“As I will be, if I am fortunate enough to begin to build a new practice.”
“I know this isn’t exactly what you planned,” he said. “But this must be an exciting time.”
“It’s more terrifying than exciting. I have to admit, I’m struggling with the added responsibility. I’ve taken on the bills, my own savings and retirement, the girls’ expenses...”
“Aren’t you getting child support?”
“Sort of. I’m deducting a small support payment for the girls from what I’ve agreed to pay Scott. And I’m keeping careful track of the bills—if he wants alimony and half the house, he has to pay half the household bills.”
“He’s getting support?”
She nodded. “For five years. But it’s not a fixed amount. Child support is a fixed amount, but the support I have to pay Scott is half of what I earn. I left my job last week. There will probably be nothing for a while.”
Logan sat forward in his chair. “Will that come as a surprise?”
“To him? Undoubtedly. Though I did tell him I meant to make a change and that I didn’t want to work for a large company anymore.” She stared at the ocean. “I’ve been with the same company since I passed the bar. I’ve always had a decent paycheck. I think Scott just assumes it will always be that way. This is the first time I’ve been out of work since college.”
The waitress brought them drinks and a plate of artichoke dip and bread. Logan lifted his glass to her. “Here’s to your new life.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Talking to you has helped, Logan. Thank you for making yourself available.”
“I’ve enjoyed it, too. Tell me more about your girls and what they’ll be doing this summer.”
“Well, they both have part-time jobs. Amber will go to cheerleading camp in August—fortunately it was half paid for before school was out. I’ve suggested she look for a part-time job she can manage during the school year, and she said she’ll look around. I told her I won’t have as much spending money for her during her senior year, so she’d better. Olivia has some steady babysitting lined up and is going with the family of her young wards for their vacation in July. She’s a miser. She’ll be okay. Amber thinks she wants to be a fashion designer or an actress or a home decor designer—we’ll see. Olivia wants to be a librarian. That goal hasn’t changed since she was a little tot and sat on the librarian’s lap during story time.”
They talked through a second glass of wine and some stuffed mushrooms. The sun was just starting to descend over the ocean, and Justine realized her phone hadn’t chimed with an incoming call or text the entire afternoon. She pulled it out of her purse and looked at it just to be sure.
“Someone looking for you?” Logan asked.
“Nah. I have no curfew tonight. I’ll check in with the girls on my way to my friend’s house.”
“This has to be getting old,” he said. “Staying at someone else’s house on Scott’s nights.”
“It won’t last forever,” she said. “For now, I’m making sure Scott has every chance to be an involved—” She went silent before finishing her sentence and was looking down the hill toward the beach. Then she flat-out stared.
Scott was right there with his mistress, strolling across the beach. She was small of stature, much shorter than Justine. She wore tight white capris, a short T-shirt that showed her belly and she had tattoos down one arm. Her hair was streaked or colored white-blond, and spiky. Justine longed for binoculars. She couldn’t really make out the details of her face, except that she had a long, pointy nose. They held hands and strolled like lovers.
“Oh-oh,” Logan said.
“This is my first time seeing her,” Justine said.
“There’s not much to see,” Logan said.
“There are some amazing tattoos to see,” Justine pointed out. “I have to admit she’s not what I expected. But she does have a good figure. At least from here she looks like a solid little thing.”
“Justine, you’re beautiful,” he said. “And brilliant.”
“And somehow, not enough...”
“That’s grief talking,” he said. “And at the end of the day, you’ll be better off than he will be.”
“But will I be better off than her?” she asked.
“Now that I can’t tell you,” Logan said. “But what I do know after all I’ve been able to learn about them, is your ex-husband is very stupid.”
“Seeing them, like that... It’s a little shocking. But it doesn’t make me want him back. Shouldn’t I want him? I gave him everything I had for thirty years!”
“I don’t know,” Logan said. “Maybe you’re happy you aren’t going to give him thirty more?”
“I’m still a little afraid of being alone...”
“Justine, you’re not alone,” he said. “I just bought you wine and artichoke dip! Man, you really work a guy hard!” And then he grinned at her.
