attention to it before.
“I guess it’s time to start noticing that kind of thing.”
“You’ll get a lot more done,” Pam joked. “And you’re gonna need it with all you’re taking on. How are you going to do it once you go back to work?”
Torie took a deep breath, and said the words out loud for the first time. “I’m not sure I’m going back.”
Horns honked and there was a brief screech of tires as Pam swerved the car, staring at Torie. “What did you say?”
“I have a lot saved, thanks to Todd. I, uh, think maybe I won’t go back.” It sounded weak, even to her ears, so she tried again. More firmly she said, “They treated me badly, Pammie. I think I might go out on my own.”
“You’re kidding? Finally?”
Stung, Torie pouted. “What do you mean, finally? TruStructure has been good to me.”
“They’ve sucked off all your ideas, you mean. Any big project has had your stamp on it, whether your name was on it or not. It’s about time you hoisted your own flag, and flipped those guys the bird.”
Torie laughed at the thought of a flag with a middle finger raised in salute, flapping over TruStructure’s building. That would be fun. She told Pam, which set them laughing again.
“You’re killing me here, girl,” Pam said, still chuckling. “We’re going to have to run by my house, repair makeup.”
“Lunch first,” Torie said. “I’m starving.”
“Okay. We’ll call Kuhman while we wait for our food.”
The lunch turned into a business meeting. Borrowing paper from the manager, they outlined a business plan for Torie’s new venture. Using another four or five pages, they wrote down more ideas they’d had for the houses.
“That upper bedroom, the big one that isn’t the master,” Pam said, “that would make an awesome office. That balcony would be really cool to enjoy while you’re working.”
Torie could see it taking shape. All of it, ultimately, due to Todd’s generosity.
As if the thought had summoned him, Torie’s phone rang. It was Paul.
“Good morning,” she greeted him warmly, and Pam’s eyebrows rose.
Paul seemed taken by surprise as well. “Uh, it’s afternoon, but thanks.”
“You’re welcome. What’s up?”
“Tibbet would like to meet with you. Do you want to go to the station, or meet him here?”
“Your office would be better, if that’s okay.”
“Does three-thirty work?”
“That’s fine.”
Paul sounded totally nonplussed as she confirmed the time, wished him a good afternoon, and told him good- bye.
“Mending fences?”
“Trying it your way.”
Pam smiled. “My way’s not always so hot. Hasn’t been working for me in the last few days.”
“Give it time,” Torie said, then reached out to press Pam’s arm in sympathy. “Still no word?”
“No. I called his office. He called in, asked for vacation they said.”
“So he’s not missing.”
Pam shook her head, visibly fighting tears. “No. Just missing from my life.” With a shake of her shoulders, she tossed her hair back and smiled. It was patently fake, but she smiled. “I’ve gotten the message. It had to happen at some point, I guess.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Getting dumped. Now I know what it feels like,” she added. “So now I know better. I’ll do my own dumping differently.”
“Uh huh,” Torie said, fairly sure that would never happen. “Either way, I think he’ll be back. And he’ll have an explanation.”
“Yeah, but it didn’t matter enough for him to tell me what this was about before he took off. Which means I don’t matter, you see?”
“Maybe.” It was Torie’s turn to waffle on the answer.
Before they could discuss it further, Kuhman joined them at the table.
“Ah, so wonderful to have the company of two such lovely ladies,” he said with a slight bow for them both. “I hate to tarnish it with business, but such is life, eh?”
Torie enjoyed the theatrics, and let Pam and Kuhman battle it out as they haggled over what she could and couldn’t do to the house, and what the owners would and wouldn’t pay for.
“I want an option to buy at current market price built into the rental agreement,” Torie interjected.
Kuhman paused, eyebrows raised, then laughed. “Ah, Pam, my dear, your friend is shrewd. I will include it. I’ll
