Abrupt Changes: A Second Chance Romance (O-Town Book 3) by Karen Renee (comprehension books .TXT) 📕

“Trey Garrity, you need to quit. I didn’t even check caller ID to know who’s calling me...”

My mouth filled with bile, which I swallowed down. I thought about hanging up, but Angela would know she missed a call from me.

Then I heard Trey’s voice. “Hard to quit you, Angie.”

My heart broke. Not from hearing my ex-husband’s voice but from knowing Angela was involved with him. I took a deep breath and thought fast. The sound of the phone jostling filled my ear, and I put it on speaker. I hoped I could pretend I hadn’t heard anything because of a speaker phone issue.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Angela? It’s me. Is this a bad time?”

A lengthy pause ensued.

“Raegan,” she said in an almost-accusatory tone.

“Yeah. I don’t know if you heard me calling your name earlier, my phone was having connectivity issues. I’m out running errands.”

Clint threw me a look over his shoulder.

I heard her inhale.

“No, not a bad time, honey. And yeah, I didn’t hear you. I nearly hung up.”

My lip curled, but I forced myself to smile. “Well, I called because you don’t have to check in on my place anymore.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll be back later this week,” I lied.

Clint whirled from the sink and I held a hand up to him while shaking my head.

“I’ll pick you up from LaGuardia, when do you get back?”

Her enthusiasm was contagious, but knowing what I did, it was hard to match. “Oh, that’s all right, hon. It’s no biggie to catch a cab. Besides, you work your twelve-hour shift on Thursday.”

Clint stood in my space at this point, and I glared at him while stepping away.

“So, you’ll be here Thursday?” she asked.

“That’s the plan, airline delays notwithstanding.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, I heard that.”

“All right, so see you at Corner Slice at eight, right?” I asked referencing our standing date for pizza.

“You got that right.”

“Later, Angela,” I said, and hung up.

I made sure the phone was disconnected before meeting Clint’s angry eyes.

“Slow your roll, Ramsey. You didn’t hear the beginning of that awful phone call.”

“I’m listening now, so cut to it.”

I fought laughing at his insistence.  “She accidentally answered my call without looking, and I overheard her telling Trey he needed to quit, and he said he couldn’t quit her.”

He closed his eyes and turned his head a touch.

When he opened his eyes, he asked, “She’s your girl up there isn’t she? And you’re saying she’s—”

“Involved with my ex, apparently.”

Instantly, Clint wrapped me in a strong bear-hug.

“Fuck,” he said into my hair. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

I hugged him back as tears welled, but I beat them back. If Angela could do another woman that way after hearing how Trey cheated, then it was her own grave she was digging.

When he pulled away, he said, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”

“Excuse me?” I demanded.

“Something told me you needed to keep your mouth shut about things. When she called the other day, I knew you had to keep her in the dark. I just didn’t know why.”

My head cocked to the side. “So, you’re pleased with your instincts being right?”

“Yes, but more, I’m pleased we have more to go on.”

“We do?”

His chin dipped. “Damn right, we do. She ask if you were changing your will?”

I thought back to when this whole debacle began. “No, she didn’t, but she was intent on knowing where I’d be working.”

His eyes narrowed. “Didn’t you tell her where you interviewed?”

I shook my head. “No. I had told her I had resumes out, but the interview after Labor Day was extremely last minute. In fact, she thought I was already in Orlando when I called to tell her about Wynnie’s death.”

His eyebrow arch was cocky as all get out.

I nudged his chest. “Don’t get smug. This hurts.”

His face fell. “Yeah. That’s why I’m sorry, Rae.”

My forehead fell to his broad chest. “Do you think she’s been...she was with him while...” I struggled to finish the thought.

Clint cupped my chin to tilt face toward his. “Does it matter? In the big scheme of things, does it? I don’t think it does. It’s wrong, especially if they’re doing what I think they are—”

“Which is...?”

“Conspiring to have you killed. He either recoups his money or she gets half of it, either way, over a million dollars is motive enough for murder.”

I closed my eyes. Angela with Trey hurt, but the idea she would have anything to do with having me killed went beyond painful.

Since I didn’t hear the walker, Mom’s voice surprised the hell out of me.

“What’s goin’ on in here? Why’s she look like she lost her—”

“She did,” Clint said.

Mom’s brows knit. “How’s that?”

“Let’s sit down, Mom, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Clint nodded. “Do that. I’m calling Paul.”

MOM STARED AT ME FOR quite a while. Finally, she asked, “Where’s she live?”

I widened my eyes at her. “Mom. I appreciate that, but Clint’s right. It doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter?” She laughed bitterly. “Since the cat’s out of the bag, I’ve been cheated on and I’ve cheated on someone. If that hussy were any kind of friend at all...” she looked away as she trailed off. Then her eyes swung to me full of ire. “She stood up for you at your wedding! Then she held your hand through your divorce, but she’s suddenly with that asshole? She’s more of a snake in the grass than he is.”

“And I’m just their chump. God! How could I have been so stupid?”

Clint strode into the room. “Woman, I’ve told you. You aren’t stupid. Jesus. Give yourself a break. You’re taking on how many life-changing events in the span of a few months? Two, which has become four, maybe five, life changes at once? Cut yourself some slack.”

“How’s she got five life changing events?” Mom asked.

I was mentally calculating it and coming up short, too.

Clint looked at Mom but settled his hard stare on me holding up a hand. “Within the past two months, give or take, you’ve had: a divorce, a job change, a death in your immediate family. That’s