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I hold up my phone. “I’m only here to snap a picture really quick, then I’ll be on my way. Do you happen to know if they’re going out somewhere or are they having dinner here?”
“Um…” She looks down the hall toward the main entertaining area. “I’m not sure. Why don’t you wait right here? I’ll be right back.”
“Really, it’ll only take a moment.” I saw Xavier’s truck that he leaves at his house up here and Dori’s Cadillac that she never drives out front.
But LeeAnn disappears around the corner, so I lean my hip on the desk and stare at brochures about what a wonderful place Northern Lights Retirement is.
“You can’t do that, Grandma!” Xavier’s voice echoes through the empty hallway in the opposite direction from where LeeAnn went. He’s probably in his grandma’s room, but I can’t see him because they’re around the corner. “You can’t just connive your way into us making up, though I wish you could.”
“You’re kidding me, right? You’ve had two years. She was your best friend and don’t pretend you don’t want her back. Everyone in town knows you do.”
“Mind your own business. All of you. I’ll send you back the thousand dollars Dori donated.” He turns the corner and stops when he sees me standing there.
“Xavier,” Ethel snipes, lagging behind. I’ve only ever heard that stern tone in her voice a few times.
He throws his hands in the air. “What do you want from me?”
Ethel comes into view and glances in my direction. “Clara.” Her voice full of sugar.
“I… um…” I feel uncomfortable having overheard their conversation.
Xavier lowers his head and his chest heaves with a deep breath.
“Oh, the picture. Surely you can stick around for a picture, right?” She touches Xavier’s arm. “Right?”
He looks up and locks eyes with me. “Yeah, I’ll take the picture. I don’t want to ruin it for you, Clara.”
“Great! Dori!” Ethel yells.
“I’m right here,” Dori says, coming from around the same corner.
“Perfect. Let’s get going then.” Ethel hikes her purse farther up her shoulder.
“I thought we were having dinner here?” Xavier asks.
“Can you just pose in the lobby here?” I motion toward the open area at my back. “That will suffice.”
“No. No.” Ethel waves off my suggestion. “Dori secured reservations at her grandson’s fancy restaurant in Lake Starlight.”
“But I don’t need to…” I stop because a fight you know you’re not going to win isn’t worth it.
“Clara can take the picture here,” Xavier says. “Why can’t we just do that?”
“Because”—Ethel eyes Xavier—“Dori paid the most money out of anyone at the auction and if you take the picture at her grandson’s restaurant, it drives in some business there. You’d be helping him.”
Dori’s face lights up. “That’s true. He just told me the other day that the restaurant has been struggling a little. Do you know how many kids he has?”
Xavier shrugs. “Like, ten?”
“Five. But he has two who are going to college soon.” Dori looks between Xavier and me with pleading eyes.
I’m not going to be a bitch to some old lady. “Okay, I’ll follow you all there. What’s the restaurant called?”
“Parking is hard to find because it’s right in the middle of downtown, so how about Xavier just drives us all?” Dori suggests.
Ethel’s face lights up. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for a ride in that truck of yours.”
“Why?” Xavier asks. Clearly he’s going to continue to be difficult.
