The Liar

“Don’t see how it’s your debt to begin with,” Viola said, “but you’ll be free and clear. The man’s not dead, Shelby Ann, and you were never his wife. Unless you’ve got fools for lawyers, some of that debt’s already going to be gone. You’ll have enough left, if I have any say about it, to give you a good start.”

“I can’t imagine it. I have to let it settle in. I just can’t believe I’d be free of that weight. Free of him, altogether.”

“I want you to eat now, and rest some more.”

“I need to see Callie, Mama.”

“What are you going to tell her?”

“I’m going to tell her as much of the truth as I can.”

“She’s got MacNee, Donahue and Pomeroy in her,” Viola said. “She’ll stand up to it.”

•   •   •

LATER SHE TOOK Callie to Griff’s. She thought both of them could use some time around a man who’d never hurt them. And she wanted some quiet time of her own with him.

She sat on the porch with him while Callie raced around with the dog in a shower of bubbles.

“I can’t believe you bought her another bubble machine.”

“It’s not another. It’s one for here.”

“I’m so glad you said it was all right to bring her here for a while.”

“It’s always all right, Red.”

“I guess I know that, too. So much went through my mind last night, on that awful drive, in that cabin. I’m only going to bring him up to say Daddy’s checked in with the hospital. They both came out of it. Richard, he’s trying to work a deal, but they’re not giving him room for one. And the other one, he’s giving them chapter and verse. I think Forrest had the right of it. He’s never going to get out of prison. I don’t have to worry for Callie on that score.”

“I’d never let him near her.”

She heard it in his voice—the fierceness and the love.

“I believe that, too. Everything from last night’s a little jumbled today. I don’t know if I told you everything straight.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re here.”

“I’d like to fix us a nice supper later, the three of us.”

“I’ll fix it.”

Smiling, she tipped her head to his shoulder. “You’re not a bad cook as cooks go, but I’m better. And I’d like to do something normal. That’s how I feel when I’m here. I feel normal.”

“Then stay. Stay for supper, stay the night, stay for breakfast. Stay.”

“I have Callie.”

He said nothing for a moment, then rose. “Would you come in for a minute? I want to show you something.” When she looked out in the yard, he turned.

“Hey, Little Red, will you watch Snickers for me, make sure he stays right in the yard? We need to go in for a minute.”

“I will. I will. He likes the bubbles! See, Mama, they make rainbows.”

“I see them. You stay right in the yard with Snickers. I’m just inside.”

“Where’s she going to go?” Griff asked as he drew Shelby in. “And you’ll be able to see her out the window anyway.”

“Did you start on another room?”

“Mostly finished one.” He led her upstairs. She could hear Callie laughing through the open windows, hear the dog’s joyful barks.

Normal, she thought again. Safe and real.

On the second floor he opened a door.

The light spilled in through the windows, splashed on the pretty green of the walls. He’d hung a crystal light catcher in one of those windows, and more rainbows shimmered.

“Oh, it’s a wonderful space. The color’s like bringing the hills right inside. You did a window seat!”

“Thinking about doing some shelves over there, but haven’t decided. Plenty of closet space.”

He opened double doors and made her eyes go wide. “This is amazing. It’s all set up, all painted and pretty. Even the light in here. Is that . . .” She opened another door. “A bathroom, so pretty and fresh. And . . .”

She spotted it then, the little soap dish. A grinning Shrek.

It felt like arms hugged her heart.

“You did this for Callie.”

“Well, I thought she needed her own space, one she could grow into. You know Callie and I are getting married. Can’t have your bride bunking in an unfinished room.”

Her eyes stung. “She mentioned that. How you’re getting married.”

“Want in on that?”

She turned to him. “What?”

“Bad timing.” Flustered, frustrated, he scrubbed a hand over his hair. “I usually ace the timing angle. Might still be a little off balance. I want her to have her own space, that makes her happy. I want her to be comfortable here. Sometimes you might want to stay, and she’d have this for herself. Like the office you’d have on the third floor.”

“Office?”

“I haven’t started on it yet because you might want it somewhere else, but I think it’s a good space. It’d be across from where I’m going to put mine. First-floor-office idea was good,” he added, “but the third floor takes work away from the living space.”

She hadn’t quite caught up. “You’re going to build me an office?”

“How are you going to run a business if you don’t have an office?”

She walked to the window, watched Callie and the dog. “I never talked to you about any of that.”

“Miz Vi did.”

“Of course she did. You believe I can do that? Start up and run my own business?”