The Neighbors by Bush Nancy

Author:Bush, Nancy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 2022-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Daley was waiting for her when Mackenzie returned to the house, seated on the daybed in Mac’s room, still dressed for serious business, but her expression had changed from militant to . . . something less so. It was like she’d unwound a bit. It reminded Mac of how uptight she must’ve been, nearly day in and day out, at least since she’d hired Mac. Now she looked different.

“I did it,” she said, not breaking into berating Mackenzie, which was what Mackenzie had expected. “I told him we’re getting a divorce.”

“You did?” Mac stared at her.

“I did.” Her brow furrowed. “Do you think I shouldn’t have?”

“You should do whatever’s right for you, Daley.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, say what you think. You’ve been telling me I should just get on with it, and now you’re backing down?”

“Honestly, Daley, I can’t help you. You’ve gotta figure this out on your own.”

“Thanks a lot.”

“You’re welcome,” said Mac, ignoring the sarcasm.

She buried her face into her hands and screamed into them, the sound still loud enough to carry down the hall. Mac looked toward the door, half expecting Leon to burst in and do something.

After a moment Daley lifted her blotched face from her palms and gazed up at Mac, half tearful, half angry. “At least I got the house. It’s in the prenup that it’s mine.”

Mackenzie didn’t say anything. Daley had an on-again, off-again relationship with the truth. She’d said before that the house had only been a promise from Leon. That it wasn’t in the prenup as a gift to her.

“He’s leaving tomorrow. I’m going to be . . . alone.” Her chin started to wobble.

“Leaving . . . for good?”

She nodded.

“Do you know where he was last night?” asked Mackenzie.

“No! He says I have no right to ask now.”

“I was just thinking you might want all the cards on the table.”

Daley shook her head. “I know you’re going to leave me, too. Would you stay through tomorrow? Sunday? Maybe into next week? I’ll pay you. I just need a transition period. Leon . . .” Tears welled, and she looked utterly miserable. “Leon is generous,” she wailed as if it were an epithet.

Mackenzie couldn’t have said how she felt. Daley annoyed her and occasionally infuriated her, and the woman certainly didn’t care a whit about Mac in any way that mattered; Mac was simply someone to lean on and use, if possible. And yet Mac did feel kind of sorry for her.

“Okay.”

“You’ll stay?”

“For a short while, but not as a bodyguard, if that’s what it ever was. I need to be able to come and go without having to ask permission.”

Daley nodded. “I guess I was never really afraid of Leon,” she said in a tear-choked voice, and Mac could see what an effort it was for her to admit. Closer to the truth was that she’d simply wanted some kind of validation, preferably with Taft in order to make Leon jealous, maybe. Prove her worth. She’d settled for Mac because she was lonely and miserable.

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