Page 96 of The Troublemaker
Felix smiles at me.I hope he knows how much I appreciate him.
“Where’s Vera?”I ask since she usually opens.Felix is a late riser and prefers the later morning or early afternoon shifts.
He cringes.“Pete.”
“Kidneys?”
Holly’s head whips between us.“Her husband?Is he ill?”
“It’s her cat.He’s twenty-one and hasn’t been doing well.”
Felix shakes his head.“It will be a sad day for all.”
Holly nods as if she understands.“It’s hard losing a pet.”She looks at me.“When Myles passed, Easton cried for two weeks.We said we weren’t going to replace him, but we were at the shelter within a month.”
She looks at me as if I should know who Myles is.I gather he was a cat or a dog or some kind of family pet, but she thinks I know this.Because when you marry someone, you know things about their life, their past.The pets they lost.And I have no idea who Myles is.
I paste on a kind smile to play it off.
“Anyway.”She waves.“Give me the tour.”
Felix rises on his toes and claps his hands.“I’d love to.”
Holly laughs.I think she meant me, but I’m happy to have Felix do it.Just one less conversation when I have to lie to her.
“I’ll be in my office.”I walk down the hall.
Felix claps his hands again.“Let’s start at the front window.I worked my magic with the display this month.”
Holly is in good hands with Felix, so I go to the office to get the few orders I need to put in.My phone dings in my pocket and I pull it out, sitting down at the desk.
Honor: Hello?I thought we were best friends.
I laugh and lean back in the chair.
Sorry, it’s been crazy.
I see that.The pics with the grandparents were adorable.
I know we’ve been on a lot of blogs and things, but it’s not as though I’m on the five o’clock news.Or am I really just not realizing how much of my life is being exposed?
Probably looking horrible.
You guys look happy.
I appreciate her kind words, but I really want to know how things are going on her end.
Hey, how is your grandma?
The three dots appear and disappear, then a text pops up.
Same.
She’s had a rough one, and maybe she doesn’t like to dwell on it, I don’t know.She’s the only one who knows about my situationship with Easton all these years and now the truth of our marriage, except for Whit.
When can you do coffee again?
I’ll come to you.
