by Gina LaManna
Until the day I came home early from work and found her in bed with my now ex-husband.
Bile rose in the back of my throat. My initial experience of shock was quickly replaced with anger. Was she here to rub more salt into my still-open wounds?
"What are you doing here?"
Amanda gave me a quick once-over. "I heard you were back in town. How are you, Sal?"
A loud gasp sounded behind me. Josie stood there, hands on hips. "The nerve of some people."
Amanda pressed her palms onto the display case as she stared into it. "Lovely to see you too."
"Hi, guys. Uh, Amanda, maybe this wasn't such a good idea."
Charlotte Gregorio stood behind her cousin, peering out at us over horn-rimmed glasses. I didn't know her well, but at least she didn't seem to be of Amanda's lethal caliber. She'd been ahead of us in school by a year and was always what we'd considered a nerdy type, her mousy, dark eyes poring over textbooks.
"Hi, Charlotte." I managed to force a smile.
Josie muttered a curse word under her breath. "Amanda, shouldn't you be prancing around that overpriced spa of yours, giving someone a bikini waxing?"
Amanda tossed her long, blonde hair in defiance. "That's what I have employees for." She glanced at Josie's hair. "You should come by for a color sometime. Those grays are really starting to show."
Josie gritted her teeth. "Get out of here before I throw you out."
She giggled. "I don't know what you mean. I'm a paying customer. Besides, Charlotte wants to try some of those yummy cheesecake cookies everyone in town is talking about. Don't you, Char?"
"Um, sure." Charlotte hung her head, voice barely audible.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want people to think you were throwing customers out of your shop. Might be bad for business." She tapped her slender index finger against the side of her head. "Oh, did I mention a friend of mine is an editor over at The Daily Bugle?"
I could take a hint, applied with a fingernail that appeared to have been dipped in blood. All I needed right now was bad publicity, especially when we were trying to establish our clientele. Amanda's family was rich and powerful. As much as I hated her, I didn't have the luxury of throwing her out on her ear. How unfortunate.
Josie started forward, but I pulled her back. "It's okay. I can handle this."
Amanda waved a ten-dollar bill in front of me. "When you two are done chatting, I'd like my cookies, please. Six would be divine."
I turned my back on Amanda and grabbed a piece of waxed paper, pausing for a breath. There was no way I'd give her the satisfaction of knowing how devastated I'd been the night I'd found her and Colin together.
Josie folded her arms across her chest as she stared Amanda down. "I think you should let me wait on her. I'll give her a cookie she never forgets."
"Why all the hostility?" Amanda stuck her lips out, and I had a sudden urge to pop them like a balloon. "You guys weren't even getting along. Colin told me so."
My breath caught in my throat, but I wasn't about to indulge her with a reply. "Six dollars, please." It was difficult to look at her without my stomach churning.
Amanda laughed as she handed me the money. "You're so jealous of me it's pathetic. Perhaps if you run to Florida and beg, you can get him back. Then again," she said as she looked me up and down, her gaze coming to rest on my stomach, "maybe not. Gravity hasn't been kind to you. Speaking of weight, Josie, you're looking thin these days. Oh, wait a second. You're not knocked up like usual."
Josie's face flushed a deep crimson as she started forward again. I grabbed her with one hand and gave Amanda her change with the other. "I think it would be best if you left now."
Josie shook me off. "Charlotte, there's a swimming pool down the street. Maybe you could do all of us a favor and hold your cousin's face underneath the water until it turns blue?"
Charlotte's eyes went wide with horror. She looked from us to Amanda with a confused expression.
Amanda gave a halfhearted wave. "There's really no need to threaten my life. We're leaving."
"Good." Josie clenched her jaw.
"Well, girls, it's been fun. But I'll be back. I just love sinfully sweet things." She tossed the bag at Charlotte and waited for her to open the door. I immediately turned and walked into the back room as the bells began jingling away.
The room started to close in, and for a second, I was afraid I might throw up. I grabbed a glass and turned on the faucet. My hand trembled, and the glass slipped out, crashing to the floor. Sighing, I bent down to pick the pieces up.
