“No, you hardly knew him. Ashley doesn’t expect any of you to be there.”
“Still, she’s your wife,” Mom says.
“She is, and if the service were here, I’m sure she’d appreciate the effort, but she and I talked. No one expects any of my family there, especially since we’re still dealing with the aftermath of the fire.”
God, the fire. I’m still harboring that secret.
Strong. Stay strong for Ashley. Get her through this thing with her mom, and then you can fall apart. Not before.
“When will you be home?” Mom asks.
“I fly back the next day. I have to keep watch over the Syrah. It’s a very crucial time.”
“What about Ashley?” Dad asks.
“I guess I assumed she’d fly back with me. I got her a ticket.”
“She may want to spend some additional time with her mother.”
I didn’t think of that. “Then we’ll change the ticket. No big deal.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Dad stands. “I’ve got to get to the orchard. Love you.” He kisses Mom’s lips.
“Love you too.”
Cute. My parents almost never leave a room without professing their love for each other.
Is it just habit? Or do they really feel it after all these years?
“I need to ask your opinion on something,” Mom says.
“Sure. What’s up?”
She sighs. “Mary gave her notice yesterday.”
Mary is the Snow Creek assistant city attorney. “Oh? She’s been with you for… Forever, I guess.”
“Yeah. So I’m going to need a new assistant city attorney.”
“Sorry, I don’t have a license to practice law.” I force a smile.
She smiles back. “I’m talking about your brother. Do you think he’d be interested in the job?”
“Donny? Mom, he’s on a partnership track at a major Denver firm. I don’t think he’ll give that up.”
“Even for his mother?”
“Mom…”
“I want someone I can trust. Mary is brilliant, and so is Donny.”
“Do you really need the best legal mind for Snow Creek?”
Mom huffs. “I do, Dale. Being the city attorney for a small town may seem boring to you, but I take it seriously. I don’t settle for second best.”
“Hey, no sweat,” I say. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yeah, you did.”
Fuck. This is a classic conversation with Mom. She takes everything I say the wrong way. I want to give her what she wants—closeness to me—but we don’t relate. We never have.
She and Donny, though—that’s different. They’re über close. Which is maybe why this isn’t the best idea.
“Are you sure working together would be good for both of you?”
“Why wouldn’t it?”
Oh, maybe because you’re too close. Maybe he wouldn’t like taking orders from his mother. Maybe he’s thirty-two years old and is done doing what his mommy wants.
“I don’t know. Just a thought.”
I can’t say any of this to her. No matter how diplomatic I am—which isn’t my strong suit anyway—she’ll take it all the wrong way.
“Do you think he’d be good at it?”
“Donny’d be good at any job. He’s kicked ass everywhere he’s worked since he started clerking during law school.”
She nods. “Which is why I want him. He’s the best.”
Which means he can do a lot better than assistant city attorney in a Podunk town.
“It’d be a huge pay cut for him,” I say.
“Since when does your brother—or any of you—need to worry about money?”
I don’t reply.
“Plus, I won’t work forever,” she continues. “I’m fifty-one years old, and I’ll retire in five or ten years. Fifteen, at most, and then the job will be his.”
I can’t see my mother retiring until she leaves this earth, but I keep that to myself.
“Yeah. Sure, Mom.”
“So it’s a good idea. Right?”
Hell, no, it’s a shitty idea. “Sure, Mom. Good idea.”
“I’ll call him from the office and offer him the position. No interview necessary. That’ll be a first.” She kisses the top of my head. “Love you, honey. Have a good day.” She whisks out of the kitchen through the garage.
Should I warn my brother her call is coming? Yeah, I should. I make a quick call, but it goes to his voicemail. He must be in a meeting. “Hey. Fair warning. Mom’s going to call you in a half hour and ask you to take the assistant city attorney job in Snow Creek. Mary’s leaving. I figured this might give you a chance to come up with a valid excuse. I’ll talk to you when I’m back from LA. Ciao.”
Good enough.
Now to the winery. To my Syrah.
While I try not to think about why we have only half the amount is because of me.
Chapter Forty-Two
Ashley
Dale insisted on taking a cab from the airport. I was more than happy to pick him up, but he didn’t want me braving the LA traffic. My husband is quite the gentleman.
I melt into his arms when he arrives at Mom’s place.
“Hey.” He kisses the top of my head. “How’s she doing?”
“She’s grieving, finally,” I tell him.
Mom finally traded in her numb exterior for uncontrollable sobbing. She’s out now. One of her salon friends is giving her a facial and massage gratis. I hope it calms her down.