by Kris Jayne
“Jeff’s doing the best he can, sweetheart,” Annabelle soothed after Taryn recounted the previous day’s events.
“I know, but this woman, Mom, I’m telling you she’s up to no good.”
“Maybe, but it sounds like he’s left room for that possibility. Maybe you should leave room for the possibility that she’s sincere.”
Taryn huffed. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am. You know that. Don’t be silly,” her mother chided her.
“I do. I’m sorry. I’m all over the place. And I’ve got to go. Alexa’s coming up from Austin. I’m meeting her and Micky for lunch.”
“Good. You need to remember that you have people in your corner—including Jeff, honey.”
“I know.”
“I love you. I’ll be there in a few weeks for your bridal appointment.”
“I love you too, Mom. I can’t wait to see you.”
Hanging up the phone, Taryn flung herself back on her bed, taking a well-deserved moment for self-pity. She sat straight up and caught a glimpse of herself in her dresser mirror. She couldn’t meet her friends for lunch looking a fright. Pushing herself off the bed, she meandered into her bathroom and started pulling herself together.
The trio of women arrived at a favorite local spot for brunch around the same time and, after a short wait, sat in a booth.
“How was the drive up?” Taryn asked Alexa. The traffic between Dallas and Austin often locked up, especially on weekends.
“Not so bad today. I left pretty early. How are things this morning?”
Taryn threw her head against the backrest of the tall booth and groaned. “I don’t know. We traded texts last night but didn’t talk. I didn’t want to. I don’t know how to not say the things that need to be said. But the more I push, the more things seem to go wrong. I talked to my mom. She’s telling me to let Jeff do things his way. I don’t know what to do. I can’t just sit here and let Shannon snake her way into our lives. I don’t trust her. At. All.” Taryn sliced the air with her index finger.
“I think you need to back off.” Alexa lowered the menu to look Taryn in the eye.
“How can I do that?”
“You don’t trust Shannon, but you trust Jeff, right?”
“Of course.” Taryn nodded firmly.
“Do you? What is it that you think is going to happen if you can’t direct Jeff to do what you want him to do?”
“That’s not how it is. I’m not directing him. He can’t seem to see that she’s got an angle.”
Taryn’s chest tightened. How could no one see what a grifter this woman was?
Micky tilted her head sympathetically before interjecting. “I can see why you’d be worried and upset with all this change. I wouldn’t like some ex popping up out of nowhere either. You’re supposed to be partners. I would be upset if Nick decided he was going to handle one of the most important moments of his life without me.”
“Thank you! Why can’t he see that?”
Alexa put up her hands for Taryn to slow down. “I’m sure he knows how you feel, Taryn. He hasn’t said he doesn’t want you to be there. It sounds like he’s trying to figure out the easiest way to handle a tough situation. Think about it. He’s got a lot to juggle right now, and he’s managing the best he can. He feels like you’re second guessing him—”
“I’m not second guessing him. I’m giving him the best advice I can,” Taryn insisted.
“Your ‘advice’ is probably stressing him out. He’s decided how he’s going to deal with her. You said that he told you he would assume the best and take it day by day. He doesn’t need advice on something he’s already decided.”
“But he’s not looking at the whole picture.”
“That’s where you have to go back to whether you trust him,” Alexa retorted.
“I trust him to deal with whatever happens, but I think he’d be in a better position to do that if he prepared for the worst. Like with the custody agreement thing. His lawyer wants to go ahead and draw up the paperwork so that Shannon is clear on what to expect. Jeff is getting the papers, but he said he won’t serve her yet. I think he stands a better chance if he gets a jump on her.”
“That’s probably true,” Micky agreed. “But if he doesn’t see this as war, he’s not going to care about gaining an advantage over her.”
Alexa pointed her index finger in Micky’s direction. “Exactly. So it’s not going to do Taryn any good to keep suggesting things to him that he’s going to see as antagonistic.”
“We’re going to have to be prepared to be antagonistic because that’s precisely what she is.” Taryn pouted.
