Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Fox

“Morning.”

Opal’s eyes lit up as big as her smile.

“Oh shit,” I grumbled.

“You just walked in,” she said. “What are you cussing for already?”

“There are only two reasons you smile like that. Either you’re about to chew my ear off with some gossip I have zero interest in, or you…had a date. The latter means you’re about to call one of your cronies and tell them all the details. The only thing I hate more than you droning on about people in this town I don’t give two shits about, is hearing about your sex life.”

Opal came out from behind her desk. While I dug into the file cabinet for some blueprints I needed, she perched her ass on the corner of my desk. I took a deep breath as I turned around. “You’re fired if you talk about other people’s business or your sex life.” I looked her straight in the eyes. “You got that?”

She grinned like a damn Cheshire cat. “Not a problem, boss.”

I dropped the stack of folded-up blueprints on my desk and made a shoo motion with my hand. “Park it somewhere else. I need the space to lay out the specs.”

Opal stood, but didn’t retreat to her own area. I pretended she wasn’t standing there staring at me and went about unfolding the blueprints, hoping she would take the hint. But this was Opal, so no such luck. She made it about thirty seconds with her trap shut.

“So…” She clapped her hands in excitement. “You’re going on a date with Josie!”

I looked up at the ceiling and took a few deep breaths. “I thought you just agreed not to talk about other people’s business.”

“I did.” She smiled. “But this isn’t other people’s business. It’s yours. So that’s not included in what I agreed to.”

Jesus freaking Christ. How the hell did she know anyway? Josie and I didn’t get out of the car last night until almost ten thirty, and it was barely eight in the morning now. In the span of nine-and-a-half hours, Opal had already heard the news. I was about to tell her to mind her own business when the office door opened and Porter walked in. He saw me and flashed the same shit-eating grin as the town crier.

I threw my hands up in the air. “Seriously? Both of you?”

“If I’m gonna lose,” Porter said. “I at least want it to be to a formidable opponent.”

I shook my head. “How the hell did you two find out anyway?”

“I ran into Josie this morning at the Beanery,” Porter said. “She was going to the home-improvement store. Figured I’d take my shot, since the opportunity presented itself.”

I gritted my teeth.

Porter noticed the look on my face and chuckled. “Don’t worry. She shot me down. I invited her to dinner Friday night, and she said she already had plans. I asked who the lucky guy was, and she reluctantly spilled the beans.” He came up next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Lucky dog.”

I pointed a finger at him in warning. “Watch it.”

Porter raised both hands, showing me his palms. “Didn’t mean any disrespect.”

I went back to looking down at the plans and gestured toward the door. “Let’s all get back to work.”

The two of them backed off, but not before exchanging another goofy grin. Porter left to start laying a wood floor, and Opal had the week’s payroll to run. I calculated what it would cost to make some last-minute changes on an upcoming job. At twelve, I headed to the little diner on the outskirts of town for my regular Thursday lunch. I got caught behind an accident on a one-lane road, so my mother was already seated at our regular booth when I arrived.

I bent and kissed her cheek before sliding into the seat across from her. “Hey, Ma. Sorry I’m late.”

“No problem. I was catching up with Tricia Scalia.” She leaned and whispered. “She’s getting a divorce.”

Even my mother couldn’t help herself from time to time. I lifted the menu. “Wayne’s a dick anyway.”

My mother frowned. “Do you have to use that word?”

“Sorry.”

She lowered her eyes to the menu. “So, anything new?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why did you say it that way?”

Mom lifted her menu to cover her mouth. But the crinkles around her eyes gave away the smile she was trying to hide. “What way?”

My shoulders slumped. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Let me guess, you spoke to Opal today.”

She hugged the menu to her chest. “I wasn’t going to mention it, because I know how much you hate people digging into your business. But since you brought it up…”

“Uh-huh.” I shook my head.

Mom reached out and touched my arm. “Oh, Fox. I’m happy for you. I’m glad you’re getting back out there and dating. Josie is a lovely girl.”

“I’ve dated.”

“I don’t mean mattress dancing. I mean dating. Getting to know a woman. But more importantly, letting her get to know you.”

“I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself…”

“I don’t think so. This is a big step after everything you’ve been through.”