Josie appeared at my side with a broom and dustpan. "I've got this." Her eyes were somber as she stared into mine. "Are you okay?"
"I will be. Seeing her just brought it all back for me." My mind was still fuzzy when it came to the details after I'd found them together. All I remembered was calmly shutting the bedroom door, walking outside, and getting back into my car. I drove most of the night, until I somehow managed to find myself in Georgia. Then I'd called a lawyer.
Josie put her arm around me. "We'll put up a sign saying No skanks allowed."
I laughed. "What would I do without you?"
"Let's go have some fun. You need to forget about that dirtbag ex-husband of yours and find someone else who'll treat you like you deserve."
"I don't need a man right now. It's way too soon."
"Honey, every girl needs a man sooner or later. They do tend to come in handy at night once in a while." She winked.
"Come on upstairs and freshen up so that we can get going. I definitely need a drink that's stronger than water."
Josie's eyes gleamed. "Now you're talking. And I bet there's a biker at Ralph's with your name on him."
I chuckled. "Gee, maybe it's my lucky night."
We walked out to the front room, and I shut off the lights, turned the sign around to say Closed, and locked the front door. I started up the wooden stairs located behind the display case that led to my apartment on the second floor. In my head, I was busy calculating today's and yesterday's sales for about the tenth time. Thanks to a life insurance policy I inherited through my great-aunt Luisa, I had a few weeks' time in which the business needed to be turning a steady profit. If not, I'd be forced to move back in with my parents. My stomach revolted at the mere thought.
"Don't let Amanda upset you," Josie said as she followed me up the stairs. "One of these days, that bitch is going to get her just desserts. No pun intended, of course."
We laughed together.
Then a chill ran down my spine.
CHAPTER TWO
Ralph's was a bar we had frequented on a regular basis since high school. Although we hadn't been of legal drinking age then, Ralph let us stop in for the occasional burger and soda or to shoot a game of pool on the oak-finished table located in the back room. This was the first time I'd been here since I had moved back to town.
I'd received my first kiss in front of Ralph's. I remembered that glorious fall evening with equal amounts of fondness and sadness. As we'd watched the multicolored leaves and full moon with love in our eyes, I was convinced I'd found my one true love.
Ugh. I pushed the memory away. That was the first time my heart had ever been broken, before Colin, and sometimes I still wasn't sure I'd gotten over it. Don't think about him anymore. That was another lifetime ago.
Colwestern was a small, quiet town in New York, directly outside of Buffalo. The name was appropriate since it was in the western region, and we usually had bitter cold for more than half the year. Houses were close together, but for the most part, people maintained their properties and got along well with their neighbors. Several streets were zoned both commercial and residential, like Elk Street, where my cookie shop was located.
Wednesday was a slow night at Ralph's. Most of the clientele appeared on the weekends. A few men sat at the bar watching a Yankees' game on the solo flat-screen. A young couple shot pool between embraces. Two women enjoyed a dinner of hamburgers and beers while they chatted
. Josie and I settled at a table near the front door.
There was a rustic feel to the place. During the summer, Ralph would line up all thirty Major League Baseball team hats and suspend them from the oak beams in his ceiling. During the fall, he replaced them with NFL helmets. He declared with pride that he ran a sports bar now. Someone needed to tell him to invest in a few more televisions first.
We'd barely settled in and ordered a couple of beers when Ellen George arrived. This was the first time I'd seen her in years. She came over and enveloped me in a warm embrace, which surprised me a bit since I hadn't known her well in high school. I hugged her back.
"Honey, you look great!" She smiled at me.
"So do you."
Ellen was petite and slender, her short, blonde hair cut in a style reminiscent of Dorothy Hamill's. She was a year older than Josie and me. Her father was strict and hadn't allowed her to go out much in high school. She and Josie had become close a couple of years ago when Ellen had helped deliver one of her boys by C-section. It had been touch and go for the baby for a while, and Josie herself had been in the hospital several days. Ellen was now a nurse in the emergency room at Colwestern Hospital.
