Jared approached me with a smile on his face, like there would be any reason I’d want to ever speak to him again. I had to admit he was still good looking, even after the terrible things he’d done to me. But I wasn’t in the market for another friend.
Even a good looking one.
Holding my hand up, I stopped him just before he reached where I sat. “Before you say anything, don’t bother. I want nothing to do with you or Howard. So whatever you were planning to say, save it for someone who cares.”
He stopped in midstep and frowned down at me. “I was hoping we could talk. We are still friends, Poppy. Aren’t we?”
His definition of friends and mine clearly weren’t the same. “We aren’t friends, Jared. We’ve never been friends. We dated and then got engaged, and then you cheated on me with that cheap floozy from the Food King. Since then, nothing close to friends has been possible.”
Pulling out the chair in front of me, he smiled. “Can I sit?”
“No! I don’t want you to sit down, so just don’t,” I said without a hint of equivocation in my words or my voice.
Jared either intentionally misunderstood or just completely ignored every word I’d said and sat down anyway, infuriating me. This guy broke my heart, made me question nearly everything about myself, and made me the laughingstock of Sunset Ridge. All of that made being friendly with him impossible. Why he didn’t get that baffled me.
“I guess the way Howard presented that came off badly,” he said, as if the last thing in a long line of insulting and irritating events surrounding him was the one that truly upset me the most.
“If that’s what you’ve come to talk about, there’s no need. I’m fine with you taking over all my responsibilities at The Eagle. Knock yourself out. I hope you and Howard are very happy working together. He’s a joy and so are you, so I’m sure you’ll get along splendidly. Two peas in a pod.”
Rotten peas I’d like to feed to a pack of wild dogs.
“He didn’t mean it like it came out, Poppy.”
I leaned away from him and stared across the table with a mix of confusion and disgust. “Like it came out? So he didn’t mean to tell me that he was taking half my job away from me and decreasing my pay by a corresponding half so you could have that job? Is that what he didn’t mean to say? Because it sure sounded like that’s what he meant to say.”
Jared leaned forward, mistaking my body’s movement as a sign to encourage him to get closer. “My mother’s been bugging him for weeks to give me a job at the paper. I haven’t really had a job since I got back to town, and she just wanted to help. Howard never told either one of us what he planned to do would affect you.”
Now my confusion faded away, leaving only pure disgust. Was there anything more pathetic than a man in his early thirties back living with his parents and having his mother get him a job because he couldn’t do it himself? Did she cook his meals for him and wash his clothes too?
Pathetic.
Pushing down the desire to insult my ex on just those points, I shook my head and once again held up my hand to stop him. “I don’t care why this happened. I’m not working at the paper anymore, so have at it. You and Howard. Just make sure you go to those society ladies ready for some real insults because they’re going to serve you your head on a silver platter. They don’t forget anything, and if you think they won’t bring up how you ran out on me for that Food King checkout girl, you’re in for a nasty surprise.”
My words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Jared stared across the table at me for a few moments and then sighed. “You still haven’t forgiven me for what I did.”
I had to stifle a laugh. So that’s what he thought this was about. “Let me help you out with something, Jared. I don’t need to forgive or forget what you did to live happily ever after.”
Raising my left hand, I wiggled my ring finger with my engagement ring on it. “You see, I moved on. I have an incredible fiancé who loves me as much as I love him. He’s gorgeous, brave, honorable, and best of all, he’s a grown man. You’re still a boy who’s looking for forgiveness. Sorry. I can’t give that to you. I’m busy giving all my good stuff to Alex.”
My ex looked around the coffee shop and then turned his attention back to me. “Where is Mr. Supercop? I figured I wouldn’t be sitting here two minutes before he swooped in to let me know I had to leave by giving me that squint-eyed stare he’s always doing when I’m around.”
“I’d guess he’s working, but I sent up the bat signal when I left the newspaper, so I suspect he’ll be here any moment now,” I said in my most sarcastic tone.
