Page 71 of Troubles in Paradise
“I want to start my own fishing charter,” she says. “Here’s what I’ve found out…”
Swan agrees the three-hundred-and-sixty-day requirement is a bummer and means it’ll be another year before Irene’s charter is up and running.
“I would hire you as a mate on my boat,” Swan says. “But it looks like I have to sell it to pay off my ex.”
“Divorces are tricky,” Irene says. She’s had a glass and a half of wine, so she nearly adds,But better than staying married and finding out your husband has a secret family!
“I’m confused about why you’re not working for Huck anymore,” Swan says. “He’ssucha great guy.Sucha wonderful grandfather. Completely devoted to Maia.”
“That he is,” Irene says.
“You know, I saw him on Friday night out at Skinny Legs.” Swan sips her wine. “He was with a woman, a very pretty redhead. I saw them leave together, so I think maybe Huck got lucky!” She leans in conspiratorially and bumps Irene’s shoulder.
Irene nearly falls over in her chair. “A redhead?” she says. “Was she his age?”
“Younger,” Swan says. “Closer to my age, I’d guess. Go, Huck!”
The wine and cookies churn in Irene’s stomach. Her neck flushes. She has to get out of there.
“Hey, ladies.” Baker saunters into the kitchen. “I don’t mean to interrupt—”
“Baker!” Swan says. She jumps up from the table to give him a hug. Here is Irene’s way out.
“Thank you for all your help, Swan. I’ll let you two kids chat. I need to hit the hay.”
“Hit the hay,” Baker says. “Can you tell we’re from the Midwest?”
“Are you sure, Irene?” Swan says. “We didn’t get to talk about my marketing ideas. I have a bunch.”
“We’ve got plenty of time,” Irene says. “I hope you’ll come back once I buy a boat and get closer to my hours…”
“You don’t have to run off, Mom,” Baker says. His expression seems to be asking Irenenotto run off.
Sorry, Baker,she thinks.You’re an adult. You deal with your romantic entanglements and I’ll deal with mine.“Enjoy the cookies,” Irene says.
Very pretty redhead. I think maybe Huck got lucky! Go, Huck!
The living room, where Irene is sleeping, is too close to the kitchen to be private. Irene slips through Floyd’s room to the bathroom and sits on the edge of the tub in the dark.
Huck was out with Agent Vasco. She’s a redhead, about Swan’s age, very pretty. Well, Irene thinks,very prettymight be overstating things, but yes, she’s attractive. She’s also the person who took away Irene’s house.She took my house, Huck, and you two are out canoodling at Skinny Legs!
Just as Irene was starting to soften a little and wonder if she should let him know she read his letter.
Vasco!
I think maybe Huck got lucky!
Did he take her home? Did hesleepwith her? Irene can’t let herself imagine this. The night she and Huck went to Shambles, he kissed her. It could have gone further but Irene stopped him. She was right to stop him, because when she read the diaries, she realized how wrong it was that she had become friends with Rosie’s father!
Irene’s face is wet. She’s crying. She quit the boat and moved out of Huck’s house because she was hurt byRuss,angry atRuss.And now Huck is with someone else. He’s had the hots for Vasco this whole time; he’d admitted as much, this could hardly come as a shock. The letter said he missed their friendship. Apparently, he’s getting his “friendship” somewhere else now!
She’ll never speak to him again, she decides.
Should she call him right now? It’s nine thirty. He’s asleep.
Irene cracks the door of Floyd’s room; she hears Baker and Swan talking. She lies down on the other half of Floyd’s king bed and falls asleep.
When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she has no idea where she is. Then she hears the steady purr of Floyd’s breathing and remembers.
