Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
RHETT
I dashed out to the store. A drizzle had swept in on a sudden cold front. The morning had started out sunny, but clouds and a bitter chill had moved in—a cold front from the north was what the weatherman had warned. I had time, so I decided to make a trip to Fairview, the next town over. I planned to buy a block of good parmesan and a baguette to spruce up the meal. I reached the parking lot and paused to button my coat. My phone rang. It was Rich Seton, my lawyer. The earlier call had been from one of the first contractors letting me know to call him if I reconsidered a tear-down and start from scratch. He even promised to rebuild the new house in the Arts and Crafts style, which I questioned greatly.
“Hey, Rich, thought I’d hear from you earlier. How’s it going?”
He didn’t answer right away, which wasn’t a good thing.
“We’re at an impasse. Christine is insisting on twenty percent more. She’s out of control.”
“You’re telling me. She showed up here. She’s renting a beach cottage, and she dropped by unannounced.”
I could hear paper crinkling. “Let me write that down. So, she’s there in—in—where did you say you were again?”
“Whisper Cove. Look up Grimstone Manor and you’ll see the dilapidated gem I’ve saddled myself with. Comes with a century-old curse and everything.”
“Jeez, Rhett, why are you punishing yourself like that? Why don’t you find a nice place on the East Coast, a nice Manhattan penthouse?”
“Doesn’t interest me in the least, and crummy house and all, this small town has grown on me. It would be perfect if ‘she who shall not be named’ hadn’t shown up. I don’t know what she’s up to. She always had that evil, untrustworthy side to her, but now she’s worse.”
“Do you think she’ll try something nuts? Do you think she’ll try to kill you?”
I chuckled. “Not sure I love the enthusiasm in your tone.”
He laughed, too. “Sorry, long day. Of course, I don’t want that to happen, but if she attempted it or showed some sign that she needs a restraining order, then it would help our case with the judge. I’d go for everything then and send her off broke and crying.”
“Not sure if she’s the crying type. No assassination attempt yet but we might talk about a restraining order. But for now, I’ve got to buy a jar of spaghetti sauce for a special dinner.”
“Sounds special all right. I go straight to the Ragu whenever I have a special dinner lined—Wait a minute. Are you seeing someone?”
“I am. Is that going to be a problem for the settlement? Because if so, tough. Not giving her up.”
“Wow. Sounds serious. I’m happy for you, and no, it shouldn’t be a problem. The two of you are separated, and we all know the catalyst for the divorce in the first place. I don’t think a judge would hold it against you. Now if she comes at you with an ice pick, then we’re talking.”
“I’ll try to record it on my phone if it happens. Talk to you later. Keep me posted and try to have better news next time.”
“I’ll try.”
My errands were taking longer than I expected. I sent a text off to Ella. “I’m out getting dinner ingredients. I left the door unlocked. Just go in. I promise a big fire when I get there.”
She wrote back as I headed into the store. “I was just on my way to the manor. See you soon, and I’m expecting all kinds of fire from my hot boyfriend.” She added a few flame emojis and a heart. I sent a heart back and smiled as I put the phone in my pocket. Maybe all was not lost in my life after all.