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“So, what’s new at work?” she asked pleasantly as I started dishing out the casserole.
“Not much.”
“Those boys at the office keep you busy.” I didn’t miss the gleam in her eyes as she dug for information. Jenna was a busybody just as much as anyone else in town. I knew she’d never tell anyone my secrets, but that didn’t mean she didn’t collect others.
I handed her a plate and grabbed my own, glaring at Bowie. He could dish out his own food. “Interesting that you still call them boys.”
I sat down, but sighed and stood back up when she looked pointedly at me for not dishing out food for Bowie. I snatched his plate, ignoring the grin on his face as I plopped it back down in front of him with a much smaller portion than I gave myself.
“Well, compared to me, they are boys. I still find it strange they drive minivans. What is it you said they do?”
She eyed me over her casserole, digging for any information she could snag.
“Not sure. I just maintain their vehicles.”
Pursing her lips, she turned to Bowie. “And are there any girls snagging your eye, Bowie?”
“No, ma’am. I’m not quite as…popular with the ladies as Duke.”
“That’s just because I’m so handsome.”
“Sure, it is,” he muttered under his breath.
Jenna reached out and grabbed Bowie’s hand. “You’re just as handsome as Duke. The ladies don’t know what a gem they’re missing out on.”
I rolled my eyes. Christ, she was laying it on thick for him tonight. Then she turned back to me. “And you should steer clear of Carly. That woman has eyes for you.”
“She has more than eyes,” Bowie chuckled.
“Well, it doesn’t matter what she wants. She’ll never be good enough for you.” Then she sighed and shifted in her seat. “Just like Carolyn. I don’t know what my niece was thinking. She had such a good man and—”
“Jenna,” I reprimanded. “Let’s not do this again. It’s done and over with.”
“I’m just saying,” she continued. “She had a nice man—a decent man that could provide for her and that child. Not that I agree with her tricking you, but if she had only been honest with you, things might have ended differently.”
I took a long drink of water, trying to swallow down the fact that Jenna thought I would have stayed with her niece knowing the kid wasn’t mine. I was a nice guy, but I wasn’t that nice. Hell, I only married her because she was pregnant and it was the right thing to do. I would have done right by her, though. I wouldn’t have just sent her out into the night, especially with a young child. But leaving the way she did, that was a hard pill to swallow.
“Have you heard from her recently?” I asked against my better judgment. I didn’t care so much about her, but I couldn’t help but wonder about Theo, her son.
“I haven’t heard from her in at least two years. I’ve tried, but she never answers.”
“Never?” I asked, finding that a little strange.
“She’s ashamed. That’s what it is,” she pointed her fork at me.
“Yeah, but she kept in touch with you after she left.”
She huffed, digging into her meal again. “Yes, but only because I’m the only family she has left.”
I frowned, looking over at Bowie. It was none of my business, but it was strange. Carolyn was nothing to me, but I hated to think that Jenna was worrying about her.
“How about I make a few calls? Maybe I can convince her to call.”
Her face brightened up and she reached for my hand. “You’d do that?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. Fuck, I really didn’t want to do this, but Jenna had been good to me. There was no way I’d let her sit here and be sad for a minute longer if I could help it.
After dinner, Bowie helped Jenna clean up while I stepped outside and made the call I dreaded more than anything else. But it never rang. The number was disconnected. That wasn’t that strange. She could have changed numbers, but that wouldn’t ease Jenna’s mind any. I tapped my phone against the palm of my hand as I thought about what to do.
