Page 52 of Pity Parade

I wind up tossing and turning for the better part of the night when I realize that the only way I’m going to keep my sanity is to either go back to Chicago myself or find someone to spend time with that will keep my mind off Trina. I don’t know why, but the last option makes me feel like I’d be cheating.

At five in the morning, I finally give up and accept that I’m not going to get any rest. Once I get to the kitchen, I make a strong pot of coffee and take my first cup out to the deck. Looks like I’m not the only one with sleep issues. Daniel is already sitting out on his glider.

“Good morning, neighbor,” I call out.

“Heath,” Daniel says. “How’s your leg?”

I almost forgot about Trina pushing me, and nearly laugh out loud as I remember the look on her face when she did. “I’m fit as a fiddle,” I tell him. “How was your day with Trina?”

“Very nice, thank you. She’s quite a catch, huh?”

“She seems to be,” I tell him.

“I feel like the Universe is giving me another chance with her, you know? First, I won a contest I don’t remember entering, and then she’s here in Elk Lake. It feels like serendipity.”

I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Trina tells him she’s behind the contest. But maybe she won’t. It’s none of my business either way. “Do you two have plans for today?”

“Trina’s got something else going on, so I guess I’ll just hang out here.”

“There’s a great place to rent boats right down the road,” I tell him.

“You aren’t by any chance interested in joining me, are you?”

Not if Trina won’t be there. But instead of being brutally honest, I tell him, “Sorry, I’ve got some calls to make. But we should have a beer some night if you’re game.”

He nods his head amiably. Daniel seems like a good guy, but there’s no way I see him with Trina. She’s spunky and vivacious, and he’s kind of ordinary.

We chat over our first cup of coffee but when my mug is empty, I excuse myself. “I’ve got an overseas call I need to make.” Standing up, I add, “I’ll see you later.”

I‘m not sure it’s an overseas call yet, but I do want to find out how things are going with Shelby. Picking up the phone, I dial her number. She answers on the first ring. “I thought you weren’t working.”

“I’m not,” I tell her. “But I was wondering how you’re doing.”

“I’m not good.”

“Why?”

“I told Allan I was going to join him on vacation, and he didn’t seem very happy about it.”

“You probably just took him by surprise.”

“When I told him I was coming along, his response was that there wasn’t a lot of room.”

“Oh?” Yeah, that doesn’t sound good.

“To which I said, so long as Bridget isn’t going to be in bed with us there should be plenty of room.”

“What did he say to that?”

“His face turned bright red—we’re talking tomato here—and he stumbled all over himself saying that of course she wouldn’t be in our bed. I tell you this, Heath, if he isn’t already cheating, it was certainly on the agenda for this trip.”

I pour myself another cup of coffee before telling her, “Then it’s a good thing you’re going with him.”

“But why would I even want to be with a man who would consider such a thing? Why?”

“Do you love him, Shel?”

“Yes.”

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