“Maybe so.” Alexa took a sip of the coffee the waitress delivered to their table.
“I think Alexa is right about one key thing. The way you’re approaching Jeff right now isn’t working. You put him on the defensive. He probably thinks you don’t trust him. Why don’t you try going a couple of days without saying anything bad about Shannon? Don’t criticize what’s he’s decided. Just offer support.”
“I don’t mean to criticize him.”
“But that’s how he’s taking it. You know how men are.” Alexa flipped her hand. “When he hired the private investigator, what did the guy dig up?”
“Just that she got out of court-ordered rehab six months ago. She got herself arrested with some pills she didn’t have a prescription for, and they tied the pills to some home burglary. Before that, she bounced around with different jobs, and she had a few other arrests for drugs and another one for burglary that was reduced to trespassing.”
“Her criminal history,” Alexa observed.
“Yeah, he asked around her job and her apartment complex to see how she was living. Nothing much there. She’s been working at Wal-Mart. He did say that she was maybe married or something to some guy. She uses his name, but there’s no marriage license. According to Jeff, she said she was in a relationship with some guy who was bad news and one of the reasons she kept getting into trouble.”
“Nothing else?” Micky leaned in.
“No. And Jeff told his lawyer that he didn’t need the PI anymore.”
“She doesn’t live in Dallas, right?” Alexa asked.
“Well, she didn’t, but she does now. Jeff gave her money to get an apartment.”
Alexa shook her head. “Okay. I admit. That’s kind of messed up.”
“He thinks it’s better to have her here than to be going back and forth so she could see Olivia.”
Micky mirrored Alexa’s head shake. “What else is she doing in town? It’s not like you guys are all buddy buddy, spending every day together. There are only so many hours she can work at Wal-Mart. You’ve only seen her once. Too bad Jeff didn’t keep the PI on the case.”
“Short of following her every move, I don’t see what else the PI can do,” Taryn said.
“But that’s what a PI is for. Follow her every move. You can’t keep telling Jeff that you have a ‘feeling.’ Throwing your feelings at him isn’t convincing. Evidence is,” Alexa asserted.
“Jeff would never agree to that.”
“Does he have to? You can look into it, and if there’s nothing to find, no harm, no foul.”
“Jesus. You think he’s mad now,” Micky replied, turning to Alexa. “I thought you said she should trust him.”
Taryn nodded. “Micky’s right. I couldn’t do that.”
“You should trust him. Leave him alone and don’t pressure him. But that doesn’t mean you can’t dig a little deeper and answer these questions for yourself. If you’re convinced something’s hinky, maybe you can find out for sure. If you want to use someone different, I can ask my dad,” Alexa offered. Her father was a cop in Oklahoma City. “Think about it.”
Taryn tapped her fingers on the side of her water glass. “No. I can’t. I’ll have to learn to keep my mouth shut for the time being. If I’m right, the truth will come out at some point.”
Jeff was wrong about Shannon’s being
a different person. Taryn knew it in her soul. But until Shannon made whatever move she was going to make, Taryn would keep her opinions to herself and be there for her fiancé. Sometimes she needed a reminder to listen more than she talked.
They ordered brunch and chatted. The conversation quickly shifted to a topic that Taryn was more excited about than her fiancé’s questionable ex-wife. Her wedding.
“I finally got to review the portfolio of that photographer you suggested, Alexa. I loved his work. He sent a proposal, but I haven’t had a chance to talk about it with Jeff. We still have some wedding details to close out.”
Taryn hoped they could finish up things in the next couple of weeks. They hadn’t even ordered their invitations yet.
Micky gave Taryn an encouraging smile. “If you need someone to babysit so you and Jeff can knock out the wedding plans, call me. Nick and I can take Olivia for the day. We’ll do something with his sister and his nieces.”
“Thanks. Jeff’s parents have been helping a lot since the holidays, but that’d be great. It should only take us a few days if we put our minds to it.”
“How was California?” Alexa asked.
