Chapter 5
Lila Bellamy tossed the empty Rice-A-Roni box into the garbage and returned to the stove where she stirred the pot on the burner. “Camille,” she called out. “Dinner’s ready.”
Exhausted, she pulled plates from the cupboard and set the table. “Camille, dinner. Don’t make me call you again!”
“Gosh, Mom. You don’t have to yell.” Her daughter slugged into the kitchen, flip-flops slapping the tiled floor.
Lila surveyed the girl dressed in baggy sweats and a T-shirt, hair pulled back. She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. “Is that what you wore to school today?”
Camille shrugged. “Yeah.” She scowled at her mother’s inspection. “What?”
Lila sighed. “Nothing. Dinner’s ready.”
Her daughter padded over to the stove and peeked into the pot. “I’m on a low-carb diet.”
Lila refrained from rolling her eyes. Last month it was twelve-hour fasting. Before that, the Mediterranean Diet and the Flexitarian eating program. Camille flitted between weight-loss programs like butterflies on mountain lupines. Besides, her petite blonde daughter didn’t need to lose a single pound. She was already perfect.
Still, she knew better than to fight Camille about her eating habits. It wasn’t worth the conflict. For the most part, she still ate healthy. “Fine. What do you want?”
“I’ll just grab something on the way to the game,” she said. “Do you have a twenty?”
“I’m not a bank,” she reminded her daughter, even as she went for her purse.
Camille grabbed the bill from her mother’s hand. “Thanks, Mom!” Despite her earlier pronouncement, she picked up the spoon on the counter, scooped rice from the pot, and slid it inside her mouth. Immediately, she grimaced. “Ew, how can you eat that stuff?”
Lila watched her daughter head back to her room. “Oh, Mom?” she called over her shoulder. “Can you drop me off at the game on your way to Reva’s?”
Lila groaned. She’d forgotten this was their get-together night. After the long night out at Charlie Grace’s the evening before, she’d planned on finishing up some online homework, then a hot bath and bed. Especially since she’d spent most of the afternoon dealing with car trouble.
“Baby, you’re going to have to catch a ride. Did you forget my vehicle is in the shop?”
She could hear her daughter groan from down the hall. “That car is so lame.”
Lila couldn’t argue the fact, but she didn’t have a choice. A new purchase wasn’t in the budget. Camille needed several hundred dollars for volleyball camp, her own vet school tuition was due for next semester, and now this big expense. It never ended.
She’d received military survivor benefits after Aaron was killed but raising a daughter on a single income still had its challenges.
Lila pulled her phone from her jeans pocket. She should text her girlfriends. They’d understand if she bagged out.
Before she could tap out her message, her phone rang. It was Capri.
“Hey,” her friend said when Lila answered. “I just heard your car is in the shop. What happened?”
“Ernie thinks I blew a gasket.”
“Oh, no!”
Lila sighed. “Yeah, worst timing.”
“I could look at it,” Capri offered. “But if it is a gasket, the car might not be worth fixing.”
Capri had an enviable mechanical ability. She could fix almost anything.
“Nah,” Lila told her. “I’ll figure it out. But I think I need to skip tonight?—”
“No way. No skipping our girlfriend night. Besides, sounds like you need some fun.”
Lila didn’t want to argue. “Okay. But I’ll need a ride.”
“You got it,” Capri promised.
Lila hung up and put the Rice-A-Roni in a plastic container, stored it in the fridge, and headed upstairs for a quick shower.
The sun was dropping behind the mountain peaks, its rays casting a soft, golden light through the pine trees as Capri pulled her car to a stop in Reva’s driveway. “I hate to admit how much I’m looking forward to tonight.”
Lila nodded. “Yeah, I’m glad you talked me out of changing my plans and staying home.” She followed Capri inside.
“There you are.” Reva motioned them to the kitchen island where Charlie Grace cradled a glass of wine in hand. Soft music played in the background. “You’re late,” she chided, her voice a mix of amusement and warmth.
Reva’s affinity for punctuality was so legendary that people teased saying even the town clock outside city hall, in a silent act of respect, seemed to check itself whenever she passed by.
Charlie Grace pointed to the plate in front of her. “Aunt Mo made us some of her famous chocolate chip cookies.”
Capri lit up. “Ooh…nothing goes with red wine better than chocolate.”
Reva lifted her frosted mug and grinned. “Or, in my case, root beer.”
Capri lifted a cookie from the plate and turned to Charlie Grace. “How’s the new calf?”
“It was touch and go in those early hours. But the little heifer is now thriving. All thanks to Lila.”
Lila uncorked a second bottle of wine, a Chablis that was one of her favorites. “Doc Tillman wasn’t exactly happy I didn’t call him to help.”
Charlie Grace broke a cookie in half and frowned. “Why?”
Lila shrugged. “Technically, I don’t have the certification yet. But the real reason? I think Doc Tillman feels a little threatened.”
Reva gazed in disbelief. “Threatened. Why?”
