sister’s wedding, so you could have the run of the place at all hours.”
Gracie’s first thought was to ask how Pam knew about Vivian’s on-again, off-again wedding. Then she remembered this was Los Lobos, where everybody knew every little thing about everyone else.
Her second thought was complete oven-envy at the thought of new large appliances that didn’t cook hot and never quite got the left side of the cake exactly right without her turning the pan every ten minutes.
“How much do you want?” she asked.
“Why don’t you come take a look and if you’re interested, we can negotiate terms.”
Pam smiled with just the right amount of casualness, as if willing Gracie to trust her. Gracie didn’t trust anyone who wouldn’t even take a bite of her cake. Okay, yes, there were calories, but a taste wouldn’t hurt. Still, new ovens and a chance to keep a close eye on Pam really tempted her.
“I’d like to take a look,” she said. “What time is good for you?”
“I’M SURE there’s an explanation,” Jill said as she slid into the booth at Bill’s Mexican Grill.
“For almost everything except those magic twenty numbers they’re always talking about in string theory, and why socks can escape from the dryer,” Gracie told her.
“I was actually talking about this.”
Her friend put a copy of the newspaper on the table.
“Oh, that,” Gracie said. “I wondered why I didn’t hear from you when it came out.”
“I thought you might be flooded with well-wishers.” Jill raised her eyebrows. “Please tell me you weren’t in a motel with Riley Whitefield.”
“We weren’t technically
“You know what I mean.”
“It’s complicated.” Just like her life.
“I don’t have any appointments until three,” Jill said, leaning back in the booth. “I had Tina clear my calendar.”
“Lucky me.”
Gracie quickly filled Jill in on the ill-fated attempt to follow Pam.
“So you followed Pam and the guy with the camera followed you,” Jill said after they’d placed their order. “Who sent him?”
“No idea. I want to say Pam because I never liked her, but why would she care? The mayor, of course. If he’s trying to discredit Riley in the election by stirring up the past. But how would the mayor know where we were going to be or that we’d be doing
Jill paused in the act of picking up a chip. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. She wants to rent me her kitchen in the new bed-and-breakfast she’s building or refurbishing. I can’t remember which. I’m supposed to go see her this afternoon. She says she has professional-grade appliances and I can rent from her while I’m here.”
“Do you want to?”
“Have anything to do with her? No. Have access to her kitchen? You bet. I can barely fit my largest pan in the oven I have now. The heat isn’t even, it runs hot. Sure, I’m tempted, but this is Pam. I don’t like her and I don’t trust her. Is she setting me up? Did she set Riley up?”
“You know what they say-keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“Good point. I’m not sure I can work around her, though. She creeps me out.”
“You could overfeed her and make her fat. That would be fun.”
“Ha. She sat in my house with a slice of cake in front of her and didn’t take a bite. That’s just not natural.”
“Agreed. What are you going to do?”
“Look at the kitchen and see if I can be bought. I suspect I can be.”
Jill watched her. “There’s something else. What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing. I…” Gracie shook her head. “Except for seeing you, I’m really sorry I came back. There’s so much family stuff.”
“Like?”
“I feel weird, like I don’t fit in.” She reached for her diet soda. “Makes sense, I know. I’ve been gone forever and Vivian and Alexis grew up without me. We’ve had different life experiences, different memories. Technically, I’m still their sister, but emotionally I don’t think I’m a real member of the family.”
Jill looked distressed. “I don’t think that’s true. They care about you and you care about them.”
“True. Although I’m rapidly losing patience with both of them. Sometime while my back was turned, Alexis turned into a drama queen and Vivian seems to be following in her footsteps.”
Gracie told her about the on-again, off-again wedding. “Vivian’s fighting with Tom every fifteen seconds, apparently Alexis has been crazy, and not in a good way, about what Zeke does with his time since they got married. My mother seems borderline normal, but she came over and read me the riot act after she saw the newspaper picture.”
Gracie didn’t go into detail about what her mother had said-she was still dealing with that herself.
“My life has become complicated.”
“Sounds like.” Jill leaned forward. “What can I do to help?”
“You’re already doing it. Having you to talk to is great. And I’m now officially bored with me being the topic of conversation. What’s going on in your world?”
“Emily is counting the days until school is out. I think there are officially thirty-four, but I would have to check the calendar in the kitchen to be sure. We’re making all kinds of plans for summer, including a trip to Florida to visit my dad. He and Em get along great. I’m not sure which is more exciting to her-a visit with her favorite, and only, grandfather, or a chance to go to Disney World.”
“Ah, tough choice.”
Jill picked up her iced tea, then set it down. She traced a pattern on the brightly colored paper placemat.
“What?” Gracie asked with a smile. “You have a secret you’re dying to spill. I can tell. Come on. You can trust me.”
Jill nodded. “I know. It’s not that, it’s just…” She bit her lower lip, then blushed. “Mac and I are thinking we’ll start trying for a baby.”
Gracie laughed. “Really! That’s so cool. Is there a timetable?”
“We’re going to start this month. I’m excited, but a little nervous.”
“You’ll be a great mom. You’re terrific with Emily.”
“I adore her,” Jill admitted. “But by the time I met her, she had all the basics down. I’m not sure how I’ll handle a baby.”
“Pretty much like every other new mother. With a lot of love, patience and fear.”
“Good point. Mac’s hoping for a boy.”
“Typical.”
“I could go with either. So I’m excited and scared, which is an interesting combination.”
Gracie held up her glass. “Congratulations.”
Jill grinned. “I’m
“I know, but you will be. Yeah. I finally get to be an aunt.”
LUNCH WITH Jill had gone a long way to brighten Gracie’s spirits. Even a visit to Pam’s bed-and-breakfast and a fast-paced negotiating session hadn’t upset her mood. She thought about driving directly back to the rental house, but she still had one thing she needed to do, even if she would rather have a root canal.
But it couldn’t be put off much longer, so she drove to the center of town and parked her car on a side street. After locking it, she walked down First Avenue, past the bank building. She eyed the well-kept building, noted the entrance and carefully ignored it.
Over the next five minutes, she paced in front of the bank three times more, trying to gather the courage to actually go inside. She’d been here once before, but this was different. Just when she’d convinced herself to deliver the information by phone, a well-dressed woman in a tweed suit walked out of the bank and directly up to her.
