***Reagan***
Iwasrunningon fumes by the time I pulled up in front of the girls’ school to drop them off the next morning. I’d gotten home so late after my highway tryst with August and then remembered that I needed to bake pies. After getting two hours of sleep, I’d woken up and used about a pound of makeup to cover up the marks that August had left, marks that I was going to kick his ass for. Then, I’d met Pearl, dropped off the pie, gone to my first ever day of work, made breakfast for Jim, Mary, and Iris, and finally I’d had to run back to the house to pick up the girls since Russ and Lisa were busy.
My eyes felt gritty and I ached all over, but the girls were happily singing in the backseat and the drop-off line was moving smoothly, so I felt like I was going to make it. Things were going okay until I pulled up next to the curb and looked over to see Jenny walking toward us.
I considered stepping on the gas and speeding out of there, but I figured that would be hard to explain to the girls. So, instead, I put the car in park and turned to face the girls. “Have fun today, okay? Try to be good.”
Jenny opened the back door and leaned in. “Good morning, girls. Out you go.”
Piper made a face at me and then sprinted out of the car, not addressing Jenny. Posie at least muttered good morning before chasing after her sister.
“Reagan.” Jenny looked at me and her face pinched together. “Are you feeling okay? You look sick.”
I forced my face into something that could be called a smile. “Just adjusting to life in Lunar again. Do you work here?”
“No, they just let anyone bring the kids into school. Honestly, Reagan, you were always so ridiculous. Of course, I work here. I’m the vice-principal.” She tilted her nose higher as she said it like she expected me to bend forward and kiss her ring.
“Congrats. I heard the vice-principal here last year won some big award. Russ told me all about it.” He just hadn’t mentioned it was her.
Jenny frowned. “That was our previous vice-principal. I plan on doing more than Sheila ever could, though.”
Oops. I glanced at the line of cars behind me and cleared my throat. “I should get out of your way.”
“Hey, Reagan?”
I stiffened at the sickeningly sweet tone she used. It’d always preceded something harsh in high school. “Yeah?”
“You’re building a life here in Lunar, it seems, and you’re putting my family in the middle of it with your new job.” She leaned in a little farther and smiled. “It’d really stink if you lost that job, seeing as how there’s no other position like it here.”
I gritted my teeth and nodded. “It would.”
“So, maybe stay away from my husband.” She dropped the smile and put her hand on the seat, showing that she was still wearing an impressive diamond on her left ring finger. “Things aren’t over between us and if you get in the way, I’ll happily put you on a bus myself this time.”
I stared at her, positive that I had nothing to say to her.
“Have a great day!” She stepped back and closed the car door, her face as pleasant as ever.
I put the car in gear and quietly drove back to her parents’ house, my head a war of fury and disbelief. I couldn’t believe that Jenny hadn’t grown up. How had she made it into adulthood just as mean as ever?
I was cleaning up after getting dinner prepped, still wondering what the hell was the matter with Jenny, when the object of her desire strolled into the kitchen, all grins as he settled on a barstool across from me. My anger at the guys had shifted, thanks to August, but Theo was different. He’d married the enemy.
“I heard you made the best French dip sandwiches that Jim has ever had.” Theo wagged his eyebrows. “Could I convince you to give me a few scraps?”
Leaning against the counter across from him, I studied him, wondering what kind of relationship he had with Jenny and her family that he would just stop by in the middle of the day after chatting with Jim. I didn’t like the answer I arrived at, so I sighed and grabbed the leftovers out of the fridge. “You’re in luck. There was one left. You’ll have to explain to Jim why his midnight snack is missing.”
Theo picked at the wrapping and frowned. “What’s with the sigh?”
Reminding myself that I was a professional at work, I straightened my shoulders and pasted a friendly smile on my face. “Nothing. Should I warm that up for you?”
Some of his good-old-boy charm slipped as he narrowed his eyes at me. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” Still smiling, I gestured to the dip. “It’s not super cold yet, but warming it up is going to make it better. It won’t take long.”
Theo moved fast for such a big man. He was on my side of the island in seconds and had me pinned to the counter even faster. “Cut the shit. What’s wrong?”
I pushed against him, but he didn’t budge. When his eyes trailed down to my neck, I jerked away, afraid he’d see the marks that August left. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just trying to serve my employer’s son-in-law a fucking sandwich.”
Grunting, Theo caught my chin and forced my face up to his. “So, that’s what this is about. You’re still intent on hating me because I married Jenny a decade ago.”