dog.”
“There’s a dog, too,” Linda Gail said. “Milo. It was Finn’s, but now it belongs to Macy and Wyatt.”
“How’s Wyatt doing, anyway?” Cathy asked, trying to seem sympathetic instead of completely titillated by what had become the biggest scandal in town since the ex-mayor’s affair.
Linda Gail drank thirstily before speaking. She liked drawing out the drama. She lowered her cup and looked around at her three friends. “This is not to leave this table, understood?”
They all nodded eagerly.
“He’s a basket case.”
“Really?” Cathy asked, and the three of them leaned forward, anxious to hear the details.
“He’s not sleeping, he’s not eating. Yesterday, he almost forgot a closing. He never forgets a closing. And today, he forgot that he read an environmental report just yesterday.”
“Wow,” Reena said.
“Has he said anything?” Anne asked.
“Not a damn word,” Linda Gail said. “But I know this—he loves her. I’ve known Wyatt for a long time, and Lord, he has been through some women. But he’s never loved anyone like he loves Macy Clark.”
“He’s a good-looking man,” Anne said, as if that excused the way he used to cat around town. “Love that black hair and blue eyes combination.”
“Yes, but did you see Finn ?” Cathy whispered. “Oh my God ,” she said, putting a hand over her heart.
“Stop it, you guys,” Reena said. “This is heartbreaking, and Wyatt is going to get the short end of this stick, I just know it.”
“Well, if he does, I know who will be waiting in the wings,” Linda Gail said casually.
“Who?” Reena demanded.
“Caroline Spalding.”
The other women gasped in perfect unison. Linda Gail nodded. Caroline Spalding was Cedar Springs’s most notorious divorcée. She was very regal, blonde, and wealthy, and like a lot of rich folks, lived in the Hill Country. It was a short drive to Austin, but close to home, and the views were beautiful.
As if that weren’t enough, Caroline was a true barracuda. She was dangerous because she didn’t come across as one—she quietly pursued men, married or not. “It’s true,” Linda Gail said. “She’s called twice since the news broke because she suddenly needs help with a land deal.”
“She’s barking up the wrong tree,” Anne said irritably. “Wyatt and Macy love each other. He’s not going anywhere.”
“But she loved Finn Lockhart first,” Reena reminded them all. “And you should have seen the way Finn looked at her on the Today show. It’s obvious that he loves her something awful.”
“Imagine, having two handsome men want you,” Cathy said with a sigh. “I’d be happy if Jerry just wanted me on Saturday night.”
They laughed. But as the talk moved to just how hot Matt Lauer was on a scale of one to ten, Linda Gail couldn’t help but worry about Wyatt. In spite of his gruffness, Linda Gail was fond of him. He was like a little brother to her, and she knew that he loved Macy more than the air he breathed. Wyatt wasn’t the easiest guy to get to know, and he didn’t have a lot of close friends. He was gruff to the point of being rude sometimes, and God, he was a driven man. But there was something about Macy that softened him.
If this deal didn’t go his way, Linda Gail worried what it would do to him.
7
If one more person asked Macy what she was going to do, she could not be responsible for their safety.
The last person—a perky, tiny little Tinkerbell from CBS—had asked with an affected smile, and it had taken all of Macy’s strength to keep from telling the woman to mind her own business. Why couldn’t people just rejoice in Finn’s being alive and coming home? Why couldn’t the big news story be his miraculous survival? That was all Macy could think about when she looked at him. The reality of it was sinking in a little deeper each moment. It was incredible he was here .
She started each interview grinning with glee, hardly able to contain
“There’s a dog, too,” Linda Gail said. “Milo. It was Finn’s, but now it belongs to Macy and Wyatt.”
“How’s Wyatt doing, anyway?” Cathy asked, trying to seem sympathetic instead of completely titillated by what had become the biggest scandal in town since the ex-mayor’s affair.
Linda Gail drank thirstily before speaking. She liked drawing out the drama. She lowered her cup and looked around at her three friends. “This is not to leave this table, understood?”
They all nodded eagerly.
“He’s a basket case.”
“Really?” Cathy asked, and the three of them leaned forward, anxious to hear the details.
“He’s not sleeping, he’s not eating. Yesterday, he almost forgot a closing. He never forgets a closing. And today, he forgot that he read an environmental report just yesterday.”
“Wow,” Reena said.
“Has he said anything?” Anne asked.
“Not a damn word,” Linda Gail said. “But I know this—he loves her. I’ve known Wyatt for a long time, and Lord, he has been through some women. But he’s never loved anyone like he loves Macy Clark.”
“He’s a good-looking man,” Anne said, as if that excused the way he used to cat around town. “Love that black hair and blue eyes combination.”
“Yes, but did you see Finn ?” Cathy whispered. “Oh my God ,” she said, putting a hand over her heart.
“Stop it, you guys,” Reena said. “This is heartbreaking, and Wyatt is going to get the short end of this stick, I just know it.”
“Well, if he does, I know who will be waiting in the wings,” Linda Gail said casually.
“Who?” Reena demanded.
“Caroline Spalding.”
The other women gasped in perfect unison. Linda Gail nodded. Caroline Spalding was Cedar Springs’s most notorious divorcée. She was very regal, blonde, and wealthy, and like a lot of rich folks, lived in the Hill Country. It was a short drive to Austin, but close to home, and the views were beautiful.
As if that weren’t enough, Caroline was a true barracuda. She was dangerous because she didn’t come across as one—she quietly pursued men, married or not. “It’s true,” Linda Gail said. “She’s called twice since the news broke because she suddenly needs help with a land deal.”
“She’s barking up the wrong tree,” Anne said irritably. “Wyatt and Macy love each other. He’s not going anywhere.”
“But she loved Finn Lockhart first,” Reena reminded them all. “And you should have seen the way Finn looked at her on the Today show. It’s obvious that he loves her something awful.”
“Imagine, having two handsome men want you,” Cathy said with a sigh. “I’d be happy if Jerry just wanted me on Saturday night.”
They laughed. But as the talk moved to just how hot Matt Lauer was on a scale of one to ten, Linda Gail couldn’t help but worry about Wyatt. In spite of his gruffness, Linda Gail was fond of him. He was like a little brother to her, and she knew that he loved Macy more than the air he breathed. Wyatt wasn’t the easiest guy to get to know, and he didn’t have a lot of close friends. He was gruff to the point of being rude sometimes, and God, he was a driven man. But there was something about Macy that softened him.
If this deal didn’t go his way, Linda Gail worried what it would do to him.
7
If one more person asked Macy what she was going to do, she could not be responsible for their safety.
The last person—a perky, tiny little Tinkerbell from CBS—had asked with an affected smile, and it had taken all of Macy’s strength to keep from telling the woman to mind her own business. Why couldn’t people just rejoice in Finn’s being alive and coming home? Why couldn’t the big news story be his miraculous survival? That was all Macy could think about when she looked at him. The reality of it was sinking in a little deeper each moment. It was incredible he was here .
She started each interview grinning with glee, hardly able to contain
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