Whit raised his hands in a placating gesture, concern etched across his face. “All right. But if something’s bothering you, you know you can talk to me, right?”
She scoffed, the sound bitter. “Funny. You don’t seem to think that applies to you.”
He blinked, clearly taken aback. “What do you mean by that?”
Lila turned away, her shoulders tense. That’s when she noticed a pink cell phone on the counter. “Nothing. Just forget it.”
But Whit wasn’t letting it go. “Lila, come on. Just tell me what’s going on.”
She sighed heavily, her frustration evident. “I said drop it, Whit.”
A thick, uncomfortable silence settled between them. Lila could feel Whit’s eyes on her, searching for answers she wasn’t ready to give. From the corner of her eye, she saw him run a hand through his hair, a gesture she knew meant he was trying to figure out what to do next.
“All right,” he said softly, backing off. “But like I said. If you ever want to talk, I'm here.”
Lila kept her back to him and didn’t respond. She heard him leave the room, and a wave of guilt washed over her. She hated conflict, especially with someone at work, but the thought of Candy Faye whatever-her-name-was claiming to be Whit’s girlfriend made her blood boil. How could he not have mentioned the minor fact he was dating someone else?
The day dragged on with a palpable tension hanging in the air. Lila went through the motions of her duties, her interactions with Whit limited to the essentials. Every time he tried to engage her in conversation, she shut him down with curt, one-word answers.
By the end of the day, Lila felt exhausted, the weight of her emotions bearing down on her. She left the clinic without a word, her heart heavy and her mind a whirl of conflicting emotions. She knew she couldn’t keep this up for long and hoped with time she could move past it.
But right now, all she could think about was the conjured image of the woman Capri described and that pink phone on the counter.
25
Capri strolled down Main Street, her eyes scanning the storefronts when she spotted a striking woman with a stylish short haircut stepping out of a parked car. It took only a moment for Capri to recognize her.
Candy Faye Hutchison.
Her pulse quickened as she watched Candy Faye stride confidently toward the vet clinic.
“This should be interesting,” Capri muttered to herself, deciding to follow and see what drama might unfold.
As she turned for the clinic, she spotted Reva and Charlie Grace emerging from Reva’s office across the street. Capri waved them over with an eager smile. “C’mon, she’s heading into the vet clinic.
Reva frowned, clearly confused. “Who?”
Capri grabbed Reva’s arm. “Whit’s girlfriend.”
Charlie Grace parked her hands on her hips. “What are you planning to do?”
“Spy,” Capri replied with a mischievous glint in her eye.
“But where’s Lila?” Reva asked.
“When I talked to her this morning, she said she didn’t sleep last night, so she’s going in late.”
“Understandable,” Charlie Grace said. “She’s been under a lot of pressure, what with school and now this thing with Whit and a surprise girlfriend.”
Capri gave a hearty nod. “So, are you guys with me? I’m heading over to see what’s up.”
Reva and Charlie Grace exchanged hesitant looks, but curiosity got the better of them. They quickly joined Capri, who led them closer to the clinic. The trio darted behind a large pine tree, watching Candy Faye disappear through the clinic door.
They were about to make their move when they noticed something unusual. Just a few feet away, peering into one of the clinic’s windows, were Oma Griffith, Betty Dunning, and Dorothy Vaughn—the notorious Knit Wits of Thunder Mountain.
“What in the world— ” Charlie Grace muttered, her eyes wide.
Capri stifled a giggle. “Looks like we’re not the only ones interested in this little soap opera.”
