The Good, the Bad, and the Pugly (An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Book 7)

by Susan C. Daffron

  The messages were a predictable lot. Sonia wanted to talk about the event and setting up the first board-of-director’s meeting. Jake called to let her know a new dog had arrived at the station. She’d meet the new canine tomorrow when she went over there, but at the moment, Brigid couldn’t face talking to another person. She was emotionally exhausted and everything she had been trying to do to help the dogs was starting to feel utterly futile.

  No matter how much work she did, stray dogs would keep coming in. Some might be sick like Judge. Some might not even be savable, and that idea terrified her. There was just no end to it. Plus now, thanks to Maren, everyone in Alpine Grove thought she was a cruel dog hater. Worst of all, in the back of her mind she still was worried about Clay. She really wanted to talk to him, but couldn’t. Although she’d always known she’d hurt him in the end, it was so much worse than she’d ever imagined it might be.

  After confining Judge to the kitchen using a baby gate Ed had given her after Layla was adopted, Brigid went upstairs with Gypsy. Maybe tomorrow would be better. It couldn’t be any worse.

  The next few days were filled with dog-walking and meetings. Ed took Lewis home into foster care and Brigid met with Sonia a few times trying to figure out what to do about the fundraising problem. Sonia had done a huge amount of work getting everything figured out for an event, except for the venue. Calls all over town had been fruitless. Places that had space like the convention facilities at the Enchanted Moose were booked up for the entire summer.

  They decided to set aside the event idea for a while and consider some smaller-scale fundraising options before Brigid’s credit card reached its limit. They also spent lots of time working on the bylaws for the new nonprofit and talking to people about being on the board.

  As she did with just about everyone she met, Brigid had mentioned her need for employment to Sonia. Although Sonia promised to put some thought into it, she hadn’t really lived in Alpine Grove long, so she didn’t know many more people than Brigid did. So far, no one seemed to have leads on any hiring going on anywhere in the vicinity. If Brigid didn’t find a job soon, she’d have to leave and let someone else take over the whole nonprofit project. In some ways, that might not be so bad, after all.

  As Clay had predicted, no one had mentioned Maren’s letter, except for Judith who praised Brigid’s good judgment for getting the dogs away from “that dreadful place.” As an expression of goodwill, Judith also proudly proclaimed she was willing to take another foster dog.

  Sonia had cut out Maren’s letter from the paper, along with a follow-up “me too” editorial from Maddie. She gave them to Brigid to read one day over coffee.

  Yes, she was biased, but to Brigid, Maren and Maddie sounded like a bunch of whiners. Their complaints seemed to have been widely ignored and oddly enough, since the letters had appeared, a few new people had called Brigid about volunteering to walk dogs at the station and to let her know they supported what she was trying to do. It was a welcome glimmer of hope after she’d felt so terrible about her role in the bad press for the nascent nonprofit.

  A week after she’d brought Judge home with her, she returned from the vet with him after another dip and settled him into the kitchen behind the baby gate to dry off. He was so easygoing that the difference between her kitchen floor and the dog bed in the barn didn’t seem to be of much consequence. His fur was looking good and she made a mental note to ask Kat to make an adoption flyer for him. He was just about ready for his forever home.

  The thought of Judge curled up on his dog bed in the barn reminded her of Clay. Missing him was a constant ache she couldn’t shake. It was like her heart actually physically hurt from wanting to see him again. But he’d made it clear they were done, and intellectually she knew it was for the best. Some people were lucky in love, but she wasn’t one of them. Maybe she should try playing cards. Since she couldn’t find a job, maybe she could become a professional gambler. Yeah, right.

  Brigid was startled from her repetitive morose ruminations on her relationship and career failures by the sound of the phone ringing. Although she wanted to let the machine pick it up, she was tired of people complaining that they always had to talk to it instead of to her. Fine. She reached over, grabbed the receiver, and said, “Hello.”

  “Hi, it’s TJ.”

