Cowboy Up by Stacy Finz

Author:Stacy Finz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Published: 2019-04-09T23:32:00+00:00

Chapter 12

At five o’clock in the evening, four hours later than scheduled, Mama delivered Aubrey’s Volvo. She unceremoniously dumped the station wagon on Aubrey’s front lawn and stuck the bill in her face.

“You got cash?”

“No. I’ve got a credit card.” Aubrey turned from the door to find her purse.

“Credit card companies charge a fee.” Mama let herself in and looked around the cabin. “Nice place. A little fussy for my taste, but I could get used to it. Now that McMansion you shared with Mitch…well, that was just vulgar.”

Coming from a woman who wore grease-stained overalls and a bandanna tied around her stringy hair, Aubrey considered the source and tried not to take offense. She’d decorated that McMansion from wall to wall. At least Mama didn’t appear to be part of the Mitch cabal. No, she was rude to everyone. Aubrey’s mother liked to call her earthy. Aubrey’s take on Mama was that she was simply missing a filter. In any event, the tow-truck driver had been a staple of Dry Creek for as long as Aubrey could remember.

“Here you go.” Aubrey handed Mama her Visa.

“I’m gonna have to charge you a few extra bucks for the credit card fee.”

Aubrey wanted to argue that it was the price of doing business but decided it was more trouble than it was worth. The car had already put her in the hole. What was a few more dollars?

Mama returned to her tow truck to put the card through and Aubrey followed, hoping to hurry the transaction. She had a piece of leftover quiche in the oven.

“Stu must have it out for you real good.” Mama fumbled with the swiping machine, and Aubrey was tempted to tell her she ought to look in to Square or any other credit-card processing system invented in the twenty-first century. “In all my years, I’ve never seen him have someone towed from that market.”

“I guess I’m just special.” Aubrey flashed a cheesy grin. “You could’ve refused, you know?”

Mama pulled the bandanna off her head and wiped her neck with it. “If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been someone else.”

She had a point. Still, Mama could’ve stood on principle. “You knew Stu was being vindictive…you know what this is really about.”

Mama handed Aubrey her credit card and eyed her up and down. “You don’t look any worse for wear. As far as I’m concerned, you got the long end of the stick. Despite what everyone thinks, Mitch Reynolds is no angel. But as far as you and Jace Dalton”—she cackled—“he ain’t ever getting over that awful ex-wife of his.”

For hell’s sake, did Aubrey really have to say it again? “I didn’t leave Mitch for Jace. Jace and I aren’t together.”

“It’s no business of mine.” Mama lifted her shoulders. “And if I were you, I’d tell this whole town to stick it where the sun don’t shine.” She climbed up into her tow truck, slammed the door shut, and took off down the driveway, raising enough dust to choke a person.

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