Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Two Months Later
Dexter
“I’ll be on my way in five,” I tell Sayla, wrestling with my tie in the hotel mirror.
I’ve got my AirPods in so I could call her and finish getting ready at the same time.
We’re in Apple Valley, Oregon, for Colleen and Eugene’s wedding.
Sayla spent last night with her mom, and I’m staying at a place called The Granny Smith.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this town, they really lean into their apple puns.
“How’s it going?” she asks.
“Once I get this tie sorted, I’m good.” This may come as a surprise, but I’m not often called upon to wear a suit in my line of work. Or maybe that’s not surprising at all. Either way, I wouldn’t trade my gym clothes and whistle for any wardrobe featured in GQ. “How are things at The Clumsy Goat?”
“There are a surprising number of people here,” she says. “I had no idea my mom kept up with so many friends.”
“Well, she can be an awfully friendly lady.”
“You’ve met her twice,” Sayla says.
“What can I say? Colleen Kroft makes an impression.”
Sayla laughs, and the mirror reflects my smile back to me. Man, I love the sound of her laughter. “Anyway, the back room here looks beautiful,” she reports. “Very festive. Lots of poinsettias and holly and white lights. I’m just glad she was able to move the wedding up a week.”
“I need to thank her again for that.”
“You’ve thanked her plenty already.”
“But I need to say it on behalf of my family now. They would’ve understood if I missed Christmas to be your plus one, but this way, you’ll get to celebrate Christmas with the Michaels family while your mom and Eugene are off on their honeymoon.”
“Trust me. Nobody wanted this wedding on actual Christmas except my mother. But you really have the magic touch. She wouldn’t even change the date for Eugene.”
“I think she just wanted to know he’d be willing to do anything to make her happy.”
“It’s like you understand women or something,” Sayla teases.
“For the record, I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
“Then get here soon,” she says. “I miss you. And remember, on time is—”
“Late,” I say. “I know. I’m leaving right now.” I slide my jacket from the hanger and grab my keys.
“I probably won’t be able to talk to you until the reception,” she warns. “I’ll be busy with my mom before then. Maid of honor and all.”
“Then I’ll be extra ready for that first dance with you,” I tell her. “And Sayla?”
“What?”
“You look absolutely stunning.”
She lets out a giggle. “You haven’t even seen me yet.”
“Call it a hunch.”
I’m just climbing into my truck when Larry Wilford calls.
No offense to my well-intentioned boss, but he’s the last person I want to talk to on any Saturday night, let alone the first one over winter break.
In fact, Sayla could make one of her famous lists of all the people whose calls I’d be willing to take, and Wilford wouldn’t make the top one hundred.
So I let the call go to voicemail. I’ll deal with work later.
On time is late.
At The Clumsy Goat, I follow the signs through the main dining area into a large room at the far end of the restaurant.
There’s a stage at the back with a flower arch and a podium.
Some guests are already seated facing the stage in rows of chairs split down the center by a red-carpet aisle.
Round tables fill the rest of the space.
They’re decorated with white tablecloths, gleaming place settings, and festive Christmas centerpieces.
For the reception, we’ll be moving the chairs back around the tables to make room for dancing.
For now, though, I take a seat in the last row and check my phone.
The ceremony won’t start for several more minutes, and I don’t know a soul here.
Well, I know Sayla. And I’ve met Eugene and Colleen twice.
But I won’t get to hang out with them until the reception.
For a guy who’s used to being friends with almost everyone else in the room, this is a new experience for me.
And I won’t lie, it’s a little awkward. So I open my voicemail as a distraction.
I’m not actually going to play Wilford’s message out loud. That would be rude in these last minutes before the wedding. But I can read the transcript.
Hello, Dexter. Larry Wilford, here. I know this is your first weekend of winter break, but I have some big news you’re going to want to hear.
I wish I could tell you in person, but school won’t be back in session for two weeks, and I didn’t want to wait.
You and Sayla must have some kind of guardian angel looking out for you, because Dr. Dewey just called to say Stony Peak High received a large donation from an anonymous donor specifically earmarked for renovations on the gym and theater.
When we add that to the insurance settlement, we can afford everything on the wish lists for both projects, and we don’t even need the FRIG.
Heh heh heh. Actually, scratch that. The more money, the more good we can do.
So we still need the FRIG. The theater needs the FRIG.
The gym needs the FRIG. I love the FRIG.
Please forget that I keep saying FRIG. Okay. Bye now.