“It’s really not a big deal.”

She pursed her lips. “Does she…know?”

It was my turn to frown now. “We’re not having this conversation.”

“Oh, Fox.” Mom worried her lip. “It’s something a woman who means anything to you needs to know.”

“Like I said…” I buried my face back in the menu. “Not having this discussion.”

“Okay. Fine. But will you at least tell me where you’re taking her?”

I sighed. “I don’t know, Ma. I figured the Laurel Lake Inn.”

The look on my mother’s face told me I’d given the wrong answer.

“What’s wrong with the Inn?” I asked. “The food’s good.”

“Nothing’s wrong with the Inn…to take your mother.”

“Let me get this straight. It’s good enough for you but not a date?”

“Well, yeah. It’s not romantic, Fox.”

I rolled my eyes. It was on the tip of my tongue to say romance wasn’t on my agenda, but finding out what was underneath the tight black yoga pants Josie wore all the time was. But I refrained and gave my mother an inch, because I knew she meant well. “Where would you suggest I take her?”

“Le Pavillion would be nice.”

My brows shot to my forehead. “Seriously? The French place? It’s more than a half hour away. And you have to wear a suit to that restaurant.”

“Don’t you think Josie will be dressed up? She’s from Manhattan, honey.”

I was sort of hoping for the yoga pants. Though… I’d gone out in New York City enough back in my hockey days. The ladies in the clubs were always pretty dressed up—slinky shit with no back and all. It was night and day from the way women looked when they went to the Inn, the nicest restaurant in this little town.

“Maybe I’ll see if I can get a table at the steakhouse over in Chatrun.”

Mom smiled. “That’s a little better.”

I nodded. Thankfully, Tricia came to take our orders, ending the conversation. She took out her little notepad and slipped the pencil from behind her ear.

“Hey, Fox. You want your usual?”

“I do. Thanks, Trish.”

She turned to Mom. “We have the Greek salad you like as one of the specials today.”

“Ooh. That sounds good.” She held out her menu. “Thanks, Trish.”

Mom and I caught up for a while. She told me about her knitting class, and I bitched about the delivery delays giving me a headache on one of the jobs I was trying to finish.

“I have a favor to ask, honey.”

My mother never asked for anything. “What do you need?”

“Well, it’s for my friend Greta. You remember her, right?”

I nodded. “Blue hair shaped like a helmet?”

Mom smiled. “Her hair is silver, not blue. But yes, that’s Greta, and she’s going to be losing that hair soon.”

“Cancer?”

“I’m afraid so. She started treatment a few weeks ago. She’s keeping it quiet.”

“How can I help?”

“Her first treatment left her weak. She got up too fast and fell, broke her ankle in two places.”

“Jesus. That sucks.”

“It does. I went over to visit her yesterday. She lives in that big apartment complex on the north side, the one on Barnyard Avenue. She’s on the first floor, but her unit is still up six steps. It’s a struggle for her to go up and down because of the cast. She asked the property manager to install a small ramp, but they told her it would take a few months. By then, her cast will be off.”

“Probably why they said it. They have to accommodate her under disability laws, but they can take their sweet-ass time to do it. You want me to make her a ramp?”

“If you have time. It would really help her out. I’ll pay for the supplies.”

“No problem. I got it. I’ll do it this weekend.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”

Talking about the Barnyard Avenue apartments reminded me of something. “Do you know Ray Langone? He lives in the same complex as Greta.”

Mom frowned. “I do. He’s sort of elusive, isn’t he?”

I smiled. My mother was too kind to use the word shady. “Yeah, he’s elusive alright. He’s also Josie’s uncle.”

“Oh gosh. That’s right. She said her mother’s maiden name was Langone. I didn’t think of Ray. Is Josie close to him?”

“She thought he was dead until I told her he wasn’t. That’s what her mother told her. She sounds like a real peach.” I shook my head. “You know if Ray still lives over there?”

“He does. I saw him when I was pulling in to visit Greta just yesterday. Why?”

“No reason. Just want to keep a tab on him.”

Mom smiled. “You’re already watching out for Josie. I might get grandchildren after all!”

“Jesus, Mom. Think you’re jumping the gun a bit?”

“Maybe. But something tells me she could be the one.”