Lila poured the wine with a steady hand. “Lately, I feel like every time I introduce a new technique or a fresh idea, there’s this…vibe. Don’t get me wrong, Doc Tillman has been amazing to learn from. He took a chance on me, and I’m grateful. We’ve worked together for years, but it’s like he’s not ready to acknowledge that times are changing. I really want to bring in some of the new stuff I’ve learned in the online program I’m taking at the University of Colorado—you know, to make a difference in the practice and streamline the office. But there’s this unspoken tension lately. It’s like walking on eggshells!” She recorked the bottle. “I respect him so much, but I can’t help but push for progress. It’s a weird mix of admiration and this undercurrent of, I don’t know, competition? Anyway, it’s complicated.” She sighed and took a sip of her wine.
Reva picked up the plate of cookies and motioned for the girls to follow her into the living room. “Goodness, Lila. That sounds so tricky. But you know, it’s amazing how you’re handling the situation. You’re bringing in new ideas, and that’s important. Maybe Doc Tillman just needs time to adjust to the changes. Keep doing your thing, girl.”
Capri, always the spirited one, chimed in with a grin. “Oh, come on, Lila—shake things up! You’re there to make a difference, right? Don’t let old traditions hold you back. I say, go for it!”
Charlie Grace, thoughtful as always, added, “I agree with both Reva and Capri, Lila. It’s a delicate balance, but I think you’re the right person to bridge the gap. You have a way of being respectful yet assertive. You’ve got this!” She eased onto the sofa, the plush cushions enveloping her.
Lila took a place beside her, taking care not to spill any wine as she plopped down. “Yeah, well…Doc Tillman likes to do everything by the book.”
“Nonsense,” Charlie Grace argued. “I can cite plenty of times he’s found—uh, creative—ways to administer animal husbandry.”
Capri grinned and turned to Reva. “Speaking of Doc Tillman. He has no reason to be cranky. He has your trophy.”
Reva’s hand went to her chest in mock astonishment. “Why, what are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m referring to.” She turned to the others. “Reva threw the annual skeet contest and let Doc win.”
“Yeah, we know,” Charlie Grace announced.
Reva whipped her head around. “You know? How?”
Charlie Grace shrugged. “The Knit Wits told Fleet Southcott who told Brewster Findley who told Nicola Cavendish.” She paused. “And once it got to her—well, it was all over but the newspaper article.”
Reva groaned. “Does Doc know?”
Lila twirled the wine in her goblet. “My bet is no. He was on the phone to Albie this morning making sure there would be an article in the next issue of the Thunder Mountain Gazette announcing his win.” She turned to place her glass on the table. Her brows drew together as she reached for a watch and held it up to the light. “What’s this?”
Capri glanced at the watch, then at Reva, her eyebrows raised in playful suspicion. “Is that a man’s watch?” The corners of her lips lifted in a tiny smile. “Girl! You got a man in your house?”
Charlie Grace laughed. “Hey, are you holding out on us?”
Reva bolted from where she sat with her hand out. “Uh, can I have that?”
Lila turned the watch over, read the inscription, and frowned. “Oh, Reva.”
“What?” the other two said nearly in unison.
Lila handed the watch to Reva who quickly pocketed the timepiece.
“Okay, yes. It’s Merritt’s watch,” Reva admitted. “Not that it’s anyone’s business.”
Charlie Grace’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Merritt Hardwick? He was here?”
Lila scowled. “I didn’t know you were still in touch.”
Reva held up an open palm in protest. “Okay, look. We aren’t in touch—well, not really. Not in the sense you mean.”
“How do you mean?” Charlie Grace asked, also frowning.
“I haven’t seen him since we split.” Reva drained her root beer and set the empty mug on the coffee table. “But he showed up last night out of the blue. I was sound asleep when I heard pounding on the door.”
Capri tossed a partially eaten cookie back onto the plate. “What do you mean? He just showed up here?”
“In the middle of the night?” Charlie Grace lifted her eyebrows. “That’s a little nervy.” It was common knowledge Charlie Grace was not a huge fan of Merritt Hardwick, not after he moved away and broke their friend’s heart.
Reva nodded. “Yes, I don’t disagree. Everything you say is true. He’s…well, he’s in trouble.” She swallowed. “And he wanted me to know before news broke.” She waved her hands staving off the inquisition she knew was coming. “But that’s all I can disclose right now.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about betraying any confidence.” Capri held up her phone. “Breaking news.”
Reva jumped up and grabbed the remote for her television. She pointed toward the large screen mounted on the far wall. With one click, the screen brightened and immediately, Merritt’s face filled the screen with a voiceover.
“In breaking news, Senator Merritt Hardwick was arrested hours ago after a lengthy FBI investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The freshman senator is being charged with bribery, misuse of office, and breaching national security protocols.”
The image on the screen immediately turned to footage of Merritt’s arrest and perp walk as law enforcement officials handcuffed him and led him to a waiting car.
Reva shut the television off, tears pooling.
The others rushed to her side, offering any comfort they could.
“Oh, Reva. I’m so sorry,” Charlie Grace told her, pulling her dear friend into a hug.
Lila followed suit. “You must be devastated. I mean, I know you’re no longer together, but he still meant something to you.” Lila knew what it was like to be haunted by memories of a love you no longer could count on. She’d also been the one who silently sat with Reva for several evenings after Merritt packed and left for Washington, D.C.
