Page 70 of Book and Ladder
My spirits sag toward the end of the day when we’re all hugging Waylon goodbye. After a little more discussion, he and I agreed this would be his last day at the shop.
“You’ll be missed,” Winona says.
“It’s not like I’m being deployed,” he teases.
“I expect your employee discount at the thrift shop to be extended to family,” Winona says. “And by family, I mean me.”
Waylon chuckles and we all step out of the shop together. I lock the door, wondering if this is the beginning of the end.
Despite my souring mood, I agree to meet my friends at Carli’s ranch. We had already planned a girls’ night, and as soon as Cass heard about Waylon quitting, she insisted on picking me up to drive me out here.
We’re all sitting around the small living room in Carli’s private house on her family’s ranch property. You can’t even see the main house from out here—just acres and acres of open land surrounding the small cabin she calls home.
“I was at the Five and Dime this afternoon, picking up a few things, when Mr. O’Connell came in,” Cass says.
“Can we please not discuss the O’Connells?” I practically whine.
“Or that moment you shared with Patrick over chili?” Carli teases.
“I was on fire!” I defend.
“I’ll say!” Cass teases. “You both were on fire. That whole moment was incendiary.”
“Ugh.” I groan. “If anything ignites around Patrick O’Connell, trust me, I’ll need a defense attorney, not a justice of the peace.”
My friends laugh.
“Anyway,” Cass continues. “I think Mr. O’Connell iscanvassing the small business owners. Who knows what he’s telling them or promising. All I know is it looked like a whole lot of logrolling to me.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him to trade favors for votes,” I say. “What can I do?”
“I don’t think you can do anything,” Cass says in her typical matter-of-fact tone.
“Don’t worry,” Winona interjects. “Waterford hates big businesses and box stores. We’re all about local mom-and-pop shops. You don’t need to stress.”
“I wish I had your optimism,” I say.
“Nothing’s over til it’s over,” Carli says.
“Can we talk about something else?” I ask.
“Of course. Of course,” Winona says. Then she quickly turns the subject to the Fall Festival and what she’s planning to wear for her costume.
Thankfully, we abandon the subject of the O’Connells and their nefarious invasion into our town and my life.
I’m helping Carli in the kitchen while the rest of our friends chat in the other room toward the end of the night.
“Looks like a storm’s blowin’ in,” I say, staring out her kitchen window.
It’s pitch dark out, but the moonlight illuminates the gathering clouds.
Carli follows my gaze and nods. “Not tonight, but yeah. We’re due.” She grabs the plate I just rinsed from me and says, “Sorry ’bout your date with Chet.”
“He was nice. No harm, no foul.”
I don’t know what comes over me, I promised Winona I’d tell her. And I will. But Carli’s Carli—objective, loyal, the best of all of us at keeping a secret. I look over my shoulder to make sure everyone’s good and occupied in the other room. They’re laughing at something Winona said, so I turn back toCarli. I need to tellsomeone,but I don’t want to telleveryone—not yet.
Lowering my voice, I say, “There’s this guy …”