She laughed and decided she liked him enough to kiss him later. If he asked.
They walked slowly up the hill to the parking lot and, good to his word, he held her hand. It was odd how that gave her so much confidence. The old Justine wouldn’t have so much as touched the hand of another man, and would probably be looking over her shoulder to see if her husband was in the vicinity. She was thoroughly comfortable, liked the touch; her ex-husband’s feelings never once crossing her mind.
Then he was there, right in front of her.
“Justine,” Scott said. “What are you doing here?”
She jumped in surprise when she was face-to-face with him. She looked left and saw the woman at his side, then swiveled her eyes back to Scott. “I’m taking in the art walk.” She looked at him closely. “That’s a nasty bruise.” A big purple bruise on his cheek had blackened his eye, and there was a small cut on his lip.
“I was helping out at the kayak shack and whacked myself right in the head,” he said. He cleared his throat. “Aren’t you going to introduce us? This is Cat.”
She thought about saying a hundred mean things. She noticed the woman did not smile. In fact, she wore a very superior expression, almost a sneer. But why wouldn’t she. She won. And Scott was the prize?
“No,” she said. “There’s no need. We’re not going to be friendly. Next time you see me, just keep walking.”
“Rude,” Cat said.
“Want me to tell you what’s rude?” Justine said. “I’ll tell you what’s rude! Sleeping with another woman’s—”
Logan pulled her away. He slid an arm around her waist to hold her close against his side and walked with her toward her car. “Not that I can’t appreciate a good fight, but I’m going to save you from jail time,” he said.
“Did you see how smug she was? I should’ve punched her.”
“I think she’s had practice,” Logan said.
“I shouldn’t have spoken,” Justine said. “I should have just walked away. If I ever run into her again, I’ll just turn my back.”
“Good idea,” he said. “Because she enjoyed that little temper you had.”
“How do you know that?”
“Her expression. I’ve been reading expressions for a long time. She’s got a mean streak.”
“Do you think she’d do something bad? To me or my girls?”
“Not directly,” he said. “That expression, that one uttered word? I think she likes the upper hand. She didn’t flinch at meeting you, even after she’s done her part to destroy your marriage. Possibly she has no conscience. Best to stay away from her.”
“Scott wants her to meet the girls.”
He stopped walking. He looked down at her. “If you have any influence, I’d give it a year before you do something like that. Can you convince your girls to put that off?”
“They don’t want to meet her.”
“Better still.”
“Whew, I’m very glad you were there to drag me away. I was going to throw her down.”
He laughed softly. “I felt that energy coming off you.” He arrived at her car. He turned her around, pressed her up against the car. “Don’t look for him,” he said. “Just remember, he’s gone and you’re a single woman. Just don’t look. Look here,” he said, giving his head a nod, focusing on her eyes. “Tell me if you had a good time.”
“All but two minutes,” she said. “Yes, I had a very good time. Good conversation, nice walk through town, delightful and relaxing view with wine...”
“I had a good time, too,” he said. “If fact, I think there are going to be more good times.” He leaned toward her and put a brief and soft kiss on her lips. “No, don’t look around to see if he’s there. We’re fine. We’re not cheating on anyone.”
“That’s a strange feeling, right there,” she said.
“It might take some getting used to,” he said. “You’re not one of a pair anymore.”
“I’m not,” she said, leaning toward him for another kiss. Just a short but meaningful kiss. “Is it all right if I call you later?”
“You call anytime you feel like it,” he said. “If you don’t call me, I’ll probably call you. I love talking to you.”
“It was kind of an awkward day, after all,” she said. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Nah, it had to happen. I’m glad I was with you. Now that’s one more thing you don’t have to worry about. You’re going to run into them. You’re up to the challenge. You can do it without violence.”
“It was close, though.”
* * *
Justine’s friend was out for the evening and had left her a note on the kitchen counter. Justine phoned the girls, made sure they were settled in for the night. Amber said that Scott had called and said he’d be there by ten; Justine didn’t mention having seen him in Carmel. She simply said, “I’ll call you in the morning. Then I’m going to go job hunting again.”