Page 18 of Soaring Free
Walker shakes his head. “She’s underselling them. The Callahans are a force and not one you want as an enemy.”
“I like it.” Especially if that force is going to make Shane’s life miserable.
“We kind of are a force, aren’t we?” She laughs and if it’s possible for a sound to sparkle, that’s exactly what her laughter does.
“I have to get going, but I’ll see you at dinner, Savannah. Viv was going to grab some steaks for me to grill, and probably hot dogs or something for the girls.”
“Sounds good. I’ll fix up some mac and cheese too.”
“Let me know if you need anything, and I mean anything, even if it’s court jester related, alright?” Walker tells Savannah but I like that he agrees that Shane is a clown. “It was nice to meet you, Theo. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”
“Yeah, great to meet you too, Walker.” I stand and shake his hand before he orders his coffee and waves goodbye as he heads out to his truck.
“He’s great, but I would hate to play poker against the guy,” I admit.
“Oh! I should tell him that. He and my brothers have a weekly poker game when enough of them can make it. Maybe they need some new blood, I mean players, to join them.” There’s that cunning smile again. Savannah is physically beautiful, but the more I get to know her, the more I’m captivated by her intelligence and wit.What is it about this woman?
I narrow my eyes at her. “Why do I feel like you’re trying to fleece me here?”
A small bark of laughter escapes her at my question. “I’ve seen your hourly billable rate. You can afford it.”
“Yes, I can. It would be nice to officially meet the Callahan crew now that I’m allowed to socialize with you all.”
She rears her head back a bit. “Were you not allowed to socialize with us previously?”
“Don’t you think it’s odd that we’ve never officially met? Forrest Falls is not that big, Savannah. It’s clear that Shane did everything in his power to keep you and your family away from me and mine.” I remember seeing them at school events, and Shane would literally steer his wife and children in the opposite direction from me and Gigi, as though my eight-year-old daughter was a threat to any of them.
Her eyebrows shoot up at the realization. “Huh. That’s true; I guess I hadn’t thought too much about it, but in hindsight, it’s a little weird.”
I nod. “He was controlling access to you and your family. But now, he’s lost that power.”
She taps her fingers on the table. “Hmm. Well, you know what I think?”
“What’s that?”
Her face breaks out in a grin. “If you do ever play poker with them at some point, I think you should take a few photos so my brothers can post them far and wide across social media, especially ones of you with my family.”
I raise my coffee and cheers her cup. “Now that is exactly how a queen would respond to a court jester’s tantrum.”
Chapter twelve
“Girls! It’s time to pick up and get ready for dinner, please!” I holler up the stairs to my daughters and niece. There’s a large landing space at the top of the stairs that has become Barbie central since Shane moved out. He used to be so strict about the girls keeping all toys in the toy room or their bedrooms, but I don’t really care as long as they pick up when they are done. “You have ten minutes to pick up and wash up!” I call as a chorus of “Yes, ma’am!” echoes back to me in the foyer.
I go back to the boiling water and add the pasta for the girls’ macaroni and cheese. Is it the healthiest meal? No, but half of them will refuse to eat anything else, and some days, you have to take the win that your kid ate something solid instead of just living on juice boxes. I open the drawer next to the stove to grab my wooden pasta spoon, but it’s not there.Hmm, that’s weird. We haven’t had pasta recently; why wouldn’t it be where I put it away?
I check the dishwasher and the sink, but still no wooden pasta spoon. I open a few other drawers and finally locate the missing utensil on a shelf in the pantry.I must have picked it up and had it in my hands when I was putting away groceries earlier or something.But … a chill goes up the back of my neck because I don’t remember doing that.
I jump slightly and screech as Vivian opens the door and comes in from the patio, startling the absolute daylight out of me. “Oh my gosh, Viv, you scared the crap out of me!”
“From walking into the room? What’s going on?” Vivian looks around like she missed something.
“Nothing, never mind. Maybe I’m losing my mind; I was just confused for a second. It’s fine,” I tell my sister, waving my hand to dismiss my confusion. My heartrate takes a moment to calm down and I can’t quite shake the feeling in my gut that something just feels … off. I can’t place it, but it’s a feeling I’ve had more and more lately, even in my own home. It doesn’t help when I keep getting blindsided by Shane. This afternoon, Jack let me know that Shane was indeed taking Kane Daughtry on as a client. The case is unrelated to Jack or his company, but the principle of the issue is still insulting because when Shane set up and took the meeting with Kane, we were very much still married. I have to assume that level of betrayal has just knocked my baseline, leaving me just … feeling off.
“How was that new Pilates class you tried this afternoon? Did you like it?” Vivian asks as she leans against the kitchen island, bringing me out of my own thoughts.
“Yeah, I think I’ll go again. Although…” I pause as I tilt my head to glance and ensure the girls aren’t downstairs yet. “One of the K Club’s ex-husbands was there, and he was laying it on a little thick for my liking.”
Vivian purses her lips together as she looks up at the ceiling, thinking. “That must be Kallie’s ex, Dean. Although I’m pretty sure they’re just separated unless that divorce went through faster than a pig to mud.”
