“You think her relationship with Rodney is fake?” Katherine asked.
“Fake would be too far,” Drew said. “Maybe… opportunistic?”
“Interesting.” Katherine tapped her thumb against her chin. “I wonder what a psychologist would say about her relationships with men.”
“Whether she likes him or not,” Megan said, “she does seem interested in his happiness.”
“Why do you say that?” Drew asked.
“Because of the kids. That’s the first thing I picked up at our lunch when she was trying to get me to encourage a meeting with her and Rodney and the kids. She kept talking about how happy Rodney would be. How satisfied it would make him if the kids were willing to repair the relationship. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but in retrospect…”
“She didn’t have any interest in the kids themselves?”
Megan thought hard. “No. I’d say all her interest was directed toward making Rodney happy. Or content, I guess. Giving him what he wanted.”
“Maybe that’s how she views relationships,” Katherine said. “Sociopaths generally view relationships as transactional. I give you this and you give me that. She wants Rodney happy for whatever reason, and she sees your children as a way to give him something he didn’t have before.”
“But why would she want Rodney happy?” Megan asked. “I mean, I get that they’re dating, but the woman is beautiful and rich. She could likely have any single man in Moonstone Cove. Why Rodney?” She turned to Katherine. “If we’re thinking along your lines, that she’s a sociopath and all her relationships are transactional, what does he give her?”
“Access to the country club,” Katherine said. “Access to his business.”
“What is that going to do for her?” Megan asked. “Really?”
Drew’s eyes were boring into Megan, and his chin was resting on a fist. “You.”
Megan frowned. “Me what?”
“Dating Rodney,” Drew said, “gives Angela Calvo access to you.” His eyes moved to Katherine. “And you. And Toni. The three women who were involved in solving her fiancé’s murder. The three women who kept those wine caves from being acquired by Fairfield Family Wines.”
Drew cautioned both Katherine and Megan to proceed cautiously with Angela Calvo while he did some background checking on her movements in the previous few weeks. Since Megan was still in shock over Adam’s brief disappearance and the idea that her previous sleuthing might have brought dangerous attention to her family, she was happy to comply.
Megan spent Saturday catching up with clients.
“If you’re dead set on Saturday, the soonest I can get you in at the Dusi winery is February of next year.” She listened as the bride completely lost it, then waited for the mother to take the phone. “Good morning, Ms. Harris, how are you? I know she’s disappointed, but I will tell you, I have planned some sunset weddings in the fall—when all the colors are changing in the vineyards and the weather is cooling down—that are absolutely stunning. Don’t think spring surprise, think fall sophistication.”
She coaxed the mother and daughter into rethinking a Friday-night wedding and managed to book them—with a healthy deposit—for mid-October, which gave Megan a healthy eight-month window to plan a gorgeous fall wedding.
Her next call was to a woman planning a golden anniversary party for her parents. Megan tried not to let her voice betray her.
“Oh, Evelyn, I remember planning my folks’ golden too. I think what they’re going to appreciate most is the people. So if you have to cut one budget item, I’d find a slightly less fancy venue and trade off with the bigger guest list. The friends are going to create the memories, if you know what I mean. I think going more rustic instead of country club might be a lot of fun, and I have two venues in mind right off the top of my head.”
A thread of sadness tugged at Megan’s heart. Unlike her own parents or Evelyn Carver’s folks, she would never have a golden anniversary. She’d spent nearly thirty years trying to make one marriage work, and that hadn’t lasted. Even if she got married tomorrow, she’d have to live to nearly a hundred to make a golden anniversary happen.
Not likely.
Damn you, Rodney! She didn’t often dwell in the past, but that morning she was tired, she was worried, and she was at the end of her rope.
It was just her luck that her next phone call was interrupted by Rodney. She sent him to voice mail and continued her conversation with one of her June brides.
Cami came into the living room a few minutes later. She waited for Megan to get off the phone, then asked, “Hey, Dad wants us to come over to his house to have dinner with him and Angela. Is that all right?”
“No!” Shit. That wasn’t cool. “I mean, I need to check on what’s going on tonight. I think…” What did she have? What could she count on? “Um, I told Toni that we’d take dinner out to her and Henry tonight, and she was so excited. You know, she’s almost ready to have the baby, so it’s hard for her to go places, and she loves the company.”
Which was literally the opposite of reality since Toni had been snarling at nearly everyone who intruded at her house for the past few days.
Cami perked up. “Toni and Henry’s house?”
“Yes. So you can’t possibly go to your dad’s. Not tonight. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, no problem.” Cami bounced back down the hall. “I’ll tell him.”
Adam wandered out a few minutes later. “We’re not going to Dad’s?”
Megan shook her head and kept her voice low. “Detective Bisset wanted to do a little digging first. He told us to lie low.”
Adam nodded. “You don’t think Dad—”
“There’s no reason to think he’s involved in any of this, buddy.” Even though there was. “I’m just being cautious.”
“Okay.”
Megan quickly got on the phone to text Toni.
What?
The kids and I are bringing you dinner tonight. What do you want?
Atlanta, I know you mean well, but I really don’t feel like company.
I had to give Cami an excuse why she couldn’t go to Asshole’s house.
Shit.
The phone was quiet for a long time before she texted again.
Will you bring the Patti LaBelle mac and cheese?
Megan let out a breath. Yes. I will bring the Patti LaBelle mac and cheese. With extra cheese.
Fine, you can come.
Megan sighed in relief. At least that was sorted. She just had to run to the store to get all the cheese.
Her phone buzzed again. It was Nico.
Toni said you’re bringing the mac and cheese to her house tonight.
Megan’s eyebrows went up. If you think you’re getting any of that mac and cheese from your cousin, you better be prepared to lose a finger or three.
You’re only bringing one pan?
Megan rolled her eyes. I have work to do. Partner.
I’ll bring tri-tip if you make another pan of mac and cheese.
She took a deep breath and considered her options. If Nico brought tri-tip, she’d really only have to bring a green salad and dinner would be sorted.