“Hey, how are you Jessica?” I asked.
“Airports and now doctor complexes. I’m here to get my flu shot. What about you?”
Liza and I had started telling people about the baby so I didn’t think it would be a problem to tell Jessica. I smiled bigger. What I really wanted to do was stand on the tallest mountain and scream that I was going to be a father.
“Just left a doctor’s appointment with Liza.”
Jessica looked in my truck. “Where is Liza?” She asked.
“She left. Headed back to Llano. She needed to get back to work.”
Jessica’s eyes narrowed. “Is everyone okay? I mean, you don’t look sick. I hope Liza’s all right.”
I let a nervous laugh escape my throat. “Liza is feeling…different.”
Jessica pursed her lips and looked at me. “Different? How so?”
“We’re um…we’re expecting a baby.”
Her smile faded as her eyes filled with regret. “Really? Y’all are having a baby? So soon? Don’t you think you’re rushing things, Walker?”
I looked straight into her eyes. “No. I don’t. How are you and Mitch doing?”
Her posture straightened a bit as she let out a gruff laugh. “On again. Off again. That’s how we like it.”
I looked over to the main entrance of the building when I heard the doors open. A nurse came walking out wearing pale blue scrubs. “Oh hey, Jessica,” she said. “Forgot my cell in my car. I’ll meet you inside.”
I nodded at the nurse as Jessica lifted her hand and called out, “Okay.”
I glanced back at Jessica. “Well, listen, Jessica, it was great seeing you, but I’ve gotta run. Some asshole slit my tire and now I’m running late.”
Jessica covered her mouth and gasped. “Oh, God, Walker. They slit your tire? Why?”
I looked around. “Probably kids. Liza’s car got the shit banged out of it a few weeks back. I’ll just be glad to start going to the Fredericksburg office soon. It’s closer.”
“Oh, I bet. Hey I know this is kind of out there, but if you still wanted those tickets for your mom for the nutcracker, I can get them. It’s next weekend.”
I blinked slowly and mumbled, “Shit.” I’d have loved to take my mom but we were heading to Tennessee. “Damn it, I wish I could. I’m heading out of town for work, so I’ll have to pass. But thanks!”
I jumped into my truck as she called out, “Sure. Maybe next year.”
I turned and gave her a funny look. One nod of my head and I was pulling off.
“STOP POUTING.”
I turned to my father. “I’m not pouting.”
Layton laughed. “Walker, you’re pouting. You have been since you climbed into my truck to head to the airport.”
I rolled my eyes, sank into my seat, and looked out the window. My father reached across and hit me on the shoulder.
“It’s still hard for me to leave your mother. She’s going to be fine. The private investigator I hired reported in before we boarded the plane. Keith is in Dallas. If he makes a move to head toward Llano, he’ll be on the phone with us. Stop worrying.”
I nodded and turned to look out the window. I hadn’t told Liza about my slashed tire. She was already freaked out. With Keith being in Austin that day, the slashed tire, his text, the flowers…shit. All signs were pointing at him, and I could no longer deny that it wasn’t a coincidence. My father and Layton agreed with me. We’d hired a P.I. to follow Keith for a bit. If something strange happened, we’d know where Keith was.
I rested my head on the seat and remembered making love to Liza this morning. I could still smell her sweet vanilla scent. Hear her soft moans of pleasure as she called my name. I tried to shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. Sitting up, I grabbed my cell phone and texted Liza.