Page 43 of What it Takes
Chapter Eleven
Laney slid into the booth opposite Nola and gave an exaggerated sigh of relief. “I didn’t think I was ever going to get here.”
“A little crazy, is it?”
“Just a little. And once everybody found out I was running into town to get some stuff for Rosie, the list just grew and grew. I’d start to leave and somebody would call me back to add just one more thing.”
“How long is the list now?”
Laney sighed. “The fact my Camaro’s back at the lodge and I’m driving Andy’s pickup might answer that question.”
“They know the market isn’t exactly a major supermarket, right?”
“Yeah. They know I’ll do the best I can and, since it charges to the lodge, the prices aren’t my problem.”
Paige was working, and they chatted with her for a few minutes before ordering the barbecue chicken wraps that were the lunch special. They’d both ordered sodas, too, because Laney thought she might need the extra sugar content to get her through the Kowalski family shopping list.Of doom, she thought, which made her giggle.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about the shopping list. So how are things with you?”
“Good. About the same.” Nola used her straw to stir the ice around in her drink. “Your mom asked my mom about you. So my mom asked me how you’re doing and stuff.”
The words hit Laney about the same way Nola tossing the soda in her face would have, killing her good mood. “What did you say?”
“I told her you’re incredibly happy and loving your job and that everybody in Whitford adores you.”
Laney couldn’t help smiling. “A little bit of an exaggeration, maybe, but thank you.”
“Not the part about loving your job or everybody in Whitford who’s met you adoring you. Maybe you’re notincrediblyhappy, but you’re happier than you’ve been in a very long time.”
“That’s true.”
“I bet you’d be even happier if you slept with Ben Rivers.”
Laney hissed at her, glancing around to see if anybody was close enough to overhear that. Luckily, it was a little late in the day for lunch and the only other customers were at the other end of the dining room. “Don’t say that.”
“You want to.”
“Stop it.” She did want to. And itwouldmake her happy. For a while. Until it was time for her to start making decisions about what came next in her life and she found herself doubting whether she was making the decisions for herself, or for the man in her life. Not having a man in her life erased the doubt.
“Okay, then we’ll go back to talking about your mom.”
Laney groaned. “Punishing me for not talking about something we shouldn’t be talking about in public?”
“Yes. How come your mom is asking my mom to ask me how you’re doing instead of asking you?”
“You know we’ve had some issues in the last couple of years. We’re not really close at the moment.”
“You told me you weren’t getting along during the divorce and everything, but that’s all behind you now and your ex is in your rearview mirror.”
Laney shrugged, thankful when Paige showed up with their plates so she had a minute to think about what she wanted to say because she knew no matter how good Nola’s intentions were, there was a good chance whatever she said would get back to her mother through the family grapevine. She didn’t want to make the situation worse than it was because she hoped her time here would help her feel strong enough to heal her relationship with her parents.
Once Paige had gone back into the kitchen, Laney salted her fries and resumed the conversation. “Just because the divorce is final doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten they took Patrick’s side through all of it. And before you say it, I know they felt like staying married was best for me, but they should have supportedmeand not their idea of what my life should be.”
“Are you going to go back to Rhode Island in the fall?”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. I feel like worrying about my future plans now works against the entire reason I’m here. Even though it’s not that far away, I think September-me will look at life a little differently than current-me does.”