“Always right nearby to save the day, huh?”
“Always.”
Pam walked out from the back room and saw us, so she walked over to the table. “I’m sorry you were waiting. I didn’t realize anyone was out here. How long have you been here?”
“Oh, just a few minutes. Not long. Can I get a large French roast, Pam?”
She smiled and nodded. “That’s your third today. I don’t know how you do it, Poppy, but I swear if you ever left town, I’d go out of business. Can I get you anything, Jared?”
He put a weak smile on his face and shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m good.”
After she walked away, I couldn’t help but say, “So you came to someone’s coffee shop and you don’t even buy anything? You’re a real winner.”
“You know I don’t like coffee,” he said, defending himself.
“Then buy a soda, for God’s sake, but don’t take up a seat in her place of business without buying something. This isn’t a charity, you know.”
He didn’t, of course, since he likely didn’t have a dollar to his name. Jared hadn’t worked a full-time job since he returned to town months ago, and I suspected even his mother had grown tired of his mooching. Derek had told me in early February that he avoided spending time with his old friend because he always had to pay for him wherever they went.
“What happened to you, Poppy? You used to be so nice.”
I leveled my gaze on him and stared in amazement. “Asks the person who betrayed me right before we were supposed to get married. I’m still nice, Jared. I’m nice to people I care about. I’m nice to strangers. I’m nice to little old ladies and help them across the street. The only person I’m not nice to is you.”
He shook his head and grimaced. “It’s a shame that you had to become this person.”
Tilting my chin up, I answered his vague charge that who I’d become was something lacking or disappointing. “I’m very proud of the person I’ve become. I became brave after you. I became independent after you. So you can save your tsk tsking about who I’ve become for someone who believes your nonsense because it isn’t me anymore.”
Jared glanced around the coffee shop again and then turned back to look at me with a smug smile on his face. “Looks like your superhero boyfriend isn’t showing. Maybe he’s got cold feet. Maybe that explains why your ring was the only thing missing from Samuel Morrow’s jewelry store. Maybe you’re going to be left at the altar a second time, Poppy.”
I heard Pam ring up my coffee on the register and stood from the table. “Maybe it’s time to go home to your mommy, Jared.”
Furious, I walked up to the counter and saw Pam smiling. “It’s on the house, honey.”
A little of my anger faded away, and I smiled back at her. “Some guys never grow up, do they?”
“Some never do. Those we leave to their mommies. Tell Alex hi for me.”
I nodded that I would and spun around to walk toward the front door without giving Jared a second look. I’d had enough of him and Howard for one day. They weren’t going to get another moment of my time today or any other day, for that matter.
Derek sat in his office leaning back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling. When he heard me tap on his open door, he lowered his head and smiled. “What’s up, Poppy?”
“Working hard, boss?” I joked. “I guess things haven’t changed much now that you’re back working a case, huh?”
He sat up straight and fixed his shirt that had come out of his pants. “Not everything in police work involves running around searching for clues, you know. Just because I’m not out going here, there, and everywhere doesn’t mean I’m not working.”
I chuckled at his explanation, but I hadn’t meant to offend him. “It’s okay, Derek. I was just teasing you.”
Turning to head toward Alex’s office, I heard him say, “If you’re looking for your fiancé, he’s not in the building. He left about a half hour ago.”
I peeked my head back into Derek’s office and smiled. “So he’s here, there, and everywhering? Did he tell you where he was going?”
“Something about this case and libraries. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
“Okay. By the way, I just saw your buddy Jared. He’s officially the new society page writer for The Sunset Ridge Eagle. Maybe now he can buy you pizza and beer when you guys get together.”
Derek’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “He got a job? Wow. But wait. Aren’t you the society page writer for the paper?”
“I was until about an hour ago when Howard gave it to Jared. So I quit.”
The police chief’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Quit? Really? I can’t believe you quit the paper. You loved that job.”
