Page 47 of The B!tch List

“No, not happening. I found out that he got dumped and that’s the reason he came home. Not for me or because he missed me, but because he was smarting and needed his ego rubbed. And I don’t want to be the one to do it.”

“What about Shaw?” she asked with a smirk.

“Please tell me you haven’t told anyone about him and me.”

“No, but you do like him.” I shook my head because I knew if I said the words, ‘no I do not’, they wouldn’t sound genuine. “Liar,” she said and threw the magazine down on the floor.

“I’m not.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Deny it all you like, Nancy, but it’s a big fat lie and you know it.”

She might well have been right, but there was no way that I was admitting it. No, Shaw Jackson was not good for me or my vagina and other than professionally, I needed to stay away from him.

* * *

It had been two days since I’d put in my bid for the bank. I still hadn’t heard anything. I also had seen anything of Shaw. With having the baby to take care of I didn’t really want to pester him about it, but I was getting kinda anxious that Ruthie already had the keys and was measuring guys up for G-strings and dickie bows. That was why I decided to stop by Tate’s office and see if he had any news.

“Hi Evie,” I said as I got to the reception desk.

She looked up at me with wary brown eyes and gave me a tentative smile. I had no idea what was going on with her but recently every time I’d seen her, she looked scared or as though she was about to cry.

“Oh hey, Nancy. What can I help you with?”

“Is there any chance Tate could spare me a few minutes? Shaw has been helping me with a real estate deal and I haven’t heard from him.”

She blinked. “Shaw is here. Don’t you want to see him?”

“He is?” I asked surprised, having fully expected him to be at home taking care of the baby, or at least trying to sort things out.

“Yes sure. I think he’s free too, let me check.” She pressed a button on her desk phone and after a few seconds spoke into it. “Hi, Shaw. Nancy is here and was wondering if you could spare her a couple of minutes… sure, will do.” She put the receiver down and gave her attention back to me. “He said go on down to his office. It’s the second on the left.”

“Thanks, Evie.” I took a step away and then turned back. “Are you okay, because if you ever need a friend, I’m a good listener.”

She chewed on her bottom lip and then gave me a half smile. “I’m okay thanks, Nancy. It’s just one of those months you know.”

“Okay, but please don’t feel you can’t come to me.”

“I know, and I really appreciate it.” The office phone rang startling her and she stared down at the phone for a few seconds before picking it up and mouthing sorry to me.

I took that as my cue to leave and go and see what Shaw could tell me. When I reached his office, the door was ajar, and he had his head down reading something on his desk. I pushed the door open wider and poked my head through the gap.

“You okay to see me?” I asked.

Shaw looked up and relaxed back in his chair. “If I must.”

“Listen I’d rather eat dirt than have to deal with you, but you gotta do what you gotta do, so here we are.”

“Yeah,” he sighed hooking his hands behind his head, “I get that. Have you heard from Don Jennings about the bank?”

I shook my head. “No, I was kind of hoping you had.”

He beckoned me in and then clicked on his keyboard. As he hummed while he typed, he didn’t seem like a guy whose life might be about to change forever.

“How’s Tia,” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder at the door.

“Mom has her today and don’t worry, everyone knows about her. I figured living in Dayton Valley it was pretty pointless trying to keep her a secret.”

Yet again he surprised me. I’d have guessed he would he kept it quiet for as long as possible.