she’s having.” She turned to face Ryann. “I think you’re beautiful, but I’m not going to ask you out as much as I’d like to. I know where you’re at, and I want to offer you my friendship.”
“Thank you,” Ryann replied. “Where am I?”
“You’re headed north on bewilderment and regret, but you’ll soon be on numb. Eventually, you’ll take a right on life anew.”
“I like that.” Ryann picked up her glass and raised a toast. “Thank you for not saying all the things that people say when you’re on this particular road.”
“I’ve been on it. There are lots of people standing on curbs made of eggshells holding bumper pads. No one really walks it with you, but I’ll follow behind if you want.”
“Why? It’s dangerous.”
“I have been…smitten with you since the day we met,” Payton admitted. “You’re not ready to hear that, though, maybe never, but I’ll take the chance.”
Ryann bit her lip. “When I turn onto life anew, I may have a witty comeback for that.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will. You haven’t failed me so far.” Payton pulled out her wallet when the bartender returned.
Ryann grinned. “You can put that away, I’m running a tab.”
“The only way I’ll agree to this again is if you let me take you to dinner sometime.”
“Deal.” Ryann watched the bartender walk away and said, “I understand now what you meant when you talked about how you saw Courtney so differently when she came back. It’s odd, isn’t it? You can be with someone for years and never notice things. Leigh’s chin was too pointy, it made her look like a witch. She tailed me when I left work one day, and to keep her from knowing where I live, I took her on a tour of New Orleans. She was tenacious, and I couldn’t get rid of her, so I stopped in the parking lot of a grocery store. I listened to all she had to say and stared at her chin the whole time. When she was done, I pulled a can of pepper spray from my car and told her that the next time she decided to follow me, I was going to light her up.”
Payton did her best not to laugh but couldn’t help herself. “I like your style.”
“That was all Shelly. She’s the one that gave me the spray. She predicted everything Leigh has done so far. Shelly said she would send cards and letters along with flowers, and she certainly did. The office administrator at the school took care of them for me. Whenever they arrived, she’d put them all straight into the trash. I got a new cellphone account, so work is the only way Leigh knew to reach me.”
“Jana was my Shelly. I only wish I would’ve heeded her advice much sooner than I did.”
Ryann laughed. “Shelly didn’t give me the option. The day after Leigh’s revelation, she dragged me into a cellphone store hungover and sick where she stood over me as I set up a new account. She wanted to do all sorts of diabolical things to Leigh’s belongings the day I moved out of the house. Had her husband not been there, we might’ve, but he said, ‘The biggest insult is to show her that she’s not worth my anger.’ It was a good point because I’d spent all the energy on her that I was going to.” She shrugged with a smile. “I think Shelly would’ve made a good mobster.”
Payton’s brow rose. “Did her plans involve a horse’s head or fish in newspaper?”
“Raw chicken under the sofa.”
Payton threw up a hand. “That’s brilliant. What kind of sentence would you get if charges were pressed? I don’t think making someone’s house stink is the same as destruction of property. I will remember that in case I need it one day.”
“It’s a workday, and we’re tired,” Jana said as she joined them with Melanie by her side. Both of them looked a little flushed, and neither appeared tired in the least. “Y’all hang out and chat, don’t leave on account of us.”
“Go home and get you some sleep, although we know that’s not what you’re gonna do,” Payton said with
“Thank you,” Ryann replied. “Where am I?”
“You’re headed north on bewilderment and regret, but you’ll soon be on numb. Eventually, you’ll take a right on life anew.”
“I like that.” Ryann picked up her glass and raised a toast. “Thank you for not saying all the things that people say when you’re on this particular road.”
“I’ve been on it. There are lots of people standing on curbs made of eggshells holding bumper pads. No one really walks it with you, but I’ll follow behind if you want.”
“Why? It’s dangerous.”
“I have been…smitten with you since the day we met,” Payton admitted. “You’re not ready to hear that, though, maybe never, but I’ll take the chance.”
Ryann bit her lip. “When I turn onto life anew, I may have a witty comeback for that.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will. You haven’t failed me so far.” Payton pulled out her wallet when the bartender returned.
Ryann grinned. “You can put that away, I’m running a tab.”
“The only way I’ll agree to this again is if you let me take you to dinner sometime.”
“Deal.” Ryann watched the bartender walk away and said, “I understand now what you meant when you talked about how you saw Courtney so differently when she came back. It’s odd, isn’t it? You can be with someone for years and never notice things. Leigh’s chin was too pointy, it made her look like a witch. She tailed me when I left work one day, and to keep her from knowing where I live, I took her on a tour of New Orleans. She was tenacious, and I couldn’t get rid of her, so I stopped in the parking lot of a grocery store. I listened to all she had to say and stared at her chin the whole time. When she was done, I pulled a can of pepper spray from my car and told her that the next time she decided to follow me, I was going to light her up.”
Payton did her best not to laugh but couldn’t help herself. “I like your style.”
“That was all Shelly. She’s the one that gave me the spray. She predicted everything Leigh has done so far. Shelly said she would send cards and letters along with flowers, and she certainly did. The office administrator at the school took care of them for me. Whenever they arrived, she’d put them all straight into the trash. I got a new cellphone account, so work is the only way Leigh knew to reach me.”
“Jana was my Shelly. I only wish I would’ve heeded her advice much sooner than I did.”
Ryann laughed. “Shelly didn’t give me the option. The day after Leigh’s revelation, she dragged me into a cellphone store hungover and sick where she stood over me as I set up a new account. She wanted to do all sorts of diabolical things to Leigh’s belongings the day I moved out of the house. Had her husband not been there, we might’ve, but he said, ‘The biggest insult is to show her that she’s not worth my anger.’ It was a good point because I’d spent all the energy on her that I was going to.” She shrugged with a smile. “I think Shelly would’ve made a good mobster.”
Payton’s brow rose. “Did her plans involve a horse’s head or fish in newspaper?”
“Raw chicken under the sofa.”
Payton threw up a hand. “That’s brilliant. What kind of sentence would you get if charges were pressed? I don’t think making someone’s house stink is the same as destruction of property. I will remember that in case I need it one day.”
“It’s a workday, and we’re tired,” Jana said as she joined them with Melanie by her side. Both of them looked a little flushed, and neither appeared tired in the least. “Y’all hang out and chat, don’t leave on account of us.”
“Go home and get you some sleep, although we know that’s not what you’re gonna do,” Payton said with
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