Rennie drove to her office, parked in her usual spot, and took the elevator to her floor. When she arrived on her floor, she smiled at Ester and asked her to follow her to her office. Once inside, she shut the door.
“How was your Christmas?” she asked her assistant.
“It was good. I tried calling you.”
Rennie waved her new phone in the air. “New number.”
“What? Why?”
“Theo and I broke up. Long story short, he’s a cad. He’s married, and I’ve been playing mistress for over a year without knowing it. I expect him to call or show up—if he does, put him through, but after today, I never want to see or speak to him.”
“Wow.” Ester stood there, speechless for a moment. “He seemed so genuine.”
Rennie laughed. “You’re telling me. So, anything I should know?” she asked as she sat down.
“No, it was pretty quiet. Donna spent a day stomping around because you weren’t here, but there’s a rumor floating around among the admins.”
“Ooh, what is it?”
Ester leaned forward, despite being in a private office, and whispered, “We’re pretty sure Donna and Lex are having an affair.”
The rumor or news, whatever it might be, broke Rennie’s heart. Donna was married, and Rennie liked her husband. And after what happened between her and Theo, she had no respect for anyone who cheated on their spouse.
“Shameful,” Rennie muttered. She excused Ester and turned on her computer. Her emails came in one by one, dinging with each new notification. She shut the volume off, having grown tired of hearing the noise, and watched as each one loaded. About half were from Theo, and Rennie deleted every single one of them.
Late last night after Rennie spoke to Graham, she relented and downloaded her contacts to her new phone. As much as she wanted to start over, there were numbers she needed in there. She picked up her phone and called Walter to check in.
“Walter here.”
“Walter, it’s Rennie Wallace. I’m calling from a new phone number. How are you? How was your New Year?”
“Fabulous. My Lois kissed me at midnight, which is all I could ask for. How was yours?”
“Ah, that’s very sweet of her. Mine was perfect; thanks for asking. How’s the case coming?”
“In my professional opinion, which you do not hire me for, I can tell you this family doesn’t have a case against your friend.”
Rennie adjusted in her chair so she could take notes. “Tell me what you have.”
“I spoke to her friends and asked where they got the booze. At first, they said the bar, but after some prodding, I got one to tell me the truth. The father of the driver supplied the teens with the alcohol, and it is his idea to pin this on the bar. Apparently, he thinks no one will care if a small-town establishment goes under.”
“Does he know the Chamberlains?”
“He’s their delivery driver for the distribution company they use.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me, Walter.”
“Wish I was. The family is in financial trouble after the accident. Insurance won’t pay because they’re claiming their daughter is a victim, so until the lawsuit is settled, they’re barely scraping by.”
“Were you able to find out how they know Donna?”
“One of the other kids in the car—Donna is his grandma’s neighbor.”
“So random. Let me know what else you find. Thanks, Walter.”
They hung up, and Rennie sat there and stared at her notes. She hated this side of the law, the side where anyone could file a lawsuit and threaten someone’s livelihood without cause. It bothered her greatly.
The intercom buzzed, and Rennie’s heart dropped to the floor, bounced up, and lodged in her throat. “Yes,” she answered, shaken. She wasn’t ready for the confrontation.
“Ms. Wallace,” Ester said as professionally as she could. “Mr. Wright is here to see you.”
Rennie took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and counted to ten and then counted again. “Send him in.” She hung up and straightened in her chair. She would be strong and in control.
Theo waltzed into her office, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. An ensemble she had never seen before. She expected her heart to lurch, a desire to feel his arms wrapped around her, but she didn’t. She felt nothing.
“Renee—”
She held her hand up. “If you want to talk, you can sit. Do not come any closer.”
He did as he was told and sat across from her. Theo stared everywhere but at her. She sighed and tapped her fingers on her desk.
“I don’t have all day, Theo.”
“No, I know you don’t.”
“So, say what you have to say.”
Theo finally made eye contact with Rennie, and that was when she saw the remnants of a black eye. His eyes were also red rimmed and bloodshot. “Who hit you?”
“Angela’s brother.”
“Serves you right.”
He nodded. “Look, I never meant for this to happen. The day I met you, it was like I had met my soul mate. Within seconds of introducing myself, I was smitten. Lost in every part of you.”
“And married,” Rennie interjected.
“Married,” he sighed.
“Did you think I’d never find out?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Honestly, I hoped she would’ve figured it out that first weekend. I didn’t come home. I gave her some lousy excuse as to why I had to stay in the hotel when I lived twenty minutes from there. When the weekend was over, I expected her to yell and scream, but she didn’t. She said nothing, and it felt so damn exhilarating because I got away with something so horrible. The thing is, I wanted her to find out because I wanted her to leave so you and I could be together, but no matter what I did, she never suspected a thing.”
Rennie herself didn’t have a lot of experience with relationships, having submerged herself in her work, but she’d like to think she would question her husband on why he hadn’t come home from a local convention.
“I had every intention of leaving my wife that first weekend.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Theo sat back in his chair. “The thrill. It was exciting. Living this double life.”