“God, that seems like months ago even though it’s only been a few weeks. We had the best time. You know how much I love Napa. Chaparral Gardens is as beautiful as I remember it, even in winter. By summer, it’ll be gorgeous. Napa was the last time Jeff and I felt on track. I just hope we can get back there.”
Micky reached across the table and took Taryn’s hand. “Is this thing with Shannon causing that much trouble?”
“It’s starting, too.” Taryn chewed her bottom lip.
“It’s a rough patch,” Alexa proclaimed, taking Taryn’s other hand.
“You’ll be stronger on the other side. Trust me. After all that nonsense with Nick’s ex, he and I couldn’t be better. The drama cleared up all the unsaid business, you know. We’ve never been clearer about how we feel.”
Micky’s boyfriend Nick had a problematic ex. Nick and Vivienne had been engaged, and then Vivienne came out to Nick and broke it off. Unfortunately, Vivienne’s father, one of Nick’s clients, had other plans for the couple, trying to force Nick into a relationship because the old man couldn’t face the truth.
He succeeded in forcing Nick out of the law firm where he had worked, but Nick went out on his own and couldn’t be happier. Micky and Nick had moved in together at New Year’s.
Taryn always saw herself and Jeff as the happy ending her friends could hope for. They had felt solid. Now, she suddenly found herself back to wishing and hoping. She shook her head to wipe out the negative thoughts. No need for melodrama. Jeff loved her. She loved Jeff. None of that had changed. It was like Alexa said. A rough patch. Her happy ending was as real as ever.
“When can we expect some announcements from you and Nick?” Taryn would love to get her friend on the marriage bandwagon. Micky rolled her eyes.
“Everyone keeps asking us that. We just got through all this mess. I’m sure we’ll get around to it. Right now, I’m just excited about our trip to Italy.”
Alexa whooped. “You’re finally going! When?”
“September, maybe. It depends. We thought about going right after Taryn’s glorious wedding, but we can’t both be gone from work honeymooning at the same time.”
Taryn narrowed her eyes at her friend, smirking. “Honeymooning is for married people. Maybe you can get hitched over the summer, too.”
“It’s the new millennium. It’s honeymooning as long as you’re honeys,” Micky countered.
Alexa raised her hand to high five Micky, who obliged. “I agree. You make your own honeymoon.”
“Fine. But I’ll expect to pay you back for all the help you’ve given me. I want an ugly dress and my turn wrestling a bridezilla. I could help you plan the most amazing wedding! Something international!” Taryn widened her eyes at the thought of a monster transcontinental wedding.
“You should quit the corporate gig and do this full-time. You’re such a romantic.” Micky suggested as much on a regular basis.
“I believe in love. I do, even though I’ve been in the dumps the past couple of days. We need to find Alexa a man, and things will be all wrapped up.” Taryn poked her cousin in the ribs.
Alexa elbowed Taryn back. “I have plenty of men. You don’t need to go trolling on my behalf.”
“Plenty of them, but not anyone special. Not one quality prospect,” Taryn proclaimed.
“I’ll settle for quantity at the moment. It’s so much fun.” Alexa flashed the two other women a mischievous smirk.
“Fun, how? I need details,” Micky pushed.
Taryn and Micky blushed and laughed as Alexa outlined the adventures of her previous weekend.
“You should have seen this guy. Just his smile made my eyes roll back in my head. So hot. Oh, my God.”
“Why don’t you see him again?” Taryn asked.
“Why ruin a good thing? He was fun. He danced like a dream. He moved like a dream, but the next morning, we were joking around and I said, ‘What you talking about, Willis?’ He stared at me. He’s twenty-four. He had no idea what Different Strokes was.”
“Shit, Alexa. Twenty-four?” Taryn grimaced.
Micky snickered, shaking her head. “That’s a bit young.”
“He was so fine. But yeah, not a long-haul kind of man.” Thirty-five-year-old Alexa’s wide grin told Taryn that he’d been well worth her time.
