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Pris opened the fridge and pulled out the water pitcher before answering. “When she got home and heard Boone hadn’t treated you right, she quit. Said she wouldn’t work for him anymore because of it. She’s going to take a job with the Garden Inn in Scarsville.”
Today my opinion of Grace had been turned on its head.
CHAPTER42
Angela
I munchedon a handful from the jumbo bag of barbecue chips Pris and I were sharing as I got near the bottom of another page of my HD project.
Pris peeked out the cabin window at the sound of a car arriving. “Time to go.” She grabbed her purse.
I followed her out to the white SUV that had pulled up outside. Case was providing the ride to The Peanut Barrel.
“Designated driver,” Pris had explained.
I crammed into the SUV between Pris and Waylon’s girlfriend, Anna. Callie was in the far back, and Jordan was up front with her now fiancé, Case. If we had a designated driver, these girls probably intended a night of serious drinking.
When we arrived at the bar, I followed their lead. The shells underfoot and the music from the old jukebox gave The Peanut Barrel a fun, vibrant feel that I now enjoyed every time I wandered in here. It was so different than any of the places we’d gone to in Boston.
As soon as I had that thought, another thought popped into my head. Maybe the biggest difference was that until tonight I’d been here with Boone, and all the Boston bars has been with Kevin.
“We’re setting up in the corner,” Anna said, pointing.
“I’ll get the supplies,” Callie said, marching toward the bar instead of the corner.
I shivered as Devlin eyed me from a table. Then I decided to straighten up and look the other way. Surrounded by these girls, I doubted he’d approach me.
When we reached the corner, Grace was already there, guarding it with a reserved sign. She gave me a quick hug. “Have fun.”
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” I said. “You’re not staying?”
“I have a date, remember? And I’m not drinking tonight, so it wouldn’t be fair.” She waved to the other corner, where I spied her husband. “Dirk and I are still decompressing from our trip.”
He waved back from his table.
“What have you decided about you and Boone?” she asked, always one for bluntness.
“There is nome and Boone.” I wasn’t having this conversation again, and certainly not here. “And anyway, I’m leaving next week.” Chief Pollock was finally due back from his fishing vacation, and one way or another I was getting my car.
“Oh. Dirk needs me. Gotta go,” Grace said, walking off before I could ask her about quitting the hotel. Maybe her not drinking meant they were ready to try another round of IVF.
Case gave Jordan a quick kiss. “Call ahead when you girls are finishing up. I’ll be in Scarsville with the guys. Well, except for the wuss.”
“Poker night,” Jordan explained after her fiancé walked off.
Callie asked the question I also had. “Who’s the wuss?”
“Boone’s in mourning,” Pris said, glancing in my direction. She still didn’t understand why we’d had to break up, and I couldn’t allow myself to care.
The other girls avoided meeting my eyes.
“I’ll rack,” Callie offered, breaking the awkward silence.
I peeked back to where Devlin had been sitting and breathed easier when I didn’t see him. But I did notice Rusty nearby, watching us. Pris still had an admirer.
Pris knocked my shoulder, pulling my attention away from Rusty. “You’re our guest of honor,” she exclaimed, a lot louder than I was comfortable with. She wrapped her free arm around my shoulder. “So we’re playing Mexican pool tonight.”
“I don’t know that one,” I admitted.
