Her free time was spent in her cabin or driving Albie’s Volkswagen around. A few days into her stay, her uncle made his way out to the ranch and handed her the keys. “I don’t need it,” he explained. “I walk everywhere I need to go.”
The girl snatched the keys with barely a thank you, leading Charlie Grace’s instincts to flash warning lights. She decided to check her concern with her trusted aunt, who was a good judge of character. “Aunt Mo, how do you think Lizzy is doing?”
The brief silence that followed was all Charlie Grace needed to confirm her reservations.
Her aunt stopped paring the apple in her hand. “Well,” she slowly began. “I’m not one to say anything bad about anyone. So, let me just say this—peacocks are beautiful birds, but they like to flaunt their feathers.”
Aunt Mo was spot on.
“Yes,” Charlie Grace agreed. “Albie’s niece is very…uh, self-confident.” She didn’t voice her bigger concern.
Peacocks were not friendly birds.
Worse, they were prone to attack if you dared turn your back.
That was exactly what Charlie Grace tried to explain to Reva, Lila, and Capri on their Friday night meet-up at the Rustic Pine.
“Why did the girl ever agree to come to Thunder Mountain if she didn’t want to be here?” Reva asked as she took a seat at their corner table. “I mean, surely there are plenty of summer jobs in Seattle.”
Charlie Grace reached for her beer mug. “I don’t have a good answer for that. I’m not sure the feeling is mutual, but it’s clear that Albie adores her. Just between us, Albie slipped and said something the other night when he came out to the ranch to visit her that suggested he may be paying her college tuition.”
Capri’s mouth fell open. “Wow, that’s generous.”
“Maybe he’s footing her education bill because she’s his only niece and he wants to help his sister out?” Reva offered.
Lila lifted her beer from the table. “Well, if he’s spreading that love around, I’ve got a daughter going to college soon. She brought home a stack of information from the guidance counselor’s office the other day and it all reads like Greek. I mean—FAFSA, Cost of Attendance, Expected Family Contribution, Grant, Loan, Merit Aid—a person needs a translator for all that jargon. So, if Albie is handing out checks, I’ll take one.”
“Does Albie even have that kind of money?” Capri asked. “I mean, college is expensive.”
Reva dug inside her designer bag for her credit card. “Albie is the gold standard of human beings. I’m not surprised at his generosity toward his niece.” She placed her card on the tabletop. “Besides, I think Albie has money.”
The revelation that Albie might be wealthy caught Charlie Grace off guard. “Oh, how could that be?” she argued. “He’s the editor of the town paper. Has been since I can remember. He lives in a very humble house, drives a vintage Volkswagen van. Have you seen his clothes? He still wears corduroys that haven’t been in style since the seventies.”
Reva shrugged. “He’s frugal. That doesn’t suggest his bank account isn’t bulging.”
“True,” Charlie Grace admitted. She picked at the corner of her napkin and sighed. “I only hope that niece of his isn’t taking advantage.”
Lila stood and dug a quarter out of her jeans pocket. “Why do you say that?” Her friend stepped to the nearby jukebox and plugged in the coin. “How about some Jason Aldean?” she called over her shoulder.
Capri nodded. “Have you heard his new one? I love that song.”
Charlie Grace listened to her friends’ exchange while she pondered her answer for several seconds. Like Aunt Mo, she was reluctant to give voice to her worries and be publicly critical. Finally, she responded, “Oh, I don’t know. Just a gut feeling that he’s awfully fond of the girl and might not be alert to being used.”
“He’s not being used if he’s willingly paying for her schooling,” Reva reminded.
Charlie Grace smothered a groan and tried to smile. “True.”
Reva covered Charlie Grace’s hand with her own. “Besides, you have a lot on your plate to think about without taking on Albie’s potential troubles.”
Capri drained her beer mug. “Agreed. It’s time you focus on yourself for a change.” She turned to Charlie Grace. “So, how’s McDreamy?”
Charlie Grace rolled her eyes. “Would you quit calling him that? And Nick is just fine.” A shy smile nipped at the corners of her mouth. “More than fine really.”
“Do tell.” Reva urged.
“Well, despite me being swamped out at the ranch, we’ve spent a lot of time together. Mainly, we’ve been shooting photographs. I took him to Hayden Valley in Yellowstone just before dusk. We spotted a grizzly and two cubs on the hillside and got a few fabulous shots.”
She pulled out her phone and opened her photo app. “I loaded them here so I could show you.” She passed her phone to Reva.