When her mother had died, she'd taken over as caregiver for her father, who was in fragile health from a stroke. She'd never married, and Josie suspected she didn't even date. I admired how devoted she was to her father's care. It was obvious she adored him.
"How's your dad?" I asked.
Ellen sat next to me and made a face. "As controlling as ever."
Whoops, seems I'm wrong about that one.
Josie frowned. "Why don't you get a full-time aide to come in so you can have your own place? God knows he can afford it."
Ellen's eyes widened in surprise at the suggestion. "Oh, no. We have an aide that comes in three times a week already. As the only child, it's my duty to take care of him in his old age."
Josie and I exchanged glances. It sounded like Ellen's father had been feeding her a guilt trip for years.
Ellen grabbed my hand in a tight squeeze. "I'm so sorry about Colin. I thought you guys made a great couple."
Yeah, me too, once upon a time. "Thanks." Her fingers continued to close around mine, and I grimaced from discomfort. "Uh, Ellen?"
Josie shot Ellen a dirty look. "Jeez, it's not like he died. Stop being so dramatic."
I tried to pull my hand away, but she tightened her grip. "Hel-lo, Ellen?"
"But I thought—" She gazed at me with pity in her eyes.
I jerked my hand free and shook my fingers, thankful there was still feeling in them. "Ouch." Good grief. I hoped she treated her patients more gently.
Ellen's face was puzzled. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry. I forget my own strength sometimes. I lifted a man who weighed over two hundred pounds today." She snapped her fingers. "Nothing to it."
Josie laughed. "You sound barbaric. And the talk is scaring Sal. Look at how pale she is."
Wrong, that was from sheer pain. "No worries. I'm fine."
As the waitress delivered our beers, Ellen flushed and then ordered a glass of white wine.
"Oh." I stopped the waitress. "Can you bring a glass of red as well? We have someone else joining us." I turned to Ellen. "Gianna will be here in a little while."
"I haven't seen your baby sis in ages. This is so great." Ellen narrowed her eyes at Josie. "You're glowing. Are you expecting again?"
Josie almost spat her beer out. "No fear of that. Rob finally got a vasectomy."
"No way." Ellen was shocked. "You said he'd never get one."
Josie folded her hands on the table. "Yeah, well, he had a sudden change of heart."
I covered my mouth to hide my smile. I knew all about Josie's recent scare. Rob had been so upset that he was more than willing to make the dreaded trip to the doctor. Even though it turned out to be a false alarm, both seemed at peace with their decision. Josie pretty much got pregnant if Rob happened to look at her the wrong way.
"Check this little guy out." Josie tapped her phone and proudly displayed a picture of her youngest baby, now three months old.
Ellen squealed as she clutched the phone between her hands. "What a cutie. I can't believe how he's grown since I last saw him."
At that moment, the door opened, and Gianna breezed in. As if on cue, every man at the bar turned around. By her appearance, no one would have ever guessed she'd been buried in law books since the wee hours of the morning. She greeted Josie and Ellen, then gave my ponytail an affectionate tug, settling in the chair to my immediate left.
Gianna fanned herself with a napkin. She looked spectacular in a yellow sundress that went well with her olive skin—cool and crisp, despite the sweltering September humidity. "Holy cow. They said this heat might finally break tomorrow. Hottest summer I can remember in a long time."
I laughed. "Give it a couple of weeks, and we'll have three feet of snow outside."
When the waitress brought Gianna's wine, Josie gestured toward her friend. "You remember Ellen, don't you?"
"Of course." Gianna smiled, displaying perfect, white teeth. "So nice to see you."
Ellen had been texting on her phone, but looked up to return the pleasantry. "You too, sweetie. How's the studying going?"
Gianna made a face. People frequently mentioned how much we looked like twins. We both had large eyes the color of milk chocolate, but hers were almond-shaped and draped with curly lashes I'd always envied. She in turn said she preferred my longer ones.
