An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book 5) Paperback – September 4, 2014 by Ann Charles Page B
Authors: Ann Charles
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eight-thirty.”
“That’ll be a first,” Ray said.
I didn’t bite on his hook. “Where’s Ben?” I asked Mona, heading for the coffee pot.
“Jerry took him to meet an old friend he used to play ball with.”
Great. Now Ben would have yet another thing in common with our boss besides a set of testicles. I poured a cup of black coffee, debating on sugar or not. Black might be better, adding a sprinkling of hair on my chest so I could compete with Ben on the be-like-Jerry game. Nah. Sugar won.
The rest of the day passed slowly, especially after Doc called and told me he had to run down to Rapid City to help one of his clients and wouldn’t be home until tomorrow. I phoned Cooper and left him a message about pushing our meeting back an hour. Then I watched the clock tick one minute at a time, feeling like a mosquito trapped in sap, wanting to go home and hug my son since Cooper wouldn’t let me badger the kid with questions. Finally it was time to call it a day.
I spent the evening following Layne around like a puppy. When Aunt Zoe asked me if I were feeling okay, I joked that I was having early separation anxiety.
Doc called my cell phone long after I’d left the kids’ bedroom and crawled under my sheets.
“How are you doing?” he asked, his deep voice velvety. I wanted to wrap myself up in it to fight off the chills and dread that kept breezing through me.
I had a feeling he wasn’t making small talk, so I didn’t either. “I’m scared about Layne.”
“This is some weird coincidence, Violet. He’ll be fine. He’s a smart kid.”
“ And I’m anxious about Tiffany knowing we’re a couple.” I winced. Was couple too strong a word for his comfort level to describe our relationship at the moment? I felt extra sensitive about his feelings after having Tiffany and his past in my thoughts today. “Well, we’re together, I mean. Not necessarily a couple , but still boyfriend and girlfriend. Dating exclusively at this moment … sort of.”
I covered my mouth to shut it up.
“Are you done, sweetheart?” he asked.
I took my hand away long enough to answer. “I think so.”
“Two things you need to know.”
Only two? My hand lowered to my sternum. “What?”
“Don’t apply what I said about why I left Tiffany to you.”
Which part? As much as I wanted clarification, I kept my lips squeezed tight, afraid I’d sound more stupid and pathetic than I already had. “What’s the second thing?” I asked instead.
“You may have been right.”
“About what?”
“Tiffany not taking the fact that we’re a couple very well.”
So we were a couple in his eyes. Whew. What exactly did being a couple mean to him? I bitch-smacked my forehead, trying to mute that insecure voice in my skull. “Why do you say that?”
“She called me tonight.”
That settled over me like mustard gas. I coughed to clear the constriction in my throat. “What did she say?”
“I didn’t answer.”
Good! “Why not?”
“I was busy working.”
Even better. “Oh.”
“And I didn’t want to talk to her.”
I smiled. “Why not?”
“Violet, don’t you get it yet?”
“Get what?”
“The obvious.”
“I never assume I understand the obvious.” That usually resulted in my cheeks burning and a need to bury my head in the sand.
“That’s probably a safe bet.”
He was losing me. After the long, brain-bending day I’d had, I needed to keep our conversation at an eighth grade reading level.
“Did she leave a message?” I asked, my throat still burning about Tiffany calling my boyfriend.
“Not just one.”
I plucked a chicken feather from my comforter and let it drift to the floor. “So she called back?”
“Yes, twenty-three more times.”
What! Jeez! Crap! One sighting and she’d gone psycho. “What did she say in her messages?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Was she speaking in tongues?”
He chuckled. “I deleted them without listening to
“That’ll be a first,” Ray said.
I didn’t bite on his hook. “Where’s Ben?” I asked Mona, heading for the coffee pot.
“Jerry took him to meet an old friend he used to play ball with.”
Great. Now Ben would have yet another thing in common with our boss besides a set of testicles. I poured a cup of black coffee, debating on sugar or not. Black might be better, adding a sprinkling of hair on my chest so I could compete with Ben on the be-like-Jerry game. Nah. Sugar won.
The rest of the day passed slowly, especially after Doc called and told me he had to run down to Rapid City to help one of his clients and wouldn’t be home until tomorrow. I phoned Cooper and left him a message about pushing our meeting back an hour. Then I watched the clock tick one minute at a time, feeling like a mosquito trapped in sap, wanting to go home and hug my son since Cooper wouldn’t let me badger the kid with questions. Finally it was time to call it a day.
I spent the evening following Layne around like a puppy. When Aunt Zoe asked me if I were feeling okay, I joked that I was having early separation anxiety.
Doc called my cell phone long after I’d left the kids’ bedroom and crawled under my sheets.
“How are you doing?” he asked, his deep voice velvety. I wanted to wrap myself up in it to fight off the chills and dread that kept breezing through me.
I had a feeling he wasn’t making small talk, so I didn’t either. “I’m scared about Layne.”
“This is some weird coincidence, Violet. He’ll be fine. He’s a smart kid.”
“ And I’m anxious about Tiffany knowing we’re a couple.” I winced. Was couple too strong a word for his comfort level to describe our relationship at the moment? I felt extra sensitive about his feelings after having Tiffany and his past in my thoughts today. “Well, we’re together, I mean. Not necessarily a couple , but still boyfriend and girlfriend. Dating exclusively at this moment … sort of.”
I covered my mouth to shut it up.
“Are you done, sweetheart?” he asked.
I took my hand away long enough to answer. “I think so.”
“Two things you need to know.”
Only two? My hand lowered to my sternum. “What?”
“Don’t apply what I said about why I left Tiffany to you.”
Which part? As much as I wanted clarification, I kept my lips squeezed tight, afraid I’d sound more stupid and pathetic than I already had. “What’s the second thing?” I asked instead.
“You may have been right.”
“About what?”
“Tiffany not taking the fact that we’re a couple very well.”
So we were a couple in his eyes. Whew. What exactly did being a couple mean to him? I bitch-smacked my forehead, trying to mute that insecure voice in my skull. “Why do you say that?”
“She called me tonight.”
That settled over me like mustard gas. I coughed to clear the constriction in my throat. “What did she say?”
“I didn’t answer.”
Good! “Why not?”
“I was busy working.”
Even better. “Oh.”
“And I didn’t want to talk to her.”
I smiled. “Why not?”
“Violet, don’t you get it yet?”
“Get what?”
“The obvious.”
“I never assume I understand the obvious.” That usually resulted in my cheeks burning and a need to bury my head in the sand.
“That’s probably a safe bet.”
He was losing me. After the long, brain-bending day I’d had, I needed to keep our conversation at an eighth grade reading level.
“Did she leave a message?” I asked, my throat still burning about Tiffany calling my boyfriend.
“Not just one.”
I plucked a chicken feather from my comforter and let it drift to the floor. “So she called back?”
“Yes, twenty-three more times.”
What! Jeez! Crap! One sighting and she’d gone psycho. “What did she say in her messages?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Was she speaking in tongues?”
He chuckled. “I deleted them without listening to
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