Still, Taryn thanked her lucky stars she didn’t have to go sifting through bars and nightclubs for companionship. Alexa could do better. A former model, Alexa now owned her own fitness club in Austin where she also taught aerobics and kickboxing. Gorgeous. Entrepreneurial. Funny. Taryn’s wheels started turning, but first things first, she had to get her own love life back in order.
Brunch with her friends buoyed Taryn’s spirits as she ran to the stationery shop to pick up invitation samples and then head over to Jeff’s. He should be home. Stay positive and keep trucking.
Chapter Sixteen
Jeff woke up in a cold bed on Saturday. He’d grown accustomed to regular overnight visits from Taryn—especially on weekends. Last night, not only had Taryn not spent the night, but she’d walked out on him.
Thinking back, he shouldn’t have told her that he might introduce Shannon to Olivia without her. His threat stretched their emotions to the point of snapping. He attempted to explain himself, but she couldn’t hear it. They were still a team. He only meant that he didn’t want tension around Olivia. If Taryn’s demeanor stayed the same, Shannon would be defensive. He didn’t want Olivia associating her mother with trauma and trouble.
But he’d hurt Taryn’s feelings, and he hadn’t had a chance to explain anything to her. Maybe it was just as well. Even his explanation would likely have hit her the wrong way.
Jeff went through the motions of a typical Saturday. He and Olivia ate scrambled eggs with cheese in front of the television and her favorite cartoons. Jeff’s childhood included lounging on the floor in footy pajamas watching Bugs Bunny. His mom displayed some pretty embarrassing photos of the scene in photos at her house. He loved sharing the same thing with his child. Olivia squirmed and giggled.
“Boom!” she shouted as something on the screen exploded.
Keeping Olivia’s life normal is what mattered to him. As a father, his vision for his daughter included her feeling loved, secure, and that she had a foundation from which she could be successful in anything she wanted do with her life. And he wanted her happy—as blissfully happy as she was watching Sonic Boom on the couch in her pajamas eating scrambled eggs.
While Taryn had a tremendous capacity for love, she had a will like granite. Once she got hold of an idea about something, you needed a blast of dynamite to get it loose. She’d made up her mind about Shannon, and that was it.
He didn’t blame her. Hell, it was partly his fault. He presented all the problems he’d had in his first marriage when he explained how he ended up as a si
ngle father. Her attitude only reflected everything Jeff had told her, but now she needed to adjust. He had to have calm. Facing Taryn’s disapproving gaze would be too much for Shannon. It may even be too much for him. He needed to talk to his fiancée.
“Daddy?”
“What?”
“I want a lazy day.”
Jeff wasn’t sure he could swing a lazy day. He had paperwork to look over. Papers from Nick. Papers from Harold. He couldn’t afford a day of non-productivity, and that was precisely the idea behind lazy day. He worked so much that sometimes he wanted a total time out. He’d instituted “lazy days” where he and Olivia would do and eat whatever they wanted, watch movies, play games, and not leave the house. He longed to be able to give her his complete attention for nothing but fun, but he couldn’t.
“I’d love to, sweetie, but I don’t think I can. How about a lazy afternoon?”
“Uh-uh! Just the afternoon?”
“I have so much going on, honey. But I promise at some point here in the next few weeks, we’ll have a complete lazy day.”
“You promise?”
“I absolutely promise.”
“Can we invite Taryn over? Just for the afternoon?”
Jeff froze. Taryn had been so upset, and they needed to have a conversation that would throw a bucket of ice water on any afternoon fun.
“I can call her and see what she’s got going on.”
“Cool.”
Jeff’s finger tapped the hot key on his smartphone to dial Taryn, and he mentally crossed his fingers that she would at least answer.
“Hey, Jeff.”
“You picked up.” Relief flooded Jeff’s body.
“I did. I’m sorry about last night. I couldn’t take anymore.”
“I get it. In fact, today, I’ve told Olivia that we can have a lazy afternoon.”
“Not a full lazy day?”
“I can’t afford to do nothing all day today.”
“Well, how about I bring over the invitation samples, and we knock that out. Then, you’ll have been somewhat productive.”
“Deal. When can you get here?”