He was right. I did love writing for The Eagle. What I didn’t love so much was working for Howard.
“I did, but if he was going to give Jared the society page today, I got the feeling it wouldn’t be too long before he gave him the crime page and police blotter. Now he can have all of it. Get ready because you’re old friend Jared is now going to be in your life all the time just like I have been.”
A sickening look came over Derek’s face, and his entire body sagged at my news. “Ugh. I’m not going to like that at all. What makes anyone think he can do those two pages like you can? I think Howard’s lost his mind.”
“I have no idea, but he made his bed. Now he can lie in it. And when people start complaining and the newspaper starts losing money because the two most interesting columns people want to read turn into garbled messes, maybe Howard will lose his job.”
Under his breath, Derek mumbled, “Jared writing anything. Sounds insane to me.”
Just then, what he’d said about the Morrow murder case over at The Grounds popped into my head. “By the way, you should tell your friend not to mention things about cases that you tell him about. He was more than happy to tell me his theory of why my ring was the only one missing from Samuel Morrow’s store.”
Derek shook his head, squinting his eyes like he couldn’t understand what I was saying. “What are you talking about? I don’t tell him anything about any cases.”
“I don’t know, but he knew that my wedding band was the only thing taken when Samuel was murdered. If you didn’t tell him, somebody did because he knows.”
“Well, I didn’t tell him. I need to find out who did because we can’t have these kinds of leaks on any case but definitely not on a murder,” Derek said, standing from his desk.
“I’ll leave you to that, then. I’m going to find Alex and let him know that I’m officially unemployed.”
Derek stopped next to me in the doorway. “What are you going to do now? I know you don’t really need the money, but you’ve never not worked, Poppy. So what are you going to do?”
I hadn’t thought about that at all since I said I quit and walked out of Howard’s office. Now that someone had asked me what I planned to do with my life, I realized I had no real idea at all.
So jokingly, I said the first thing that popped into my head.
“Maybe I’ll become a private detective. I met one the other day, and he didn’t look like he had much going on. If he can do it, why couldn’t I?”
For the second time, Derek’s mouth fell open. “Have you told Alex about this yet? I have a feeling he might not be too crazy about his wife being a private eye. That can get dangerous sometimes, Poppy.”
I waved away his concern for my welfare and chuckled. “It’s nothing set in stone, Derek. It’s just something I thought of. For now, I’m just going to work with you guys on this case and get the wedding plans finalized. Other than that, I have no plans at all.”
“Okay. I just want you to be careful if you do decide to become a private eye. And you’re going to need to carry a gun. Don’t forget that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m more worried about seating arrangements than I am about carrying a gun. By the way, are you still a plus one? I haven’t gotten a name for the guest you’re bringing yet. You know I need that soon, right?”
Grinning, Derek winked. “Then I guess I better choose the lucky girl. I promise to do it by next Monday, okay?”
I tapped him on the upper arm playfully. “Looks like someone’s going to have a busy week. Try not to tire yourself out there, Derek. I wouldn’t want this to be too much effort.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got it down to three possibilities.” He thought about it for a second and grinned. “Well, maybe four. Five tops. But don’t worry. I’ll have the name of the woman I’m bringing to the wedding by early next week.”
I left Derek mulling over his harem of potential wedding dates and began walking toward my father’s as I called Alex. His phone immediately went to voicemail, so I left a message gently breaking my employment news to him.
“Hey, so my meeting with Howard was to tell me he was taking the society page from me and giving it to Jared. You know Jared, my ex. Well, now he’s writing for The Eagle. So I quit. Give me a call when you can and let me know what you’re up to. I mean, since I’m unemployed, I can work with you full-time on this case. Okay, call me. Love you.”
Yes, I buried the lead about halfway through the message. And yes, I did start rambling there a little because I got nervous after telling him I quit my job, even though I was only telling a machine and not really Alex.
It would all work out. Derek was right. I didn’t necessarily have to work. My mother had left me a lot of money when she died, and even after buying my house and my car, I still had more than enough money to live.
