He gave a guilty laugh. “I’m just saying people aren’t always what they seem.”
Giving him a chiding glance, Girdy said, “I highly doubt River will chop Maxwell up into little pieces and bury him in the garden.”
I shuddered. “I would hope not.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if River just disappeared?” Girdy murmured.
I smiled weakly. “I certainly wouldn’t mind if a twister carried him off to another county.”
Girdy snorted a laugh. “Or maybe a house could fall on him.”
Todd raised his brows. “You two are bloodthirsty.”
“He’s just so annoying,” grumbled Girdy.
Todd sighed. “Alas, I think River is here to stay.”
“Oh, well.” I shrugged. “It won’t matter what he does from now on. Once I’m free of him, he’ll cease to exist for me.”
“Good attitude.” Girdy nodded. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
I hesitated. “Can I buy you two dinner? You helped me so much, it’s the least I can do.”
Girdy smiled. “Well, that’s downright sociable of you, Maxwell. Unfortunately, we have bingo tonight.”
Todd groaned. “Oh, no. Can’t we skip it?”
She shook her head and linked her arm through his. “Nope. We skipped it the last two times. Mom is calling out numbers tonight, and she’ll never forgive me if we don’t show up.”
“All right.” Todd gave her a doting smile. “I need to stay on your mother’s good side.”
Once they’d gone, I went inside to a very grumpy Grumpy. Apparently he’d heard me drive up, and he wasn’t happy with how long I’d taken to come inside the house. I fed him and played with him, glancing at the clock every now and then. I kept hoping Royce would come home for dinner, but as the hour approached 7:00 p.m., my hope faded. Such was life when your boyfriend was a cop.
I ate a turkey sandwich and read a little. I was turning off all the lights, about to go to bed, when my cell rang. I hoped it was Royce but scowled when I noticed it was River’s number.
Bracing myself, I answered. “Hello?”
“Maxwell?” River’s cheerful voice came over the line. “I thought maybe I’d get your voicemail.”
“Nope. It’s me.”
He laughed. “So it is. I got your message.”
“Great. When can we meet to sign the papers?”
He gave a long-suffering sigh. “You know, Maxwell, you’re acting so standoffish with me. I mean, for goodness’ sake, all I did was try to buy some property. You’re overreacting.”
I gripped the phone. “I don’t think I am.”
“You’re getting all twisted up about nothing. I’ve told you many times I’m acquiring properties for investment reasons.”
I scowled. “The thing is, you only seem interested in properties that I’m a part of. Why is that?”
“That was sheer coincidence.”
Liar.
Royce would have been proud of me because I didn’t say that out loud. “We don’t get along. It’s obvious there’s friction.”
