8. Turnover
Turnover
H anging up the phone, Haley rushed to her stacks of clothes along the wall and grabbed a breezy tank top that made her feel pretty but required no effort. She was so late. And she really, really didn’t want to explain why.
She had completely lost track of time; if his dad hadn’t interrupted, they might have talked all night.
Dashing to the laundry room, she snagged her jeans from the dryer.
Shoes, shoes… where the hell were they? Before furniture, maybe she should pick up a shoe rack and shelves for the closet.
Having her bedroom wall lined with stacks of clothes was getting annoying.
Her phone buzzed. Claire. Left yet?
Hopping in the car as we speak. Well, she was almost in the car.
Don’t. Change in plans; we’ll pick you up and go out to dinner.
Long pause.
Another message from Claire popped up. Patricia invited herself. We thought eating out would be safer, as we’ve been busy with work and the house is a mess.
Yikes. Good plan.
Tossing on a pair of heeled sandals from the overgrown shoe volcano in the corner of the closet, the pile collapsing behind her, she forced herself to stop moving and fasten her shoes, so she didn’t sprain an ankle.
Decelerating when she reached the entry, she grabbed her moto-jacket from the hook and stepped outside.
The evening breeze lifted the sunbaked cedar scent and whirled it around before whisking it away to make room for the evening chill.
Breathing in the fresh evening, she exhaled the last-minute rush, her pulse slowing, shoulders relaxing…
hmm, she really needed to power wash the entry and get some planters, maybe see how to make a fall wreath come October.
She locked the front door right as Grady’s Forerunner pulled in. Hopping in the back, she noted the absence of Patricia. “So?”
Grady shifted into reverse and exhaled cautiously. “She doesn’t ride in the backseat, and I made it clear that Claire doesn’t ride in the backseat of our car, so she is meeting us there.”
“Oh thank goodness.” Haley laughed under her breath as she settled into the seat. “I mean, she’s come a long way, but she’s still Patricia.”
“Don’t I know it,” Grady groaned. He pulled onto the main road toward downtown. “Since that intervention at the gala, she’s been working on it. But that still doesn’t mean she gets to see what happens to the house when we’ve both been working long hours.”
“Nicely done.” Haley nodded appreciatively. Within minutes, they parked downtown, right in front of Halseth’s. Shit. Finn was working tonight.
And it would take a mountain of willpower that she didn’t possess to keep her eyes off him.
With the collection of fantasies she’d developed to stay sane the last few years, of which he was a regular, having seen him, kissed him, well, those imaginings were bit more vivid these days.
No wonder she’d turned to a puddle of horny mush the moment she’d laid eyes on him; even before she recognized him, those arms had spent many fictional nights wrapped around her.
Town was pleasantly bustling without being crowded, clusters of groups moving in and out of shops and restaurants. As they stepped onto the sidewalk, her sandals clicking against the tidy concrete, Claire linked hands with Grady and asked Haley, “Have you been to Halseth’s yet?”
“Yes, I have. Great food.” And great service. She blushed just thinking about that kiss, ending the night flushed and thrilled and satisfied for the first time in… way too long. “Not going to Black Op?”
Grady shook his head. “Hell no. As much as Patricia is trying, she’s still not thrilled I gave up the career she dreamed for me to go all in on a brewing company. I’m not risking bursting my safety bubble if she gets judgmental.”
“Understandable. Let’s go another night.”
“Perfect. You’ll love Halseth’s. Finn, the bartender—his dad owns the place—he’s a good buddy since he moved back a few months ago. He made varsity freshman year, of course, so we were on a lot of the same teams. He would have been in your grade though.”
“Finn, oh yeah. Seems like a nice guy.”
The window-framed door creaked as Grady opened the door for them.
Breath catching with a shy thrill as she walked in, she immediately caught sight of Finn.
Equally flummoxed, he stilled as he saw her, his chest rose and fell, and the customer talking with him rambled without noticing the bartender was on another planet.
Grady stepped up behind her and waved to Finn.
Lips turning up into an easy smile, he waved. “Hey guys.”
Raising her finger to her lips without the others noticing, she silently told him their rebound plan was not something she wanted to share with anyone. He acknowledged with a subtle nod.
They settled in one of the four-tops in the corner.
She hoped it didn’t look obvious when she claimed the seat against the wall so she could easily see the bar.