  Brigid’s stomach churned at the woman’s stern businesslike voice. Of all the times to pick up the phone. She’d never heard back from TJ about Clay, so she’d assumed he was okay, but TJ was undoubtedly not a charter member of the Brigid fan club at this point. “Hi, ah, how are you?”

  “I’m fine. I’m driving up to Alpine Grove this weekend and I’d like to meet with you.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m meeting Kat at the diner and I was thinking after we’re done talking, I could talk to you.”

  Brigid did a mental eye roll. TJ certainly was efficient. “That would be fine.”

  They set up a time to meet and Brigid marked it on her calendar. TJ had been helpful before, but Brigid doubted nonprofit organizations were what Clay’s sister wanted to talk about.

  That Saturday, Brigid walked down to the diner, which was one of the places she and Sonia often met for coffee. She waved to the woman behind the counter and looked around for TJ.

  TJ was sitting next to Kat in a booth with their backs toward the door, looking down at something. Oops. Was she early? TJ’s meeting with Kat obviously wasn’t over. Should she interrupt them? Maybe she should just let TJ know she was here. Glancing at the old photographs that littered the wood-paneled walls as she walked down the aisle, she stopped at the end of the booth. Kat and TJ both looked up simultaneously and Brigid felt like she’d barged in on a personal conversation. She gestured toward the counter up front. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting, but I just wanted you to know I’m here, TJ. I can go sit at the counter for a few minutes until you’re done.”

  Kat took a sip of coffee and put down the mug. “No, it’s okay. I should be getting home anyway.”

  “Oh my gosh, that’s a beautiful ring!” Brigid said.

  Kat looked at her hand and smiled. “Thanks, I really like it. The jeweler here in town did a great job.”

  Brigid gestured at Kat’s hand, encouraging her to move it so she could get a closer look. “Can I see?”

  TJ said, “Why don’t you just sit down?”

  Brigid slid in across the table from them and reached over to take Kat’s hand and look at the ring. “Wow. I love this design. It’s gorgeous. So, does this mean you and Joel are getting married? I didn’t know that.”

  “At some point. It’s sort of a recent development.”

  Brigid laughed. “I guess you weren’t wearing this the last time I saw you.”

  “No. And you were pretty busy at the meeting anyway.” Kat twisted the ring on her finger. “I heard from Sonia about the fundraising problems. She writes really long, detailed emails. I think she might be a frustrated novelist.”

  Brigid put her elbows on the table and leaned forward. “I know. We’re not sure what to do. She’s done so much work getting everything all figured out, but we have no place to hold the event. This place is busy in the summer.”

  “I have an idea on that. Would it be okay if I make a few calls?”

  “Yes, absolutely! Go for it. Let me know if you come up with something. We may do some other smaller things in the meantime, but to say we’re out of money would be an understatement. It’s a good thing Dr. C offers such a generous payment plan, or I’d be in really big trouble.”

  “Okay.” Kat looked at TJ. “I should let you guys get to your meeting. Thanks again for letting me see the photos. I really appreciate it.”

  TJ handed her a photograph before sliding out of the booth so Kat could get out. “Why don’t you take this one?”

  Kat looked down at it, then at TJ. “Are you sure?”

  TJ nodded. “Take it.”

  Kat looked dubious. “Thank you. I’ll get it duplicated, and then
give you back the original.”

  “That would be great. I’ll see you on the fourth.”

  “Okay. See you then.” Kat waved at Brigid and walked away, looking down at the photograph in her hand.

  TJ turned her attention back toward Brigid. “So, okay, we need to talk.”

  Brigid smiled weakly. “I don’t suppose you want to discuss nonprofit organizations, do you?”

  “No, and I’m sure you know that. Right now, I’m going to meddle in ways that would make my little brother want to rip my head off. But I’m going to do it anyway.”

  Brigid took a menu from the stand and pretended to look like she wanted something to eat. “Well, I guess I should apologize for leaving that message on your machine. I was upset and worried.”

  “I got that. And I’m glad you called. I left a message for him to call me back once he returned from his little nighttime romp through the forest. He did and it was all fine. But he’s not.”

