on that?” he asked.
“Don’t need to. Like I said, I get what I want,” she said.
“You wanted to be the wife of the owner of a Cadillac dealership,” Graham said sarcastically. “You never did want me, Rita.”
She tapped his chest again. “I want you now.”
“It’s too late.”
“It’s never too late for love.” She blew him a kiss as she left.
He barely had time to get his papers out of his briefcase when Vivien said the CPA had arrived. Lauren was a tall, thin woman with short blonde hair and brown eyes. She had a no-nonsense, get-down-to-business attitude that he liked. He’d thought about asking her out a few times but never could find the right moment.
“Good morning, Graham. I’ve scanned everything and it looks good.” She pulled a wingback chair around to his side of the desk and sat down. Then she removed her laptop from her briefcase. “I see you’ve got hard copies for me, just like your dad always did.” She waved a hand toward the stacks of papers. “I’ve told you that all those aren’t necessary.”
“I like a hard copy when we go over the numbers. I see things clearer when I have real paper in my hands,” he said, just like he did every three months at this meeting.
“Okay, then, let’s get started so we can be done at noon.” She nodded. “I bet you like a book in your hands better than a digital one, too, don’t you?”
“You got me.” He grinned.
He focused on everything Lauren said and even took a few notes to go over later, but in the back of his mind, all he could think about was Mitzi. He wanted to tell her about Rita coming to the office before the gossip spread through Celeste like wildfire. By the time he got home that evening, folks would have him and Rita making another trip to the courthouse.
The meeting lasted past noon, so Vivien brought in a light lunch for them, and they ate while they finished up. Lauren packed up her laptop and shook Graham’s hand. “I hear that you and your ex-wife are talking. It’s none of my business at all, but . . . well, just be careful.”
“May I ask why you’re saying that?”
“I knew her right after y’all’s divorce. My advice, for what it’s worth, is that if you do get back together that you make her sign a prenup, and that you get your company lawyer to draw it up.”
“Thank you, but there’s no way in hell I’m ever taking a chance with Rita again,” he said.
“That’s great news. See you in three months.” Lauren waved as she left.
He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Should things ever get really serious with Mitzi, would she be willing to sign a prenup?
Mitzi was walking across the parking lot to the party store when her phone pinged. The text was from Graham: Call me, please.
She sat down on a bench outside the store and made the call.
“Hello,” Graham said. “I’m glad you called back. Do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure. I’m in town to pick up part of the supplies for the bridal fair. What’s going on?” she asked.
“Could I meet you somewhere so we can talk in person?” he asked.
“I’m sitting on the bench outside the party store. It’s not far from you. Want to join me?”
“I’ll be there in five minutes. How do you take your coffee?”
“Black and strong, but I’d rather have a tall sweet tea,” she told him.
“I’ll stop by Starbucks on the way,” he said.
Five minutes didn’t give Mitzi enough time to get the supplies that they’d ordered for the bridal fair, check them to be sure everything was correct, and take them to her van. It did let her watch the people come and go, and that was something she’d always enjoyed, even as a child. When she’d go with her folks to the lake, she’d make up stories in her head about the people she saw, and she still did the same today.
An older couple, both gray haired, holding hands, and neither getting along with much speed, stopped for a moment and said hello to her before they entered the store. In her mind, they’d been married for more than sixty years. The lady had dark hair when she was young, and Mitzi imagined her wedding dress was white silk with a high neckline and butterfly sleeves.
A younger couple passed her next. They were arguing about the money the woman had spent