I lied.
When the truck rumbled into his driveway mid-afternoon, I slid down the cushions to hide myself in case anyone looked in the windows.All the lights were off, and the only clue I was there was my car outside, which definitely drew attention being red and a convertible, but I had nowhere else to put it.
Movement outside had me peeking out, but I didn’t dare go closer to the windows and risk being caught.
Hannah ran things like a drill sergeant.She argued with the man in charge of installing the tent until he sighed and shook his head, letting her have her way.The tent went up relatively quickly, although I had never seen one installed.When the last anchor was pounded into the ground, the men scattered to get away from Hannah.
The foreman held out a clipboard for Hannah to sign, and they spoke for a few minutes, then the truck pulled away.
I watched, wondering what she was going to do, and was surprised when she let herself into Josh’s house.With a key.
Wow.I didn’t know a lot of divorced couples, but giving your ex-wife a key seemed incredibly familiar.
Again, not my business.
She emerged thirty minutes later and glanced around before getting into the large SUV parked in Josh’s driveway and leaving.
I went through the rest of my day feeling the urge to get out of the house.I had already read the books I checked out from the library weeks ago, plus the new stack I came home with last week and a few of Ashlyn’s, and I was so bored.Reading all day all summer sounded like a great idea until I spent three weeks doing it.I needed human interaction and to move my body.
Before I could come up with an idea, Ashlyn was home from work.
“Short day?”I asked.
She nodded.“Yeah, thankfully.I’m exhausted.Want to order in tonight?”
I groaned internally and forced a smile.“Sure.”
Ashlyn sent in an order, then retreated to the bathroom for a shower.I curled up on the couch again and waited.
Over our dinner, Ashlyn told me about her day and asked how the tent installation went.
“Hannah was here.”
Ashlyn’s eyes went wide.“Did she see you?”
I shook my head.“I don’t think so.She didn’t come to the door or anything.She let herself into Josh’s house.She has a key.”
“Okay?”
“I just thought it was weird.She’s his ex.”
Ashlyn shrugged.“Since Evie goes back and forth, I’m guessing it’s just easier for Hannah to be able to get into his house in case Evie ever forgets something.”
“Yeah, but she let herself in when no one was there.Don’t you find that odd?”
Ashlyn narrowed her eyes.“Why are you getting so upset by this?”
“I’m not.”I forced calm back into my voice.“I just don’t like people overstepping their boundaries.I don’t think it’s right for her to make herself at home in her ex-husband’s house.”
“I like Josh, but I don’t know him well.We say hello and he’s friendly enough, but we’re not close, so I can’t tell you what’s normal for them.I would guess if she’s letting herself in, he knows and is okay with it.”
“I doubt it.”
Ashlyn looked at me for a minute, her gaze assessing and confused.“Is there something going on I don’t know about?”
“No.”I sighed.“What do you think would be going on?”
She shook her head.“I don’t know, but I feel like there’s something I’m missing.”
