“I can understand that. If it makes you feel any better, I doubt he would have even answered my phone call.” Worth shifted in his chair, and I knew his body language well enough to know the thought made him uncomfortable. He began tapping the pen on his desk.
“I’m not content to leave it this way. I want my family. Together. I want my husband.” My face burned as I said the last word.
He seemed taken by surprise, his brows rose, and he stifled whatever sarcastic response he was about to make. “I miss you, too, Auggie. You’ve been pretty rough on me lately.”
“Well, I have an inspiration. I’d like to take the kids out of school for a couple of weeks, have you clear your schedule and let’s go down to the condo and visit Dad. It’s such a huge place, and there’s the boat and everything — it’s all going to waste. I need to check in on Dad anyway. I thought it might be a good family getaway.”
“How about Hawk?”
“I’ll let you call and invite him.”
“Pffft!” he uttered. “Fat chance of him talking to me.”
“Well, I have his number. Call it from your personal cell and if he doesn’t answer, leave voice mail. We will have, at least, given him the opportunity to go. If he chooses not to, it’s on him. What do you say?”
“I think it’s a great idea, actually,” he agreed. “You call the school and I’ll line up the jet. Shall we take Letty with us?”
“Why not? I’ll ask her. I need to talk to Lily too. I’m so glad that I hired her. I can leave and know that everything will still be in good hands.”
“You’re not inviting her?”
“No, her job is to back me up here. Anyway, she wouldn’t go if she could.”
“Why not?”
“I think there’s a little heat beginning to grow between Brandon and her.”
“Brandon?”
“Yes, haven’t you noticed him hanging around here so much lately? He met her that night on the patio and showed up in the middle of the day today, as you know. He’s become a piece of flypaper.”
“Well, damn!”
“Why are you cussing?”
He flushed and quit the pen tapping. “Promise not to get mad?”
I frowned but nodded.
“I thought he was here for you and that you might be thinking about leaving me.”
My mouth dropped open. “You thought I was going to divorce you?”
He cocked his head sideways. “Well, not entirely sure about the divorce part, but I did think you were escaping from our marriage, in one way or another.”
I sat and thought about this a moment. “So, let me ask you. Have you done anything you shouldn’t have, thinking that I might be doing the same thing?”
“Of course not,” he said in a cold, clipped voice.
“Doesn’t feel very good to be accused, does it?” I asked him, and he just stared at me. “I’ll get started on my share of the planning.” I rose from the chair, turning to leave.
“Auggie.”
I turned to look at him.
“I’m sorry.”
I nodded and left the room.
There wasn’t exactly an abundance of receptive joy in the house that night. I knew Worth tried calling Hawk, but the line went unanswered. There were no callbacks. Marga shrieked as though her foot had been cut off. There was outrage regarding some special date she had that weekend and the following week she wanted to try out for a play. “You’ve ruined my entire life!” she accused me.
I nodded. “Sometimes mothers do that. You’ll get through it.”
She quit speaking to me at that point.
Mark was more accommodating although I could tell he was only obliging to me, not because he was enthusiastic about the idea. The most cheerful person was probably Letty. She untied her apron, threw it on the counter and hooted “Whoopee!” on her way to her room to pack.
I went down to Lily’s house and interrupted her phone call with Brandon. She came to the door with the phone in her hand. “Let me call you back,” she told him and welcomed me in. I hadn’t been in her house recently and was surprised how beautifully she’d decorated it.
“I love what you’ve done with the place,” I told her. She had superb taste. It was a mix of Kentucky traditional and French country. I absolutely loved the look. “Would you consider doing some interior design for me?” I asked. “I’ve got some rooms that look like a Penny’s catalog — no personality. Especially my bedroom.”
“I’d love to! I considered going to interior design school after the farm sold. It just takes so long to get established with a client list.”
“Well, now, maybe I should rethink this. If too many of my friends see what you’re capable of doing, I might lose my farm manager!” I teased. “Honestly, you really are talented, girl.”
Lily flushed with pleasure at my effusive compliments. “Was there something you came to ask me?”
“Oh, yes. I’m making the family go to Florida and visit Dad for a couple of weeks. I’m leaving the development in your capable hands. If you have any problems, you can call me. The hands will also be here, of course. They pretty much know the routine. They just need someone to give them direction.”
“Sure, no problem. How lucky you are to have that place in Florida. It’s beautiful there this time of year.”
“Well, if you play your cards right, you just might need somewhere to honeymoon. I’ll give you a set of keys to the condo and to the boat.” I watched her face to see how she’d react.
She blushed, just as I’d hoped and didn’t deny the attraction that was building between the two of them. “I like him, a lot, Auggie. You wouldn’t be opposed to my seeing him more often, would you?”
“My god, why do you need my permission?”
“I know he’s had a thing for you for a long time. He told me so.”
“We’ve known each other since college. Worth has always had my heart, though. Brandon is a fine man and an excellent friend. I think both are important.”
My words gave me pause for thought. I realized that Worth and I hadn’t been friends for a long time. We never did anything together, but were caught up in our work and taking care of the kids’ problems. I’m not really sure how it happened, but it seemed to happen to many couples. I had hoped we would be an exception.
We decided to leave immediately, and Worth had the plane waiting for us at the airport. My phone buzzed and my heart skipped when I realized it was a text message from Hawk.
Sorry. Can’t leave on such short notice. Maybe we can get together after you return. Have a safe trip. Tell grandpa I said hi.
I held the phone to my chest before I sent a reply. I understand. I very much want to see you soon. I love you.
He didn’t reply.
The flight was smooth, and it was beautiful flying above the clouds where the moon shone down in reflection. It felt like we were skimming the surface of a lake of clouds. I fell asleep, even though the trip wasn’t very long. There was another limo waiting in Florida, and it had just passed midnight when we arrived at the condo.