Page 59 of All the Wrong Places

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

She was back in Nordstrom’s, returning all five of the dresses she’d purchased on the weekend, when she heard the familiar, breathy voice behind her. “Joan? Is that you?”

Run,Joan thought, knowing that she couldn’t, that she was trapped among the rows of expensive designer dresses as securely as if she were locked inside a metal cage. She forced her lips into a smile and swiveled toward her sister-in-law.

In stark contrast to Joan’s black T-shirt and jeans, Bev was wearing white pants and a stylish navy blazer over a crisp white blouse. Her dark hair was pulled into a neat chignon at the nape of her neck, and long, heart-shaped rhinestone earrings dangled from her ears. The earrings slapped against Joan’s cheeks as Bev stepped forward to embrace her, kissing the air on both sides of Joan’s head, then standing back to take a good look at her. “Well, you’re looking well. That’s a relief. I was starting to worry. You don’t return my calls, you don’t answer your cell…”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been a little preoccupied lately.”

“Something wrong?”

Joan did a silent tally of recent events: she’d spent the better part of last night trying to comfort her daughter’s distraught and panic-stricken best friend; her recent attempts to rejoin the dating world had resulted in a hospital stay and a picture of a man in a leopard-print thong; and her presence was expected at a party for her brother-in-law’s eightieth birthday, while her own husband, the man’s identical twin, lay dead in the ground.

She sighed, knowing she was being unfair. Bev had every right to celebrate her husband’s birthday. Such occasionsshouldbe celebrated. “Everything’s good,” Joan said. She had no desire to discuss her recent travails with Bev, whose expressions of sympathy tended to be so over-the-top, they had the strange effect of making you feel worse.

“Everything all right with Paige?”

“Fine,” Joan said. “She’s great.”

“Isshe? That’s so good to hear. Has she found a new job?”

There followed the questions Bev didn’t ask, but Joan heard anyway:Is she still pining over Noah? Is she finally ready to forgive Heather for stealing him away?

“Not yet,” Joan said, answering the question Bevhadasked. “But she had a very promising interview yesterday. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”

Bev promptly crossed the manicured fingers of both her hands and held them up. “Oh, she’ll get it. I’m sure,” she said with a vehemence that suggested the opposite. “She’s so bright. How could someone not want her?” Her face turned almost as red as her nail polish. “I meant…”

“I know what you meant.”

“I’m sure she’ll find a new beau in no time, too,” Bev added, only making matters worse.

Joan wasn’t sure if she was more surprised that her sister-in-law had raised the subject of Noah, however obliquely, or that she’d used the word “beau.”

“Actually, there’s someone already,” Joan said.

“Really?”

“Well, it’s still pretty new,” Joan backtracked, already regretting having spoken. “You’ll meet him on Saturday.”

“She’s bringing him to the party?”

“I’ve been meaning to call and ask if that’s all right.”

“Are you kidding? That’s wonderful. Heather will be so pleased. She’s hated the chill that’s been between them ever since, well, you know…”

Joan nodded.

“It’s not really Heather’s fault, you know,” Bev surprised her by continuing.

“No? Whose is it?”

“Noah had been pursuing her for months, texting, sending flowers. He finally wore her down.”

“I know. Poor thing. What choice did she have? Oh, wait,” Joan continued without pause. “Shedidhave a choice. She could have told the creep to bugger off.”

“I had no idea you were still so angry,” Bev said.

Joan shrugged. Truthfully, neither had she. She’d never been that fond of Noah, always thought Paige could do better. But she could never forgive anyone who hurt her child.

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