Page 72 of Puck Daddies
Callie’s jaw tightens. Her voice is a hiss. “Bea’s was supposed to be mine!”
Meg blinks. “What?”
“Bea calledmethe daughter she never had. I worked there all through high school and college. I bled for that place. I have a bee tattoo on my ankle for her.” She points at it like it matters. “Then you came in and stole it.”
Meg doesn’t move. “I worked there since high school too. I am her actual niece. She took me in when my parents died. She’s all I had in the world that connected me to my family. Callie, I’m glad you had good memories of Aunt Bea, but that doesn’t make you blood, even if you bled for the shop?—”
“She owed me!”
Meg squares her shoulders. “She told me you talked about selling the shop, if you got the chance. Why would she leave it to someone who would do that?”
Callie rolls her eyes. “That shop is on prime downtown real estate. You’re an idiot for not selling it sooner!”
Meg just laughs. “That’s all anything ever is to you, isn’t it? Money. Always. That’s why you went to law school, why youhopped onto Luke. Money, money, money. Why’d you even bother with the tattoo?”
“You just answered your own question.”
She connects the dots. “Because…you knew Bea would soften up to you. Maybe even consider leaving you the shop, if she thought you were that invested.” Meg shakes her head. “You really thought Bea was that stupid? You underestimated her that much? God, I’m glad I never hired you as my lawyer. You’re an idiot.”
Callie grunts in frustration, words escaping her. Luke looks embarrassed. He tries to speak. Callie cuts him off with a look. He shuts his mouth.
Meg lifts her chin. “I hope you two have a long, sad life together.”
“Enough,” Dana says quietly. “We’re done here.”
Callie stomps away. Luke follows, because of course he does.
I exhale. “Those two are made for each other.”
Meg almost smiles. “They are.”
On the way home, Meg reads the order again, lips moving on key lines. I drive slow. I want her to feel the words in her hands. She relaxes into the seat and closes her eyes. Two weeks to fix this. Two weeks of exactly zero Callie and Luke.
Back home, we text the others. Hudson replies with a row of bees. Rocco sendsbravo. I breathe for the first time all day.
We eat sandwiches because neither of us has the energy for more. Meg keeps checking her phone and then setting it face down. I set mine on Do Not Disturb so the league can’t reach me for a few hours. I send Coach a text:Legal matter handled.TRO granted. Hearing in two weeks. Back at practice in the morning.He replies:Good.
Dana texts a photo of the signed order at noon. I print it and slide it into a clear sleeve. Meg will take that to work tomorrow, in case of a Callie or Luke invasion. Need that on premises for the police, if she calls them.
By late afternoon, her shoulders sag. I pour two glasses of water and set hers in her hand. She drinks half without being asked, then pads to her bedroom, leaving the door open for me.
I sit on the edge of the bed. “Scoot.”
She lifts the covers, and I climb in. Her bed smells like clean fabric. She rolls toward me and tucks her head under my chin. I wrap an arm around her and pull the blanket over both of us. She puts her hand on my chest and leaves it there. My breath slows. Hers matches it.
“I was scared this morning,” she says.
I hate hearing that she’s ever scared. But I understand it completely. “We’re not done. But we got more time.”
She nods against my shirt. “Thank you for wearing the boss suit.”
I snort a laugh. “Anytime.”
We don’t talk anymore. The day took enough of our words. I listen to her breathing even out. My phone buzzes once on the dresser, and I ignore it. The order sits on the table. The hearing date will land. Luke and Callie will do what they do. We’ll do what we do.
I keep my arm around her and let the room be quiet. When I sleep, it’s easy. We’re safe for tonight. She’s in my arms. That’s all that matters.
25