Not that it would make the evening any easier, but she couldn’t help herself.
It was either that or get a crick in her neck and be really obvious, knowing she wouldn’t be able to resist watching him.
Finn plucked a stack of menus from the shelf and waved off a server she didn’t recognize. He asked, nodding to the empty chair, “A fourth coming?”
Groaning, Grady answered, “Patricia.”
Finn visibly winced. “Thanks so much for choosing my establishment.”
Sitting closest, Claire nudged Finn with her elbow. “She’s trying.”
“I know, I know. I’ll play nice if she does.”
Nodding, Grady rolled his eyes. “But she does need occasional reminders to be a human.” He glanced to Haley then up to Finn. “Not sure if you’ve met yet, but this is my sister, Haley. She just moved up from San Francisco.”
Haley jumped in, “I’ve been in a few times. Finn tolerates me getting work done at the bar.”
He bit the corner of his lip to stifle his grin.
“What a coincidence, I just moved up from the bay area, too. Anyway, I gotta get back to the bar. Luce will grab your orders in a sec.” As he backed away, his gaze lingered on Haley an extra moment, flashing her a wink before he turned.
Backs to him, Grady and Claire didn’t notice, but they might have noticed the blush that heated her cheeks.
Striding in, back ramrod straight, Patricia wore a stiff smile. Wow, she really was trying. Were those… jeans? She wore crisp white denim pants and a starched black blouse, as if trying to dress down as one ought when dining at a pub.
Grady and Claire caught the confused stare as Haley watched her mother attempting to fit in. Scanning the restaurant, Patricia almost, almost relaxed when she found them. Knowing Patricia wouldn’t be rude in public, Haley rose from her chair and waved Patricia to the inside seat.
“Hello, Mother,” she greeted as she sat down.
A moment later, their server appeared. “Drinks tonight?”
Patricia looked up at the bar and almost lost her composed expression. “If your bartender can manage, I’ll have a Vieux Carré.”
The server smiled. “I’m sure he can handle it.”
Grady and Claire each ordered a beer. Haley asked for the bartender to recommend something on tap with bite.
Patricia began her elevated conversation when they were alone again. Haley ignored her family for a moment, watching the server deliver their orders to Finn. As she reported Patricia’s snooty drink, and likely a snarky comment to accompany it, he rolled his eyes.
He glanced to Haley; she scrunched her forehead in apologetic wince over the disaster that was her mother. When the server got to Haley’s order, Finn flashed her a wink and a heated grin that shot straight down her panties.
Before anyone noticed, hopefully, she straightened out her smile and tried to pay attention. Grady was clearly repeating a conversation he’d had more than a few times. “We’re really, really not having a big wedding. If we have to go out of town to avoid offending anyone, we will.”
Shoulders back, Patricia plowed on, “I have so few life moments to show off my children, and even fewer that you have been cooperative for. Give me this one special day. I will pay for the entire ceremony and reception, if I can create the guest list.”
“I’m sure your friends will love the backyard barbeque we’ve been planning.”
A look of horror radiated straight through Patricia’s spine until Haley feared she might induce a compression fracture. “You wouldn’t.”
Haley intercepted, resting her hand on their mother’s arm.
“If you’ll recall, I had five hundred guests at my wedding, my gown cost more than my car, and I spent the next decade of my life being belittled and cheated on.
A small, backyard barbeque, something welcoming and cozy and casual, sounds like the perfect way for Grady and Claire to share their special day with friends, if that’s what they would like to do. ”
Patting Haley’s hand, Patricia shook her head delicately.
“My poor dear. I know you struggled. It may be too late, but we should have had this talk back then. The best way to keep your husband in line, and his penis out of other women, is to be sure he knows you are smarter, faster, and hotter in the bedroom than any other woman he might run into.”
Grateful she’d taken the outside seat in case she decided to bolt, Haley swallowed and closed her eyes before she said something truly nasty.
Grady jumped in before she could. “Patricia, I’m sure Haley is all of those things, but—”
Patricia waved her hand in the air to shush him. Haley took a drowning gulp of water. Not that she was thirsty, but it was either that or dump it over her mother’s head.
Patricia began anew, “As a twice-divorced, thrice-married and once-happy woman, I understand the need to find an adequate partner. But it is also important to maintain a reputation for being able to keep your man’s attention, so other women don’t come sniffing around.”