Not a Chance(53)

"Is that what she says?" Brody asked, looking angry again. "God, she never listens. She just hears what she wants to hear."

Travis narrowed his eyes at him. "Women are funny that way."

Brody shook his head. "Last week we had an argument. We'd been seeing each other for a couple of months. Just dinner a couple of times a week. Nothing serious. So naturally, she asked if I was thinking about getting serious this time. I told her I just wasn't ready yet. I needed time. I'd like to keep seeing her, but I wasn't ready to commit yet."

Travis gritted his teeth. "She's thirty years old. Which don't mean a thing to you and me, but all she sees every day is the passing of her childbearing years."

"She's got plenty of time for that."

"Well she doesn't think so. And even if she does, she's given you three years. What more do you want?"

Brody buried his face in his hands. "The divorce was only finalized three years ago. I've got two kids. I just haven't been ready to get back in the dating game, let alone get married and have more kids."

"So, then, what's it to you if I hook up with her once in a while?"

Brody's face turned red again. "I don't want you seeing her anymore."

"Then you'd better get your fucking act together. Three years is more than enough time to get over a divorce. She's going to come to her senses, one of these days, and give up on you. Then she'll be all mine."

Brody's jaw set and his eyes narrowed. "Stay away from her."

Travis laughed. "No."

"Goddamn you!"

Travis stood, then and leaned over his desk. "If you and she are dating, I'll stay out of the way. But if you're just putting her on hold until you're ready, then I figure she's fair game. So get lost, Brody, and leave me the hell alone."

Brody leapt to his feet and stormed out of the office. Travis sat back and smiled to himself. It felt nice helping Kristin out. Even though he was still alone and had lost his backup plan. He still loved her and wanted her to be happy.



That morning Arden had a huge fight with her parents. They insisted she give Nick some benefit of the doubt. She didn't disagree with them. It just irked her that their first course of action was to defend Nick rather than to offer her comfort. So she'd yelled at them and stormed out and now she was watching Saturday morning cartoons on Shannon's couch with a blanket wrapped around her.

"Oh I love this one!" Arden shouted to Shannon who was in the kitchen baking blueberry muffins and brewing coffee.

"Which one is it?" Shannon shouted back.

"The one where the little Martian wants to blow up Earth so he can see Venus."

Shannon laughed.

Arden snuggled down into the couch and pulled the blanket up under her chin. Shannon was equal parts best friend and loving grandmother. Today Arden was taking advantage of the second part.

"How's your eye, dear?" Shannon shouted.

"Fine. It doesn't hurt if I don't touch it." Arden had never had a black eye before. She was determined not to go into public until it was completely healed.

"Do you want chocolate milk?" Shannon asked.

"Yes please!" Arden grinned to herself.

Just then Russell came in the front door. He'd been working on his truck out in the garage. It was freezing cold, so he had on a heavy flannel jacket over his flannel shirt. Arden wondered if the man owned clothing made from any other fabric besides flannel and denim. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and looked down at Arden.

"Um, I called Travis to come help me with my truck. I just thought you would want to know."

Shannon came around the corner from the kitchen and handed Arden a tall glass of chocolate milk with a straw in it. "That is so thoughtful of you, Russell," Shannon said.

He blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Did you tell him I was here?" Arden asked.

"No. It didn't come up. But I guess he'll figure it out when he sees your car in the driveway."

Arden's eyes narrowed. She had never been terribly comfortable around Russell. She got the feeling that he didn't like her and she sometimes felt like he was making fun of her. But she could never get a firm grasp on whatever it was that was making her uneasy. Like seeing movement out of the corner of your eye, but when you look, it disappears.

Russell kissed Shannon and went back outside to his garage. Shannon smiled after him, so much in love that it was sickening.

"You've been married six years," Arden said, "and you look at him like you just fell in love yesterday."

Shannon shrugged. "He doesn't let me get close to him. Just every once in a while he opens up to me and I get to love him. The rest of the time I feel like I'm still that teenage girl chasing after him, trying to get him to fall in love with me." Shannon turned and walked dreamily back into the kitchen.