Lance looked like he was going to say something butinstead just nodded. “How about we go by there tonight? We can figure out what you want done and then see when we can fit it onto the calendar.”
“Thanks.” Will stood.
“Listen, Will.” Lance also stood up and came come around his desk. He clapped his hand on Will’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about what happened with you and Amy?”
Will could see the concern in his brother-in-law’s face, but he just didn’t have it in him to spill his guts. “Not really. But thanks for offering to listen.”
“Well, if you need a listening ear, I’m here for you. We love you both, and it’s difficult to see you hurting.”
Will nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Returning to his office, he shut the door before going to sit behind his desk. He had hoped that getting the ball rolling on the house would give him a sense of purpose, but if anything, it had just been a reminder of what he’d lost. First Delia and now Amy. The home he’d hoped to provide for his family was a joke. Maybe just getting it done and sold would bring about the peace he wanted.
In the meantime, he’d try to keep busy with the things in his life that he could count on. His job and his daughter.
~*~*~
“Is Will coming over tonight?” Amy asked Cami when she arrived back at the manor shortly after five Friday afternoon. Isabella had been there to warmly and enthusiastically welcome her home, but there’d been no sign of Will.
“I don’t know.” Cami glanced to where Laurel and Violet stood. “You guys know?”
“I think Matt said he was going to meet Lance at the house.”
“Is he going to finish it?” Violet asked.
“Matt said Will talked to Lance this morning about finishing it, but not to live in. He’s planning to sell it.”
“A house?” Amy asked, looking back and forth between them. “What house?”
“Will has a house that he was building when Delia died. Since then it’s been unfinished and empty. I guess he figured now was a good time to finish it up and get rid of it.”
A sudden rush of panic engulfed Amy. She had returned with the intention of seeing if Will would give her a second chance, but it sounded like he was moving forward, cutting off any idea of having a family in that house he’d built.
She picked up her phone then looked at the women standing there. “Will you guys pray for me? I need to talk to Will.”
“Are you going to try and work things out?” Cami asked, a hopeful expression on her face.
“Yes. If I haven’t burned that bridge already.”
The three sisters exchanged looks that made Amy uneasy.
“We’ll definitely pray for you,” Laurel assured her. “Just cut him a little slack. He’s reverted back to the old Will in some ways. It might take some effort to get through to him.”
Amy nodded. “I understand.” She lifted her phone. “I’m going to phone Lance and see if he’s with Will.”
“I’d say good luck,” Violet said, “but I don’t believe in luck. I will say that I hope you can work this out with him.”
“Thank you.”
~*~*~
Will stood in the center of the big open room. Even after all these years he could still picture in his mind what he’d planned for the space. The memory didn’t bring him any of the joy it used to.
“Sorry about that,” Lance said as he walked in. “Got hung up on a phone call at the office.”
Will swung around. “No problem.”
Before he could say anything more, Lance’s phone rang again. He plucked it from his belt and stared at the display. Frowning, he said, “I’ve got to take this.”
Will watched as Lance walked back out of the house. From his vantage point, he could see through the large glass windows at the front of the house. Lance had walked out onto the sidewalk and stood with the phone pressed to his ear, one hand on his hip. As he talked, he glanced toward the house. After he had lowered the phone to his belt, Lance stood for a moment, his fingers pressed to his forehead.