  Brigid looked up from the menu. “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know what you said or did and I don’t particularly want to know. But I want you to fix it.”

  “I don’t think I can. There were all these rumors and then I found out they were true. I called him on it and he said I didn’t trust him.”

  “Oh jeez, really?” TJ took a sip of coffee. “You mean all the crap about him from that letter in the paper?”

  Brigid nodded. “I took Judge out of the barn, since everyone seemed to think it was so terrible.”

  “Wow, this is ridiculous. That was twenty years ago. Didn’t he explain what happened?”

  “Not really. But he was arrested for assault! I…I just can’t handle that.” Brigid looked back down at the menu. “My late husband was, well, violent, and I can’t deal with anything like that ever happening again. I just can’t.”

  TJ set down her mug with a thump. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know. But Clay would never hurt anyone or anything. I told you that before.”

  “But he was arrested. It’s even in the police database.”

  “That’s true. But he wasn’t charged with anything either time. You have to understand that things were…strange for a while after Cole died. Mom moved out for a while. She stayed with a friend named Abigail Goodman.” TJ gestured toward the door. “In fact, Kat lives in Abigail’s old house now.”

  “The log place out in the woods?”

  “I spent a lot of time out there. My best friend in high school was a really good friend of Abigail’s.” TJ shook her head. “It’s all so long ago now and this isn’t my story to tell. You need to talk to Clay.”

  “I’m supposed to just drive out there and say, ‘Hi, so tell me about how you assaulted people and were arrested’ or something?” Brigid smirked. “I really don’t think that’s going to go over well, given our last conversation.”

  “All right, how about this? We always do a family Fourth of July potluck thing out at the ranch. People drop by with food. My boys love it and spend all day riding, wearing out those lazy old cow horses. Then we all eat lots of food, play with sparklers, and pass out.”

  Brigid smiled. “That sounds like quite a full day.”

  “I invited Kat and Joel and now I’m inviting you. Come out, eat food, and talk to my obnoxious brother. I can’t stand him being like this, so fix whatever you did to make him so miserable. He won’t go ride off somewhere if we’re all around because he knows I’d kill him.”

  “All right. I guess I can try. Thank you for the invitation.”

  TJ tucked a few bills and the check into the little leather case on the table and got up. “See you Thursday.”

  After Kat left the diner, she did a couple of errands and walked down the street toward Maria’s apartment. Because Kat was going to be in town, they’d agreed she would stop by after her meeting with TJ. Kat tended to park the truck in the parking lot at Maria’s complex anyway because parallel parking Joel’s horrible old pickup was not going to happen. The lack of power steering on the thing made the experience akin to wedging a recalcitrant elephant into a hall closet.

  Kat walked by the shops on the main street and stopped in front of the plate-glass window of the photography store, which was filled with expensive cameras. She could drop off the snapshot to be duplicated, but Maria would love seeing it. Maybe she could drop it off later, on the way out of town.

  She turned and continued down the street. It would be fun to visit with Scarlett, the not-so-little kitten, again. Every time Kat saw the adolescent feline, it seemed the cat had doubled in size. The fuzzy adorableness of tiny kittenhood was becoming a distant memory.

  Maria lived in an apartment building that had zero aesthetic charm. Built in the late sixties or early seventies, it was a utilitarian brick cube plunked down on a side street in Alpine Grove. Every once in a while, Maria talked about moving into one of the cute little rental houses in town, but the ugly building had the advantages of a convenient location, easy parking, and low rent, which were hard to ignore, so she stayed put.

  Kat knocked on the door and looked down at the hideous hallway carpet. The gold and olive-green pattern had not improved with age. She heard Maria say, “Scarlett, cut that out…ha…gotcha.” The door opened and Maria stood with a squirming orange tabby snuggled under her arm. The outfit Maria was wearing taxed the power of spandex. She was sporting a pink ruffly top and black Capri pants that were both about four sizes too small. “Get in here girlfriend, before this animal makes a break for it.”

