Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 17
* * *
The Talk of the Town
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.”