“That’s an understatement. But I was laid off and I couldn’t find a job. Lou was the first person to reply to one of my applications in months. I’m trying not to let that hurt my feelings but it still stings.”
“It’s tough out there. My son was out of work for a while, too.”
“So tough. My old boss was really apologetic when she had to let me go. She kept saying she knew I’d land on my feet, so she wasn’t worried about me. Little did she know.”
“But you did land on your feet. Just not where you expected.”
“I guess that’s true. And it’s probably good for me to be close to my mom for a while. My dad died a couple of years ago, so I know things have been hard for her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks. It was tough but also not unexpected. His health had been deteriorating for a while.”
“How’s your mom doing with such a big change?”
“She seems fine. Honestly, this might sound terrible, but in a way, I think she’s relieved. My dad wasn’t a bad guy, necessarily, but he wasn’t easy to live with.”
“Wait, Young. Was your dad Darryl Young?”
“Yeah. Did you know him?”
“Not personally. But wasn’t he mayor of Pinecrest for years?”
“Oh yeah. Twelve years, I think.”
“I remember his name being in the paper. Your mom, too, I think. Patrice?”
“That’s her. And yeah, I think press coverage was his favorite thing ever.”
The door opened again and I had to do a double take. Colin? What was he doing here?
“Speak of the devil.”
“Who’s that?” Sandra asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Colin.”
“High school ex-boyfriend Colin? You’re kidding.”
“Nope, that’s him.”
“His ears must have been burning.”
Our eyes met and he flashed me a wide smile as he walked to our table. He was dressed similarly to the last time I’d seen him—button-down shirt and slacks. I wondered if he always dressed like that or if he’d just come from the office.
But what was he doing here?
“Hey, Audrey. We keep running into each other.” He turned to Sandra. “Hi. Colin Greaves.”
“Sandra O’Neal.”
“I didn’t think I’d see you here, of all places,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
He glanced around. “I come down here once in a while. Nice to have a change of scenery. I can’t go anywhere in Pinecrest these days without being recognized. Sometimes I just want to have a drink in peace, not give out a bunch of free legal advice to the locals.”
I gave him as friendly a smile as I could manage. “I’m sure that gets old after a while. Enjoy your drink.”
He grinned, like I’d said something amusing. “I see what you’re doing, but you can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart. We still need to catch up. Sandra, you don’t mind if I join you.” He was already circling behind her to sit in one of the empty chairs. “How’s your mom?”
I felt like I had to answer. After all, he’d known my parents for years. “It’s been a tough couple of years, but she’s okay.”
“Glad to hear that. I’ve seen her around town. She’s certainly stayed active in the community. I’m sure that’s good for her.”
“She does like to keep busy. How are your parents?”
He leaned back in his chair. “The old man is – well, he’s still my old man. He made the mistake of retiring and now he just stays home and drives my mom crazy.”
Colin’s parents had always seemed like decent enough people, although I’d never gotten the impression that they’d liked me all that much.
I shifted in my chair, finding it impossible to get comfortable. I hoped he’d decide to get up but the silence was a few seconds away from getting awkward and he wasn’t moving, so I rushed to fill it. “And how’s Lorelei? Is she still working at the library?”
“No.” His eyes narrowed for a second. “She’s a medical assistant now, which I guess makes her happy. She works a lot of hours, anyway.”
His tone was flippant, almost irritated, and I wondered if my mom’s gossip about Colin and Lorelei had been true.
“Good for her.”
He shrugged, as if his wife and her profession didn’t particularly matter. He angled his face toward Sandra and put on a smile. “I’m sorry, Sandra, I don’t mean to exclude you from the conversation. How do you know Audrey?”