to figure out who it was. Then as she came into view, he shook his head. He should have known. Theresa's buddy in crime.
"Hey, Laura. Should've figured you'd be here too."
"Designated driver," she said with a shrug. She turned to Theresa. "We gotta get going, girl, if you want to make your flight."
"Stupid red-eye," Theresa grumbled. "Don't know why I can't fly to Australia at a more reasonable time."
"Australia?"
"Yep. Got a job there." She turned to Laura and grabbed her arm. "Laura said I should try to get together with you again. But I told her there was no way. Not doing that again. Don't like kids."
That much was obvious, Wyatt wanted to say. But he kept his thoughts to himself.
Wyatt was growing colder, but there was no way he was inviting Theresa and Laura into the house. Especially with the kids in the house and Theresa in this condition.
"Speaking of kids. What's with this Dean kid?" Theresa asked, frowning.
"What you know about Dean?"
"Some chick at the grocery store comes up to me. Says something about how you got a kid called Dean. That I gotta take good care of him. Like that's gonna happen."
This was growing more bizarre every moment.
"Did you know her?" Wyatt asked, puzzled.
"Never saw her before in my life."
Wyatt frowned, then remembered Adele said she had to go to the grocery store. "Was she tall, slender, wavy brown hair and freckles?"
Theresa gave him a sly grin. "New girlfriend?"
Wyatt didn't honor her question with a response.
"Yeah. That's what she looked like,” Theresa said. “Wearing some kind of blue puffy vest under a winter coat. Jeans and cowboy boots of all things. Walking Millar’s Crossing cliché."
That was Adele, all right. Except for the negative cliché part.
Wyatt struggled to put everything together, wondering why Adele had talked to Theresa. "How did she know who you were?"
"Gabby mouth here was chatting at Nancy, the cashier. Girl we went to school with." Theresa fluttered a hand at Laura. "I think I saw that chick standing behind Laura. Next thing I know she walks up to me telling me about this Dean kid. Told me to take care of him when I get back together with you."
And then everything fell into place.
"She thought we were getting back together? How?" Wyatt looked at Theresa. "You can't possibly think—"
"Don't worry. Ain’t happening. Don't know where she got that idea."
Laura laughed then. "Sorry, I think she must've heard me talking to the cashier. I said a bunch of stuff about how I hoped that Theresa would give you another chance. I mean, you're a great guy, and I think she's making a mistake. Anyhow, that woman must overheard me say that. But I don't know why she should care."
"That was weird," Theresa agreed. "But you know I'm not coming back."
The words hung in the air, then with a deep sigh, Laura tugged on Theresa's arm. "Look, sweetie, if you're not getting together with this guy, we really gotta get going."
"That's right. You and me and Australia, baby," Theresa said, waving a hand in the air. "Say hi to the little girls. Actually, say good-bye. Don't think I'll be coming back."
Then she grew serious, her eyes holding his, growing sorrowful.
"I'm sorry, Wyatt. Sorry I couldn't be what you wanted me to be. I'm just not that person."
To Wyatt's dismay her voice grew shaky, and she sniffed. She looked like she was about to cry. Then she blinked and shook it off. "Sorry again. Sorry for no big reunion, just a good-bye."
Without another word, she turned, stumbled, then righted herself and walked over to the car.
Laura turned to Wyatt. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have brought her here. I guess I was kind of hoping...and she was doing the drunk-crying thing about how she should never have treated you so bad...I just thought...but I guess I was wrong."
Then with another shrug, she turned and left.
Wyatt watched as the car reversed, turned, and then headed down the driveway. A wink of the taillights and then they were gone.
He shivered, closing the door, leaning against it a moment. He wasn't sure what had just happened.
He looked down at the bag and opened it. He saw the books inside then shook his head. He wasn't sure if he would tell the girls about Theresa's visit right away or not. That would have to wait for another time.
For now, it looked like Theresa would be on the other side of the world. Far removed from them.
He had a text to send.
Chapter