At least for a while. But Alex and I together had more than enough money to live on. I just hoped he didn’t mind my quitting my job without at least mentioning it to him.
Not that I had planned on quitting when I walked into that meeting with Howard this morning. But just seeing Jared sitting there like he belonged anywhere near the newspaper and then hearing Howard say that he would be taking part of my job and my pay and that I would be losing my health insurance just made me snap.
Alex wouldn’t care. He just told me as much yesterday. He’d probably tell me I should have let Howard have it with both barrels instead of censoring myself like I had.
Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t realize I’d walked right down Main Street to my father’s bar. I looked around the side of the building and saw the door was open. Happy that my subconscious had led me there, I walked inside and found him getting ready for a new day of customers.
“Hi Dad!” I called out as I sat down at the end of the bar just inside the door.
He turned his head and smiled. “What a surprise! I didn’t expect you to come by today. What’s going on that you pay your father a visit this early in the morning? Did you and Alex already solve Samuel Morrow’s murder?”
“No. I think Alex is out doing some investigating on that right now. I hope we get a break soon.”
“Why aren’t you out with him?”
I sighed and tried to think of a way to tell my father about what I’d done. “I had a meeting with Howard at nine, so I headed there first.”
My father straightened out a tray of clean glasses. “How did that go? Was he his usual charming self?”
“I quit, so I guess you can’t say it went too well.”
The clinking of the glasses suddenly stopped so all I heard was the whirring of the refrigerators under the bar. He looked at me with worry in his eyes but said nothing for what seemed like an eternity.
I waited for him to comment, hoping he wasn’t too disappointed in me, as his words he’d always said about quitting played in my head. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win, Poppy.”
“What happened?” he asked as he walked down to the end of the bar where I sat.
After taking a deep breath, I said, “He called me in to tell me he was giving Jared the society page, cutting my pay in half, and eliminating my health insurance because as he said, I’d be married soon and I could be on Alex’s. What was I supposed to do, Dad?”
“I’d say you did the right thing. How dare he give that Jared a job writing for the newspaper? Can he even read?” my father asked, his tone full of acid for my ex.
“I don’t think so. It’s okay, though. I mean, I loved that job, but maybe it’s time to move on. Alex and I are getting married, so maybe it’s the perfect time for things to change.”
My father twisted his face into a scowl. “That society page is never going to be the same as when you did it, honey. Just remember that. And the crime page and police blotter? Now that the paper doesn’t have an in on the force, they’ll be stuck with what Derek is able to tell them, which is very little. I don’t think that’s going to change, even for his friend.”
I smiled and squeezed his hand on the bar. “Thanks, Dad. I just can’t wait until the first time he has to meet with the gossips in town. Oh, are they going to give him an earful! They have never forgiven him for what he did to me, and now that Alex and I are getting married, Jared is public enemy number one to those ladies. You know how they are. They can give you a hard time, but don’t let anyone else give you a hard time.”
My father chuckled at my description of how things worked with the society ladies. “That’s how a small town works, right? It’s like one big family. You have the head of the family in those women, and if they aren’t happy, then nobody’s going to be happy.”
I’d never thought of our town that way, but he was right. God help anyone who made those ladies unhappy. Jared was in for a real surprise with them. Good. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
“So what are your plans for the rest of the day now that you’re free of Howard?”
“Nothing until three when Alex and I have our wedding cake tasting at Charming Bakery. Do you mind if I hang out with you until he gets back?”
A warm smile lit up my father’s blue eyes. “Of course not, honey. You stay for as long as you want. My regulars will love seeing you here again. They miss you. I miss you.”
I walked around the bar and hugged him. “Well, then I’ll be your helper today. Now all we need are some customers.”
My father poured me a birch beer and handed me the glass. “Until then, let’s relax with a good drink.”
At least I knew that if I couldn’t find another job I could always work at McGuire’s Bar.