Capri was the only one to voice what everyone was thinking. “What in the world? Is he an idiot? It’s a given Merritt’s going to lose his political career for good. But he’s also going to land his butt in prison. I mean, rocks for brains…right?” She looked between Charlie Grace and Lila for confirmation.
Charlie Grace scowled at her. “Uh, maybe a little sensitivity?”
Capri shrugged. “Yeah, okay. But I’m just saying…”
Lila led Reva back to the sofa and sat down beside her. “So, spill. What does this mean? Why was he compelled to show up in the middle of the night? You’ve not been a couple for years.”
Capri’s eyebrows lifted in suspicion. “Things haven’t changed, right?”
Charlie Grace followed with a firm, “He’s married.”
Reva sighed. “Of course, I know he’s married. Nothing has changed between us. Our relationship is firmly in the past. I’m just saddened, that’s all. I still care deeply for him and wish him all the best. This? I don’t understand it. Merritt’s choices simply do not reflect the man I used to know—a man of integrity and honor.”
Capri leaned back, folded her arms behind her head, and stretched her legs out in front of her. “Dip someone in a pot of spaghetti sauce, or, in this case, the political swamp, and they’re likely going to get all red.” When everyone gave her a confused look, she quietly added, “Okay, bad analogy. But, nice guy or not, he’s cooked.”
Lila took Reva’s hands in her own. “We’re your safe place. Tell us how this is impacting you—not Merritt or his career or reputation—you.” She pointed to Reva’s heart. “In here.”
That’s all it took. Reva’s eyes flooded with tears.
“Oh, honey—what is it?” Charlie Grace asked, concern lacing her voice.
Their good friend glanced between all of them as if testing to see if she could say what was on her mind.
Lila gave her hands another squeeze. “We’re here for you.”
Reva nodded, then swallowed. “It’s just—well, all the second-guessing. The what ifs. Frankly? I have such a good life. I’m rich in many ways, but mostly in relationships with dear people I care about deeply and who care for me. I have meaningful work—work that makes a difference.”
Capri nodded with enthusiasm. “Thunder Mountain couldn’t get along without Reva Nygard.”
Charlie Grace met Reva’s gaze. “But?”
“But I thought I’d be married by now. I wanted children.” A heaviness seemed to lift right off her shoulders as she admitted the fact to her girlfriends. Her expression took on a relieved look. She’d been carrying the weight of this hurt for some time.
Reva took a deep breath, her eyes shimmering. “And I know it’s not too late, but sometimes, it feels like my chances are slipping away. There’s not exactly a huge pool of candidates walking the wooden sidewalks of Thunder Mountain.” She looked around at her friends, their faces a mix of empathy and love.
Lila leaned forward, her voice soft but firm. “Reva, your life, your dreams—they’re not on a timetable. Love, family, children—they can happen at any time.”
Capri poured herself another glass of wine. “So, Lila. Are you willing to subscribe to the notion you could fall in love again?”
Lila leaned back thoughtfully. “Well, I can’t imagine it. But I hope so…someday.”
Reva’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. “None of us are exactly huge winners in the romance category.”
“Hey,” Charlie Grace interrupted. “I’m doing okay.”
Capri resealed the wine bottle, a playful glint in her eye. “Oh yes, your little hook-up with McDreamy? Epic!”
Charlie Grace sighed deeply. “His name is Nick Thatcher,” she reiterated, a note of exasperation in her voice. “And what I have with Nick, it’s more than just a fling.”
With a knowing chuckle, Capri winked at her friend. “Glad to hear it. I was just making sure.”
Reva leaned back and wiped at her cheek. “Like Charlie Grace, I want more. I’m looking for someone to spend my life with. Someday, I long to gaze into an infant’s eyes and promise I will love that baby forever.” She groaned. “I’m getting to an age where pregnancy is no longer promised.”
Lila rubbed the back of her neck. “Warning—those babies grow up into teenagers. I’m just saying.”
That brought a laugh from Reva. “I know my dream is not a panacea. I don’t care. I want it. I want it all.” She glanced between them with a poignant look. “You can’t control your heart.”
Capri kicked her shoes off and tucked her feet up under her on the sofa. “Not everyone is meant for that route. Take me, for example.”
Reva frowned. “You don’t want to fall in love and have a family?”
Capri shrugged. “I’m working on falling in love with the life I have.”
Charlie Grace reached out, placing a hand over Reva’s. “You’re not alone in this. We’ve all had our ‘what-ifs’ and ‘if-onlys.’ We can all claim our lives took turns we didn’t expect—or wanted. But look at us—stronger and closer than ever. I hope you get it all, Reva—every bit of that dream. Regardless, we’re here for you. No matter what is ahead.”
Reva looked at each of her friends, her face filled with gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without all of you. Thank you for reminding me that it’s okay to feel this way and that I’m not alone.” She grinned. “Even if you guys get a little pushy sometimes.”
Lila took a sip of her wine. It was true.
The people that are still with you at the end of the day—those are the ones worth keeping. Sure, sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes, that invasion of personal space can be exactly what you need.