She wasn’t all that happy with him either right now.
Two days later Josh still hadn’t gotten in touch, and Riley decided she needed to hold up her end with Lenore and invite Shane over for a playdate. Things were quiet at the Statesman, so she told Annette she was leaving early and then called Lenore to invite Shane over for a couple of hours that afternoon.
Lenore seemed pleased. “That would be great. I’ll call Bright Beginnings to let them know you’ll bring Shane home with you. And then I’ll pick him up at your place—five as usual?”
“Works for me,” Riley replied. She hung up feeling betterabout everything. Clearly, she’d overreacted to that moment when Lenore had seemed to notice her baby bump.
* * *
At three that afternoon, Josh had just pulled his truck to a stop next to the office trailer at Bravo Construction when Lenore called with another of her never-ending emergencies.
“The toilet in the hall bathroom is stopped up, Josh. Would you please come over now and take a look at it?”
He glanced at Roger in the passenger seat. The dog let out a whine as though in sympathy for Josh’s issues with his ex. “I’m at work, Lenore. Call a plumber.” He hung up.
But he only got to feel good about shutting her down for a minute and a half before she called again. He considered not answering, but then he gave in and picked up. “What now?”
“So you’re just going to let your son walk around in filthy toilet water?”
What did that even mean? “You didn’t say the toilet had overflowed.”
“Why do you have to be such a jerk to me, Josh?”
“Lenore.Hasthe toilet overflowed?”
“What do you care?”
He gave in. “I’ll be over in ten minutes.” And then he just couldn’t leave it at that. “But only to pick up Shane. I’ll bring him back to your place as soon as you’ve dealt with the problem.”
“Fine.” And she ended the call.
When he got to Lenore’s, he pulled in behind the plumber’s van that was already parked at the end of the front walk. Lenore must have heard him drive up because the door opened, and she marched out onto the porch. Folding her arms across her chest, she glowered at him.
He told Roger to stay, jumped from the truck and marched up the front walk. “Terrific. You’ve hired a professional.”
“Of course I did.”
“I see they came right over.”
“Yes, they did. And I’m glad for that because it’s obvious I can’t depend on you.”
They glared at each other as he silently counted to ten. Once he could speak without shouting at her, he said, “I’ll take Shane with me now. Just call me when the problem is solved.”
“Shane isn’t here.”
After two slow, calming breaths, he asked, “What is going on, Lenore?”
“He’s at yourfriendRiley’s house for a playdate.” She spoke softly and furiously. “And I do need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Riley, of course. She was over here day before yesterday to pick up Dillon.”
“So…?”
“I got a good look at her then. Riley Thompson is pregnant, Josh,” she accused in an angry whisper. “She’s pregnant, and it’s starting to show.”
He didn’t know what to feel—anger at the woman in front of him for daring to behave as if she had a damn thing to be outraged about. Or maybe guilt because he’d been sulking for almost two weeks now, feeling sorry for himself after Riley turned him down.
