Page 139 of The Man Next Door
“She won’t stay that way,” Zona predicted.
“She will. She’s only stuck around here because she thought she could keep leeching off me. She knows she can’t now.”
He made everything sound so easy. His stepsister would end up in an orange jumpsuit in front of a judge. She’d get hauled away and they’d live happily ever after. Happily-ever-afters were for fairy tales.
“Alec, I’m sorry. I really do want to be with you, but with everything that just happened I can’t. It’s not fair to my daughter. I’ve put her through enough.”
“What about fair to yourself?” His voice was soft, reasonable.
“I guess I lose.”
“I guess we both do.”
She had nothing to say to that. There was nothing to say.
“Think about it, Zona. Please. Don’t make a rash decision. Can you do that much for me? For us? We’ve started something good. Let’s not let anyone take that away from us.”
She could almost see Bree’s angry face, hear her demanding, “What are you thinking, Mom?”
It’s all for the best.
“Alec, I’m sorry,” she said. Then she ended the call. And that officially ended what they’d started.
“AND TO THINKI missed it all,” said Gilda the next day as she helped Louise steady herself in the shower.
“It was something,” said Louise.
“It doesn’t look good for your daughter and him.”
“It’s all for the best,” said Louise.
“Does she think so?”
Louise sighed. “I doubt it.”
“Well, let’s hope she gets over him.”
If a woman was truly in love, did she ever get over the man?
“And Martin,” Gilda went on. “I bet you never thought he’d go all macho like that.”
Now, there was a memory to bring a smile to Louise’s face. “He jumped right into the fray without hesitating. It’s a side of him I’ve never seen before.”
“All men like a good brawl,” said Gilda.
“But he didn’t go over for a brawl. He went to help Zona and Bree.”
“Well, gotta say, he’s a cut above your average man,” Gilda said, holding out a towel. “Has he got money?”
Louise grabbed it. “As if that matters.”
“Money always matters,” Gilda said.
“I’m sure he’s got enough. Anyway, so do I.” She may not have been rich, but she would never have to worry about being a bag lady, either.
“Well, then? What are you waiting for? He’s been hanging around like a loyal old hound dog ever since I came to work for you.”
“Long before that,” said Louise.
