Chapter 19 #2
On Tuesday morning Kalista made a decision—she couldn’t ignore Tyler for the summer, not until after she apologized and paid him for the funnel cake.
That meant she had to ask Viv for the money, but she told her it was for coffee at the Clementine Diner and not to pay Tyler back.
During her tell-all at lunch yesterday, she hadn’t mentioned the funnel cake and didn’t see the need to.
Paying him back was the right thing to do, even though she never had to pay anyone back in her life before.
Another first was feeding the animals with Viv that morning.
Viv hadn’t asked her until now, and Kalista guessed it was because of her new job.
She yanked on the black rubber boots Viv had given her and trudged to the pig pen.
Slopping the hogs, as Viv called it, was the most unglamorous thing she’d ever done.
They smelled. They snorted. They rolled in the mud and smacked their snouts as they gobbled down their food.
They were kind of adorable too, in a messy, stinky way.
When Viv went to spread chicken feed by the coop, Bo came over to Kalista, who had dumped the last bucket of feed over the fence and into the trough. “You look like you’ve been doing this your whole life.”
She glanced at him and smirked. “It’s not exactly rocket science.”
“No, but it’s important.” He rested his forearms on the red metal gate and looked ahead. “I want to thank you, Kalista.”
Stunned, she said, “Thank me? Why?”
He turned to her. Bo wasn’t a looker, that was for sure.
He was bald, his stomach protruded too far over his belt buckle, and he always wore overalls that were a little long in the legs.
But he was a very, very nice man and treated Viv like a princess.
“I’m glad you came here. Clementine ain’t no LA, and we ain’t fancy here either.
It’s got to be hard. I’m sure you’re missing your family and friends. ”
Kalista barely nodded. She’d lost her best friend and boyfriend in the span of three days, although she could say good riddance to Abbie and good luck to Ryan, now that she wasn’t so hurt.
Bettany hadn’t called and checked on her, not that Kalista expected or wanted her too.
Neither had Daddy. Him ignoring her was expected.
Out of sight, out of mind, apparently. “I guess,” she mumbled.
“I hope you’re able to make some friends here. You’ve sure made my Vivian happy too.”
Now she could genuinely smile. She looked past Bo and watched as Viv sprinkled crushed corn nibblets on the ground, the chickens pecking around her. She looked like one of those Disney princesses who could enchant animals. Her stepmother was definitely in her element.
“How’s work?” Bo asked. “Seb treating you well?”
Seb? Oh. Mr. Hudson. “I haven’t seen him much. I mostly work with Tyler.”
“Yeah, he’s a great kid. Nicest guy you’ll ever meet.”
Humph. Bo was already that, in Kalista’s mind. The jury was still out on Tyler. He’d been nice to her for a couple of days. Now he was rude, rude, rude.
“Well, gotta get back to the tractor.” He grinned at Kalista. “See you at supper tonight.”
“See you.”
Kalista stayed and watched the pigs for a little while longer after Viv went inside. She was getting a little used to the smell. Or immune to it. Then she realized she was stalling. Time to go to The Times office and take care of business.
She drove to Clementine and parked Bo’s jalopy in a spot in front of the building, and the truck was almost straight between the lines.
She grabbed her pink Chanel purse and climbed out of the vehicle.
Before she’d left Viv’s, she’d gone through her suitcases and looked at the clothes she brought.
The shorts were too short, the skirts too high, and the shirts too tight—for work anyway.
Even though she wasn’t throwing papers today, she wanted to look appropriate in case she ran into her boss.
Viv loaned her a super cute, light pink dress with capped sleeves and a mid-knee hem.
She walked inside and faced two stairwells—one up and one down.
She was unsure where to go first. Tyler could be downstairs in the circulation area or upstairs where the offices were.
He might even be on assignment—something she hadn’t thought about until just this moment.
She put her finger on her chin and tried to decide.
“Kalista?”
Spinning on the heel of her white ballet flat, she turned and saw Tyler. “Hi,” she said, giving him a smile and a quick, unnecessary wave. At least she didn’t have to hunt him down.
“What are you doing here?”
Flat tone, flat expression, flat... everything. It was like he’d turned into a robot .
Let’s get this over with. She dug inside her purse for her almost-empty wallet and pulled out the money. “I owe you for the funnel cake.” She presented him with the two dollar bills.
He eyed them like he’d never seen cash before.
“Take it!” She thrust it out at him. Why was he such a weirdo?
Tyler shook his head. Even the movement was emotionless. “You don’t have to pay me back.”
“Yes I do.” She hadn’t anticipated he wouldn’t cooperate. She envisioned him accepting the money and her apology. Then she’d feel better about herself. “I’ll pay you back for the gas too.”
He didn’t say anything, just turned and headed for the bottom stairs.
Ugh, he was infuriating. She marched over to him. “Why are you so mean to me? I know I was rude to you on Saturday. And it was dumb not to check my gas gauge. But that doesn’t mean you can treat me like dirt on your shoe.”
Tyler pressed his lips together and glanced away. “It’s... hard to be around you.”
So she was right. He thought the same thing Daddy and Ryan did—that she was immature and shallow. Oh great, more tears. Apparently she was also a crybaby. “Got it,” she said, her throat hurting. “I won’t bother you again.”
His eyes grew wide before he turned and headed down the stairs.
She clutched the dollar bills and looked at the empty stairwell. She’d never felt so alone.