“So, anyway”—I kept my voice even despite the thrill of victory—“that’s why I’m here.Not to stop the development, my firm and I see how it could enrich the county, but to inform the community that its location should be changed.”
“Hmm, my son would agree.”Again, she tapped the map, this time on a neighboring property.“That’s his therapy stables.”
I rested my chin on my hand.“Oh, you’re the same Cregers.”
“We are.”
“Is he a therapist?”
“His friend Missy is.She moved back a few years back and convinced Emmett to expand from boarding.Now, equestrian therapy is all they do.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Deb folded her hands on her desk and nodded.“Well, he’s gonna want to hear all of this.Let me introduce you.”
“That’d be amazing.I was planning to talk to all the neighboring landowners.An introduction to your son would be so helpful.”
“Can you meet me there at four-thirty?”
I checked my watch.Furgie needed to be let out beforehand, but it was possible.“I can.Thank you so much, Mrs.Creger.”
“Deb, please.”
I pressed a hand to my chest.“Alicia.”
“Do you play euchre?”
My brain screeched like a record, skipping at the change in subject.“Yeah, of course.”
She gave a decided jerk of her head.“You’ll have to come to a euchre club meeting with me.”
“Euchre club?”
“Yeah, it’s just a bunch of us ladies playing cards and chatting.But it still beats the Internet in spreading information.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Leaving my new buddy, I smiled and waved over my shoulder.As I walked out of the building, I tugged my white, knitted cap lower over my ears.My boots crunched on the frozen sidewalks.I scanned for patches of ice while nearly running to take shelter in the mildly warmer cab of my car.
The air blasted cold through my vents after I turned the key in the ignition.I took a couple of seconds to map out my destinations from Town Hall to my place, and then to the Creger stables.I had roughly twenty minutes to let my dog out and be there on time.Putting the car in drive, I made tracks.
In a robotic voice, my car read Sadie’s text aloud.Any new ex-husband sightings?
I sent back the longer text dictating to my car.Fortunately, no, but I’m heading home now.And you know, wesharea wall!But honestly, it’s been a couple of days, and I feel a little more rational about it.Now that the shock has passed.It had been four days since running into Remi—and kinda sorta climbing him like a literal tree.I was definitely not over it.I braced myself for impact every time I left my rental or got back to it.So far, the only time I’d seen him was the day after, when he was wearing scrubs with a tuxedo design and a little bowtie around his neck on his way to his mailbox.
“What is going on with you, Remi?”I asked from the safety of my half of the duplex.
But otherwise, he was gone a lot.And so was I.Avoiding him was easier than I thought it would be.
Me: I have been hella productive because of it though.I’m gonna save these wetlands and get back to Chicago.
Sadie: That’s right you are!And hurry cause I miss you!How’s our little Furg?
I could practically see the pout that would be on Sadie’s face if I were talking to her in person.
Me: She’s doing all right.I’ll keep you posted, but I’m sure the antibiotics are helping.What about you?Anything interesting going on there?
There was a pause as I turned onto the dirt road leading to my duplex.When Remi’s empty carport came into view, I exhaled the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