She sipped at her wine. "I don't think I can cram one more fact into this big dumb brain of mine. How's the store? I was going to stop by today for one of those dark chocolate cookies. Or maybe half a dozen. God, I must have PMS."
Josie shook her head. "We sold out of those before noon today. They're one of our most popular. I'll make more tomorrow and set some aside for you."
"You're the best. It sounds like things are going well." Gianna tossed her rich, chestnut hair, letting it envelop her shoulders in soft waves.
"We've been busy." I put my hand up to smooth my own ebony hair. It was as long as Gianna's, but with slightly more curl. On humid days like this, it became a frizz fest. "Every day seems to bring in a few new customers. Little by little, we're getting there."
"Well, that's because the place rocks." Gianna beamed.
"We need to find your sister a man." Josie signaled to the waitress for another round. "Who's available in this town?"
Gianna shrugged. "How would I know? Law books and prep classes are my life these days." She gave my arm a nudge. "Mom and Dad are upset you haven't been over for dinner all week. By the way, Jake O'Brien stopped by the house yesterday to fix the dishwasher. Mom tried to call you about a dozen times. Smells like a possible setup to me."
I groaned. "Give me a break. Jake's a nice guy, but we're just friends."
"Grandma's making your favorite tomorrow." My sister took a sip of her wine.
I licked my lips with anticipation. "Braciole?"
"Damn straight." She grinned.
If there was one thing I couldn't resist, it was Grandma Rosa's braciole. My mouth watered, and I could almost taste the thin slices of beef, pan fried with a filling of herbs and cheese, then dipped into her rich tomato sauce. A definite comfort food since I had been a child. "Okay, I'll think about it."
"Mom's worried about you. She said to forget the apartment and move back home for a while."
I pressed my fingers against my temples. "Yeah, she's told me that about a thousand times." I was renting the building with an option to buy and had no intention of moving back home. Ever.
"Have the divorce papers come through yet?" Ellen asked suddenly.
My favorite topic. "It was final a few weeks ago."
"Wow, that was fast, wasn't it?" Ellen observed.
I nodded mutely. What else could I say? It was a huge relief to be done with the legal tangles. The divorce process had been an emotional roller coaster. I'd suspected Colin's indiscretions for quite a while
before actually catching him with Amanda. He'd sworn it had only been the one time, but since Amanda owned a condo in Florida, I had no idea how long they might have been enjoying each other's company. When I refused to give him another chance, he became cruel and belittled me at every opportunity possible. I'd shed more than my fair share of tears and only wanted to move past it all.
Gianna squeezed my hand while she addressed Ellen's question. "No-faults usually don't take very long because there's no children or property involved."
"Would you believe that skank Amanda had the nerve to stop by the shop this afternoon?" Josie asked.
"Get the heck out," Ellen said. "What did she want?"
Josie reached for another beer. "Only to get in Sal's face and remind us how she wields all the power in this town."
"Sickening," Gianna breathed.
Ellen shook her head. "Some people are just born evil."
Josie took a long sip. "She'll get hers eventually, if I have anything to say about it."
I stared at my best friend. "Look, I'm fine now. It was a bit of a shock seeing her at first, but I think I did okay."
"You were amazing." Josie grinned. "Calm, cool, and collected. But that bitch won't go away. I know her. She'll keep tormenting you."
"This town is big enough for the both of us."
Josie snickered. "I don't think any town that contains Amanda has spare breathing room. Hell, she could suck the air out of China."
We laughed.
Disgust was written all over Ellen's face. "She wouldn't even make a donation to Hopeful House when I asked her to." Ellen and a group of other nurses served on a committee that provided help to families of children with leukemia.
Gianna's mouth fell open. "With all the money she's got? And it would be a tax write-off for her anyway."
Ellen nodded. "Exactly. I don't know how anyone could be so selfish. What a useless turd."
We all stared. Ellen had been quiet in high school, and I'd never known her to speak ill of anyone. She didn't have any children, but Josie had told me Ellen adored the boys and was great with them on the few occasions she'd been to my friend's house.