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Vienne snapped her fingers. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” She fiddled with her bracelets. “She won’t come out and say it, but I think she’d like to do a piece in the end-of-season performance.”
The joy that blew through me was as cool and fizzy as the seltzer I was drinking. “Watching kids go from wallflower to performing in front of an audience is one of my favorite things. I’d love to see her do it! I’ll figure out how to bring it up so she doesn’t know you talked to me.”
She released her hold on her jewelry, a relieved smile crossing her face. “Thank you.” She let out a gusty sigh. “I wish you were staying. I finally have friends, and now that I’m single—”
I thought I missed something, but surprise etched through both Aggie’s and Sutton’s faces.
“You are?” Aggie schooled her excited expression to concerned. “Are you okay?”
Vienne gave her a reassuringI saw that, and it’s okaylook. “I’m fine. I didn’t want to be a downer, so I didn’t say anything. I broke up with him last night. It’s like losing a pouty teenager. I have Catherine for that, only she’s more ambitious and less condescending. I’m done with man children.” She slumped, her lips in a troubled line. “It’s just...It was nice to have someone to do things with. A partner, even if he was a shitty one. Why aren’t there any decent guys around? I mean, Aggie brought two of them to town, and they got snatched up right away.” She held up her hands. “Not that I want your men. I’m just sayin’—some days it feels like Dr. Jake is my only choice, and he’s a bad decision I’m not willing to make.”
“Please don’t,” Sutton said. She flexed her hand, her gaze on the tan line left behind on her bare ring finger. “Some days I’m tempted to put my ring back on and see if he’ll quit finding subtle ways to ask me out.”
Aggie smirked. “I’d say tell him you’re still married, but I don’t think that stops him.”
Sutton shook her head. “It doesn’t, or I wouldn’t have half the clients I do. Scorned husbands won’t let him touch their animals.”
“Is it selfish that I’m glad it’s getting you enough business to stay in Crocus Valley with me?” Aggie asked.
“Not as long as you keep putting up with me on my mopey days.” Sutton’s expression shuttered, but the grief of ending her marriage couldn’t be hidden. “I have two shoulders for you to cry on, Vienne, but I’m not going to lie—I’m glad you let Theo go. He wasn’t good for you.”
Vienne took a swig out of her can. “He sucked in bed too. I’m putting it out there—I want an ambitious guy who’s not afraid to work hard for a living—unless he’s already rich. I’ll take that too. I want him to dote on me, like my kid, and is it too much to ask that she likes him too? I want him to be considerate. And hot. And so damn good in bed I can’t think straight the next morning.”
Aggie lifted her beer. “Amen.”
Sutton and I did the same, and we clinked cans.
I didn’t have kids, but Cody checked all the boxes. His kids adored him. I adored them. The life I wanted was right here. A home. Friends. Thelma. A man with flaws, but none of them dangerous to me unless you counted breaking my heart. But he was leaving, and my mom was across the country. As much as I wanted to stay with Thelma, I had nothing here. There were no guarantees I could open a dance academy and have enough students to pay bills. I had too many expenses before I reached the point of being able to rent.
All that added up to me having to leave too. If I was used to one thing, it was starting over. Just once, I wished I didn’t have to.
Fifteen
Cody
Aggie called yesterday. She asked to take the kids today so they could go to Ansen’s brother’s place in Coal Haven tonight. In the morning, she’d take them horseback riding before the heat set in. When I talked to the kids, they were thrilled.
Hell, I’d been fucking beside myself with excitement. I was like a teenage virgin whose prom date said she’d suck his dick after the prom grand march. I went all last week hardly touching Tova. She worked over the weekend so I could make arrangements and gather data for Weston Duke’s visit, which meant I’d been stuck in the office. Again.
And I was back in the office. Tova helped the kids pack, and I broke away from my computer during lunch to chug some milk and give them hugs before they left. I wanted to be there when Aggie picked them up, but I had another meeting when my sister said she would swing by.
A half hour ago, I heard them running to the door and flinging themselves at their aunt and uncle. Then laughter between Aggie and Tova carried to the office. I ground my teeth together, hating I was missing the sight of happy kids and how well my sister got along with my nanny.
I’d be free tomorrow when she dropped them off, dammit. I’d make sure of it.
And Tova was so much more than my nanny, but my nanny was all she’d been since we used the last condom in the pickup that night. I was back to vivid dreams and stroking off in the shower.
I hadn’t even had a chance to sneak a kiss.
I scrubbed my face and listened to my accounts manager drone on about the various lease renewals we had for the wells on land not owned by Knight’s Oil Wells. She was great at her job, but she also still worked like she was getting paid by the hour. I didn’t subscribe to the idea a salary meant getting as much time as I could out of my employees. If we could do this meeting in an hour, she wouldn’t need to drag it out for two.
When she paused after the last data point, I tried to jump in, but my virtual assistant swung right into reviewing the itinerary for Mr. Duke’s visit. “Did you want to tour any of the wells not on Knight property?”
“No, we’ll be contracting for Knight-owned minerals first.” Paperwork was easier to manage when Knight held the mineral rights, owned the wells, and was one of the parties signing the contracts. I seized the opening. The drive to get the job done and move on had been strong since returning from the ranch. I’d missed my kids leaving, and the bitterness wasn’t fading. “Thank you for getting all that arranged. We’ll touch base again this time next week to make sure all the final preparations are in place for his site visit.”
When everyone had disconnected, I leaned forward in my chair, propped my elbows on the edge of the desk, and dropped my head between my arms. The backs of my shoulders were tight. Overall, I was tenser than normal.
It could be the long hours in the shitty chair. The time behind the desk. The angle of leaning to peer out the window at Tova with her long legs going through the moves with the kids. My favorite was when they were just messing around and she danced around, her laughter mingling with everyone else’s.
