it been? You look positively wonderful!”
Davis’s eyes move upward as he sees my unwelcome ghost from adolescence past. “Jessica. I didn’t know you were back in town. Are you visiting for long?”
“No, sir.” I can hear the interest in her tone as clear as day. “I just moved back to Creek Water. I thought for sure Beau would have told you.”
If Beau is involved, that probably means she’s buying a house, which would mean she’s not planning anything temporary. Crap. Why the heck is everyone coming back?
“Welcome home,” he tells her. Then he motions toward me. “This is …”
But before he can say my name, she looks at me and declares, “Oh hey, it’s you, from the bathroom!” She’s as excited as if I were a long-lost sorority sister.
“Hey,” I somehow manage while my throat constricts in terror. The Jessica Holt I know from high school would full-on poop a brick if she knew she was being nice to FelAshleyO MoanRow. The good news is that Davis never said my name, and Jessica is so self-absorbed she doesn’t seem to care who I am.
The waitress comes over and delivers several plates including the filet, a lobster tail, and a Caesar salad. As delicious as everything looks, I’m not sure I’ll be able to eat a bite of it.
“Do y’all work together or something?” Jessica asks once our food is situated. How insulting. She should assume we’re on a date considering our close physical proximity—side-by-side, not across from each other— but the thought doesn’t appear to cross her mind.
I let Davis answer the question. “I work alone, carving furniture,” he says, not offering any other explanation.
“That’s right,” Jessica declares. “I have a couple of clients I’d like to send your way. Maybe I can stop by your workshop sometime this week.”
“Sure,” Davis replies. “I’m on the first floor of the Creeky Button Factory. Just ring the bell and I’ll let you in.”
“I can’t wait,” she enthuses. Then much less excitedly, she adds, “I guess I’d better get going. We just finished dinner and my folks are waiting in the car.” She lingers as though Davis might invite her to join us and perhaps even offer to take her home afterward.
I can’t let that happen, so I boldly put my hand on Davis’s arm and announce, “Don’t let us keep you. Have a good night.”
Davis’s mouth turns up at the corners into a lopsided smile like he’s trying to keep from laughing out loud. Then he tells his ex-girlfriend, “It was nice seeing you, Jessica. Have a good night.”
Jessica does not look happy. I want to take out my phone and snap a picture of her, so I can enjoy her expression at my leisure. Being that wouldn’t paint me in the best light, I don’t do it. But oh boy, if I did, I’d print a hundred copies and hang them all over my trailer.
Chapter Thirteen
November 4, 2008
Dear Molly,
Jessica Holt was leaning against my locker this afternoon looking like the cover girl for Mean Girls Monthly. Her 7 For All Mankind jeans fit more like trousers than the Levi’s lesser mortals wear. Her pink blouse with the green sweater draped over the shoulders looked like a fashionable afterthought. I couldn’t achieve that look with all seven-feet of RuPaul standing behind me cheering me on in his high-heeled awesomeness. Jessica’s confidence is a wonder to behold.
When I asked her to move so I could get my book for my next class, she told me I should do the taxpayers a favor and quit school, so I could get a job at the Quickie Mart and start having the slew of illegitimate babies she expects I’m gonna have. Then Davis showed up and she told him that I pushed her. I’d like to push her—right into the Mississippi River. Scratch that. Right off the Empire State Building.
“Tell me everything!” Sammy demands as soon as I answer the door.
“Come on in,” I say as she shoves me out the doorway. “Mrs. Frothingham had a pretty good day today.”
“Who cares? I mean good, but I want to know all about Davis. When I saw that fancy car of his pick you up earlier, it was all I could do not to run out and introduce myself.”
“Why didn’t you?” I ask. I mean, obviously, I’m glad she didn’t, but Sammy is normally as subtle as a sledgehammer. It doesn’t fit her personality to be coy.
“I just got out of the shower and only had a towel