomach. When Rina pulled into a parking lot not far from the restaurant and bucked out, he followed her.
Rina felt out of her mind. She tore into the dive bar called The Rusty Nail, slammed herself on the nearest stool, and ordered two tequila shots from a bartender with an eye patch. She remembered him, impossibly, from thirty years ago, back when she and Cody had gotten into the bar with fake IDs and drunk two-dollar beers until he’d kicked them out. Back then, he’d had the eyepatch, too. It was his thing.
“Rina?” Steve’s voice rang out behind her, but Rina didn’t turn around. She took both tequila shots, one after another, and rapped on the counter to order a beer.
Steve slid onto the stool beside her. He seemed to know not to touch her. Rina’s chin quivered, and she bit her tongue to avoid bursting into tears.
“Can I get you something?” the bartender asked Steve.
“Just a beer,” Steve said. “Thanks.”
The bartender put both beers in front of them and fled the bar area, abandoning them to smoke a cigarette outside. Rina was too intense, even for the man with one eye.
“I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now,” Steve said.
Rina raised her shoulders and curled her fingers over the bar. She had half a mind to go outside and demand a cigarette. She hadn’t smoked since the nineties, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