“All while putting me in danger,” she said to him. “While we were together, were you having sex with your wife?”
It took Theo a long moment to answer, and when he did, he barely nodded.
“Unbelievable. Did you ever stop to think what this would do to me? How your actions affect me? My life? My body? How do I know I’m the only one you’ve been with beside her? How do I know she’s not cheating on you? Now, I get why you always used a condom, no matter what I told you about birth control. I figured you were just anal, but after a year of dating, you would think you could trust your partner.” Rennie scoffed and shook her head. “I’m the idiot. I should’ve known something was up earlier.”
“I’m sorry, Renee. I really am.”
“Are you sorry because you got caught? I mean, where would we be right now if your friends hadn’t been at the resort?”
He shrugged. “Not having this conversation,” he told her.
Rennie adjusted in her chair. She was ready for him to walk out but had more questions. “What happened at Thanksgiving? Did you fly to Japan?”
Theo cleared his throat. “My in-laws were in town. I flew here to see you and took the next flight back to Spokane.”
“And Christmas? Did you have any intention of spending it with me?”
He looked down at his hands. “I really had a business trip to San Diego, but . . .” Theo paused and shook his head. “Angela had a lot of family in town.”
There it was in black and white. The man she thought she loved was nothing more than a liar and, worse, a cheater. “Did you ever have any intention of telling me, Theo?”
His eyes met hers, and she could see his answer clear as day. “So, what? You wanted me to move to Spokane and be your mistress? Second
wife? I really want to know how this would’ve played out. Would you tell me you were on a business trip like you tell your wife now?”
Theo shook his head. “I don’t know, Renee. I just knew I needed you there.”
“Because you had no intention of leaving your wife. Am I right?”
“I think I would’ve left eventually.”
“But not with me by your side, Theo.”
His hand reached across her desk, searching for hers. “Can I have another chance? Please? I’ll leave Angela and move here. I’ll quit my job. Whatever it takes, Renee. I can’t lose you.”
Rennie shook her head slowly and methodically. “Not in this lifetime. I am not a home-wrecker, yet you’ve made me out to be one. You’re a liar, and I will never trust you. You’re exactly the type of man I look forward to destroying in court. Sad thing is, Washington is a no-fault state, which means spouses can do whatever they want with no recourse. Sickens me, really.”
“We love each other,” he tried to remind her.
“No, Theo. You love the idea of me, the escape, or whatever thrill you got from sneaking around. And the truth is, I fell out of love with you a long time ago.”
“Wh-what?”
“The disconnect I felt—it’s because I wasn’t in love with you, but I hung on because there are things I want out of life, and I thought you’d give them to me. Fool me once, Theo, but that’s the only chance you get. I’d like you to leave now. I’ll send your stuff to the office. There isn’t anything else we need to discuss.”
Theo stared at Rennie, who looked everywhere but at him. She didn’t need one last look to remember him. He would be the vision in her nightmares. When he finally stood to leave, he walked to the door and turned around. “I love you, Renee.” Rennie kept her silence until he walked out of her door. Once again, she counted to ten. She closed her eyes and kept them closed until her intercom chimed.
“Ms. Wallace, there’s a Mr. Chamberlain on the phone.”
Well crap, she knew three of them.
Rennie smiled. “Thanks, Ester.”
“Renee Wallace,” she answered, trying to be as professional as she could.
“Damn, that’s hot,” Graham said into the phone. “Although funny to hear you call yourself Renee.”
Rennie relaxed in her chair. “What are you doing calling me at work?”
Graham chuckled. “Because I wanted to hear the sexy Renee voice.”
And now she giggled. “It’s not sexy.”
“Everything about you is sexy. Listen, I was thinking I drive down to see you on one of my days off this week? I’m going to drive over and see Grady, too, and I’ve decided to hire some help.”
“Krista will appreciate having someone else on staff, and yes. I was thinking the same thing. Just tell me when, Graham.”
“I will. Have a good day, Ren.”
She sighed. “Bye, Graham Cracker.”
Rennie hung up, and her fingers danced on her lips. Her days were going to drag on, especially if he was going to call her first thing each morning. The sexy, raspy growl Graham had when he first woke in the morning was a sound she wanted to capture and play over and over. His voice did things to her. Things that shouldn’t happen at work.
TWENTY-EIGHT
For the first time in as long as Graham could remember, he was excited to visit his brother. It was midweek when Grady’s therapist called and asked Graham if he had time to visit. Without hesitation, Graham agreed. He made the necessary arrangement to switch shifts with Krista and left before the sun rose. The drive from Cape Harbor to Port Angeles was all too familiar by now and seemed to go in a flash. Graham made one stop on his way to see Grady, and that was to pick up his brother’s favorite doughnut, a maple bar. Graham was excited at the thought of having breakfast with his brother.
He pulled into the parking lot of the rehab facility at the same time visiting hours started. Visitation wasn’t a free-for-all; each one had to be scheduled. Graham gave his name at the door and waited for the all-too-familiar clicking sound to alert him that the doors had unlocked. When he entered, the security guard stationed at the reception desk searched Graham’s bag. Graham swore he saw the guard lick his lips but couldn’t be certain.
