“All right. We’ll talk then.”
When she hung up, Cleo spoke from the doorway. “I heard enough of that to know something bad happened.”
“One of Trey’s clients is in the hospital. Her ex-husband broke in and attacked her. He beat her, Cleo. It sounds horrible.”
“Because it is. How bad is she hurt?”
“I don’t know exactly, but he’s staying with her until her family can get there.” Because it knotted, Sonya pressed a hand to her stomach. “A few hours, so she won’t be alone.”
“Trey Doyle’s not just a pretty face. He’s a really good man.”
“He was so upset. You just don’t hear him get really upset, not easily.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“But he was, upset and worried and frustrated. And really, really angry. I’ve never heard him really angry.”
“Come on. We’ll go downstairs, throw together something to eat. We’ll light a candle for her.”
“Yeah, that’s better than standing here feeling helpless. I think I know who it is—not who by name,” she qualified as they started down. “But Trey handled a divorce and mentioned how the husband went off in court, got slapped down by the judge. Then he had that early meeting on the weekend, remember? And I could tell he was worried when he got back. He said something about a restraining order on the phone just now. I bet this is all the same person.”
“Poole’s Bay looks idyllic, and mostly it is, I think. But bad people live in good places.”
Cleo looked toward the ceiling as she spoke. “We sure as hell know that for a fact. I’m sorry this happened to her, I’m sorry her ex-husband’s a vicious motherfucker. And I’m going to say she’s lucky to have somebody like Trey looking out for her. Making sure she has someone with her when she needs it most.”
As they turned into the kitchen, Sonya nodded. “You’re right about that.” But she couldn’t get the furious and fractured sound of his voice out of her head.
“If he’s free tomorrow, let’s not go out. We could make dinner. I could make the pot roast deal. He really liked it. And he sounded so down.”
“You’d make him a pot roast dinner?”
“I did it before. It should be easier this time. Maybe. What’s that smile?”
“This smile, as I get us some wine, is due to me seeing my best friend move over the arc of serious like into the next phase.”
“Maybe,” she said again. “Oh, crap, I can’t help it. He just has a way of … He just is. But let’s take it easy. A year ago, I was engaged to an asshole.”
“A year ago was a world ago. Pour that wine while I light a candle. Then we’ll see what we’ve got in here that’s easy.”
“Mom told me what she had with Dad was magic.”
Cleo glanced back. “And you want that?”
“Yeah. Don’t you?”
“Damn right I do. I think everybody in the world wants that, and the lucky make it. Because you don’t find magic, Son, you make it.”
“You make it. I like that idea.”
“Not an idea, a fact.”
After lighting a candle, Cleo set it in the center of the island. “A little light so she recovers, in every way. And knows she’s not alone while she heals.”
Every knot in Sonya’s stomach loosened again.
“You make magic, Cleo, just by being you.”
“Light always wins. Sometimes it takes way too long, but it always wins.”
“I’m going to believe that. I haven’t told Trey about anything that’s gone on the last couple days. I thought we’d do that at dinner tonight.”
“Good call. He’s got enough on his plate. And we dealt with it. Well, after I lost my shit, momentarily, we handled it. You’ll tell him later.”
“That’s what I thought. I don’t want him worried about us. And most especially right now.”
Cleo sent out another knowing smile. “So you can worry about him now.” Holding up a finger, she got another candle. “This one’s for Trey,” she said as she lit it.
“It works. I don’t know why it works, but it works.”
“How about grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and we toss some of these frozen fries in the oven and say screw the vegetables tonight?”
“I say yes.” Already comforted, Sonya got up to deal with the fries. “I’ll feed Yoda, and I further say let’s eat in front of the TV.”
“And watch a tear-jerking, heartrending, but happy-ending romance.”
“Took the thought right out of my brain. But this means jammies.”
“Required. So, feed our boy? Then make a quick dress-code change?”
“There’s the plan. Yoda can take a bathroom run while we cook this up, then we all snuggle in.”
“Teamwork,” Cleo said as they bumped fists.
Chapter Thirty
Because they needed the emotional hit with the romantic glow at the end, Sonya and Cleo watched a double feature. It included over half a box of tissues and a jumbo bowl of popcorn.
As the credits rolled on the second movie, they both sighed in utter satisfaction.
“This was great. This was all that and more.” Cleo dried her eyes again. “Honestly, you forget how cathartic a good cry is until you have one.”
“Especially when the final tears are after love conquers all. And you just can’t watch and fully appreciate movies like this unless you’re with a girlfriend.”
“Men don’t get it.” Cleo gave another satisfied sigh. “I mean at the end, when she’s walking toward the lake, and there he is, holding that single daisy?”
“It killed me!” Sonya grabbed another tissue for each of them. “Oh, that was so perfect. And the kiss, the long, slow kiss with the sun setting over the lake?”
“You’re getting me going all over again. Here’s a pact. Once a month, girls’ movie night in the manor. No boys allowed. Except for Yoda.”
“I’m there. Okay, Yoda, last run for the night.”
“You get the dog, I’ll get the dishes.” So saying, Cleo blew out the candles they’d brought up with them from the kitchen.
“I hope Trey’s client’s okay, and her family’s with her by now.”
“As horrible as it is, Son, maybe this is the start of a happy ending for her. She and the kids will get away from him. Be safe.”
“I hope so.”
They dealt with the dishes, the dog, then started upstairs, shutting off lights as they went.
“Are you okay sleeping solo tonight?”
Sonya nodded. “Are you?”
“I expect to be out like these lights in one minute flat. After what she did last night and today while I was gone, I think she needs some recharging time.”
“We can hope, because I really don’t want to lose this romantic movies buzz. But you know where I am.”
“And you know where I am. ’Night,” Cleo added as she turned into her room.
“’Night.”
It took Sonya barely longer than Cleo’s one minute flat to fall asleep.
* * *
Shortly after midnight, Trey pulled up in front of Owen’s house.
Exhausted in every possible way, he sat a moment, scrubbed his hands over his face.