  Kat scuttled through the doorway as Maria closed the door behind her.

  Kat turned toward the small sofa in the living room and her jaw dropped momentarily. She clamped it shut again in an effort to look nonchalant. “Um, hi Fred. I didn’t know you were here.”

  Turning to look behind her, Kat raised her eyebrows at Maria and widened her eyes in silent inquiry. Maria gave her a smug smile in return.

  Fred stood up and put his hands in his pockets. Kat wasn’t used to seeing him outside of the context of the dive bar or even in daylight. He looked so different without the leather vest and bandanna that it was difficult for Kat to assimilate.

  He said, “I should probably be getting going now. The regulars at the Soloan take opening time pretty seriously.”

  Maria put Scarlett down on the floor and the small cat launched toward the bedroom while the three humans looked on, marveling at the speed of the small orange tabby.

  Maria turned toward Kat and gave her the “Spock eyebrow” move, startling Kat from her state of stunned paralysis. She began edging toward the bedroom where the tiny bathroom was located, “Um, I…I need to use the rest room. It was good to see you again, Fred.”

  Kat hid in the bathroom, taking advantage of the facilities while she was there. Then she washed her hands a few times and combed her hair until she heard the front door close and Maria scold Scarlett again.

  When Kat walked back into the living room, Maria was sitting on the couch with Scarlett. She was petting the cat’s orange fur, tracing the ornate swirly designs on the tabby coat. “Hey girlfriend, sorry I lost track of time.”

  “No kidding.” Kat sat down. “This is new. Fred? I thought he didn’t meet your dental criteria.”

  “I confess that I’m having to adjust my standards a little. I stopped by the Soloan a few times after work. The man is a great storyteller and he hooked me like a tuna. You know how I like a good tall tale. And then I just had to find out the ending, you know?”

  Kat grinned. “That’s great. He does seem like a nice guy.”

  “I’ve also pointed out that it’s possible for him to get his teeth fixed. Technology has advanced into the tooth arena. The fake ones are pretty good now.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “Sadly, I don’t think he’s going to do anything. He doesn’t like that they drill into your jaw. I think he’s got a pretty serious phobia about dentists.”

  “I can understand that. The dentist’s chair is a scary place.
I try to avoid it when I can.”

  Maria leaned back on the couch and Scarlett readjusted her lap configuration to shed more effectively on the black pants. Maria raised her hand, which was covered with reddish fur. “When I got this animal, I didn’t think about the fact that cat hair reduces my already infinitesimal potential dating pool. I had no idea so many people were allergic to cats.”

  “You’re exaggerating. Since I’ve lived here, I think I’ve only met one or two people with pet-hair allergies.”

  “The only people you meet are bringing dogs to your place. They are already fur-inoculated.” Maria waved her hand in excitement, shaking some cat hair into the air. “Wait, in the throes of post-coital mental decline, I forgot. You need to tell me about your meeting with the woman who knew your mom…or real mom, or whatever she is.”

  “It was interesting.” Kat reached into her bag and pulled out the photograph. She handed it to Maria. “Check this out.”

  Maria studied the photo. “Whoa, girlfriend. That looks just like a younger version of you. I’d think it was you, except for the nasty sixties fashion. Even you don’t wear stuff that ugly.”

  “I know. It’s kind of strange. TJ said when she saw me, it was like seeing a ghost.”

  “I’m guessing you freaked her out.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Well, you told me she kept staring at you at that meeting.”

  “Yeah. We looked at pictures and she invited me to her family Fourth of July pot luck. Then Brigid showed up and I left.”

  “Uh oh, another social event for you.” Maria grinned. “Maybe Brigid will bring more food for you to snarf down.”

  “We can only hope. I’m so not good in that type of situation.” Kat slumped down on the sofa. “And this is with someone else’s family. I have enough trouble with my own. Not to mention Joel’s sister. He’s still mad at her.”

  Maria poked her in the ribs. “Hey, don’t speak ill of your future sister-in-law.”

  Kat gave her a stern glare.