Graham was shown to a room that reminded him of the cafeteria at Cape Harbor High, except the tables were round and not rectangular. Graham chose a table near the window. He liked the view and thought Grady would like to look out. He had no idea what sort of living situation his brother was in but felt confident Grady was being taken care of.
The doors opened, and Graham stood. Grady came toward him, tall and proud and looking healthy for the first time in fifteen years. He wore hospital-issued clothing. He was clean shaven and his hair trimmed. More and more, he looked like his twin. The closer Grady got to his brother, the more Graham could see the changes and what a month without alcohol could do for someone. It was Grady who initiated the hug between the two. Graham held on tightly to his brother and fought back the tears. Why had it taken everyone so long to get Grady the help he needed?
The twins sat down, and Graham slid the bag toward Grady. “What’s this?” he asked.
“Maple bar. Still your favorite, right?”
Grady nodded and pulled the pastry out of the bag. He took a bite, closed his eyes, and hummed in satisfaction. Grady still had the feeding tube inserted but only had to use it at night.
“How are you feeling?”
“Odd,” Grady responded. “I’ve done so much of this”—Grady mimicked drinking by lifting his hand to his mouth—“that my hands need something to do, and it’s weird because I never had any plans before except to wake up and drink, and now, I’m on this schedule. They’re teaching me to be an adult.”
Graham wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Grady at twenty-two was this happy-go-lucky, give-the-shirt-off-his-back-to-anyone-who-asked guy who always had a smile on his face and wore a ridiculous knit hat regardless of the weather. All he ever wanted to be was a fisherman. The man before him had missed out on so much life. Graham wanted to help him get some of it back. He reached across the table and held his brother’s hand.
“I’m proud of you, Grady.”
“Are you?” he asked, making eye contact with Graham.
“I am. I know I haven’t shown it lately, but I’m here, and I’m not going to turn my back on you.”
“What if I come into the bar and need a drink?”
“Your H2O game is going to be strong. Maybe I’ll create some water competition.” Grady laughed, and it felt good to hear him do so. “Seriously, your sobriety means everything to me—to Mom and Dad as well. You have a strong team waiting for you when you’re out.”
“I have like two more months.”
Graham nodded. “It’s a little under, and then you’ll go back to court. Rennie will do her best to keep you out of jail.”
A nurse in pink scrubs came up to Graham and Grady. She put her hand on Grady’s back and bent toward him. “Grady, would you like to show your brother around outside?”
Grady looked at Graham and said, “I’ve been working outside, you know, to keep my hands busy. Would you like to see what I made?”
“Of course!” The brothers stood and followed the nurse to the side door. She unlocked it and held it open.
“I’ll be behind you, but you’ll have privacy.”
“Babysitters everywhere,” Grady mumbled to Graham.
“Think of the end prize, Grady. She’s here to protect you from everything out there that’s trying to take you down.”
“And who protects me when I leave?” Grady asked.
The question gave Graham pause. What did happen to people who still needed help after their ninety days in rehab? Surely three months wasn’t enough time to cure a fifteen-year addiction. “I’m not sure, but we’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
Grady led Graham to a rock formation. The stacked thin pieces of slate were formed into an archway. “I did this.”<
br />
“Wait, what?” Graham asked in shock. “How?”
Grady shrugged. “We can take classes. There wasn’t really one I wanted to take, so my therapist signed me up for this gardening thing, and the instructor showed me how to put the rocks together.”
“This is amazing.”
“Thanks.” Grady’s smile beamed brightly. “If I continue to do well, I can teach people how to tie flies.”
“When is the last time you tied one?”
Grady thought for a moment. “Probably a week before Austin died, but I’ve been practicing.”
“They give you hooks?”
“No, they’re these plastic things. Works the same.”
“That’s great, Grady.”
Grady led his brother down the stone path until they came to a koi pond. They sat on the bench, both watching the fish swim around and the water cascade over the edge of the statue to create a waterfall.
“I was surprised to see Rennie in my hospital room.”
“She wanted to be there. She spent the first weekend you were in a coma at the hospital with Mom and me. As soon as the police showed up, she intervened and told them you had a lawyer. She’s the one who set everything up to get you this help and try to keep you out of jail.”
“How come you never married her? Or the one I met the time I visited?”
What a loaded question that was. Graham could make up some story and tell his brother how sometimes things didn’t always work out, or he could tell him the truth. Graham sighed, kicked his feet out in front of him, and relaxed against the bench. If he was going to do this, he was going to be comfortable.
“Monica, she’s the one you met. After Austin’s funeral, I went back to Cali and asked her to move to Cape Harbor with me. She said no, and I really couldn’t blame her. As far as Rennie goes, up until Brooklyn’s return, I hadn’t seen or heard from her. Found out she’s been living in Seattle for some time but kept her distance out of respect for Brooklyn.”
Until Then Page 27