“A businessman,” he replied, and laughed. “Plus, the bank is there to help. They can get bank statements from years ago. I love computers. Don’t you?”

She made a face. “Not particularly.”

“All I want right now is for Pamela to let me go.”

“I can’t vouch for her leaving you alone but you’ll be free of the marriage. You both agreed to final mediation and I think the mediator did a very good job. This settlement is fair. No one is suffering unduly. Your wife should get along just fine and the boys will be able to finish their educations.”

“Ex-wife,” he said. “Can she take me back to court?” he asked.

“Listen, anyone can sue anyone for anything. Winning is another story. And bringing a frivolous suit to court is risky business. It wears badly on an attorney.”

“Where is Pamela now?” he asked.

Sonja gathered up papers and put them in a large envelope. “I imagine she’s having her lips sutured shut by her attorney. I’ll have this packet copied for you. Do you have a safe?”

He nodded.

“Keep track of this,” Sonja said. “Something about Pamela strikes me as relentless.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” he said.

It had taken all day and he was grateful it hadn’t taken more than one day. The necessary paperwork had been signed by both parties and would be filed; the official dissolution would be forwarded through the attorneys in about ten days. Pamela’s lawyer must have told her she wouldn’t do better. Plus, she had never had that much admiration for a landscape architect. She thought of him as a landscaper who had fixed up an old house to live in. She was probably surprised by that settlement figure; likely she hadn’t thought he was worth much.

He couldn’t wait to get home. Home. He looked at his watch. With this new job of Lauren’s, he couldn’t keep track of her hours. He hadn’t really tried, for that matter. He knew she would go early and stay late if that’s what it took. But if she wasn’t there now, she’d be there soon. The important thing was he was not only free, he had a home, a job, a good reputation, plenty of work and a good woman. No matter what happened with Lauren and the doctor, he wouldn’t have any trouble supporting them. Himself, Lauren and the boys. He was left pretty much intact. He felt like he got off with a bargain.

He laughed out loud. A million-dollar bargain? The truth was as long as he had his house, his business and his boys, he could always rebuild. He texted Tim.

Divorce final. I paid and I’m a single man.

I’m glad, brother. It was a hard bargain.

Are you well?

Very well, Beau. Angela sends love.

If you ever need anything...

Thanks. Back atcha.

Love to Angela.

When he got home, Lauren’s car was in the drive but he didn’t see Drew’s car. He unlocked his door and walked in—they kept the doors locked these days. She was at the dining table on her laptop and she stood expectantly.

“Where’s Drew?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I got home a couple of hours ago and he hasn’t been here.”

He let out a breath. He went to her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her neck. “I’m done,” he said softly. “It’s over.”

“Over?”

“It will have to be filed so it’s just paperwork. It’s not my paperwork.”

“You don’t have to do anything more?” she asked.

“I have to write a big check,” he said, and he laughed. “That’s easy. That’s so much easier than the stress of fighting, of being off balance, of being unhappy. Well worth the money.”

“Your house? Your business?”

“The money will make all that secure. It’s money well spent.” He pulled her closer. “I love you.”

“Oh Beau, can it really be over?”

“The marriage is over,” he said. “How Pamela takes it? That’s something I can’t do anything about.”

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“Tomorrow I’m going to the bank to borrow some money, then I’ll deliver a check to her lawyer’s office, then I’m going to decide what to pack for our long weekend in Victoria.” He covered her mouth in a passionate kiss that lasted forever. “I hope we have time to see the flowers,” he whispered against her mouth.

“We’ll manage,” she said.

“Is Sylvie going to give you that time off?”

She nodded and smiled. “I told her about it the first day. Since I already had the tickets, she was very understanding. We’re getting a schedule of events together so I don’t miss anything in the future. And you have no idea how many things the Emersons have going on!”

He rubbed a knuckle along her cheek. “Is this a good move for you?”

“All my moves have been good ones since I met you,” she said.

* * *

Their visit to Victoria was magical. The gardens seemed to be celebrating Valentine’s Day, but that wasn’t even the most charming thing. It was the dead of winter and yet pots of colorful flowers stood and hung all over town. The average temperatures in Victoria were milder than most of the country. It was a little like Alameda—a special place just a bit balmier than the rest of the world.

And their time there was a little like a honeymoon, relaxed and satisfying.

Despite the romance of getting away alone together, they were both anxious to get back. After the stress of the past year, having an ordinary life filled with ordinary joys felt like such a gift. Beau’s home was fast becoming hers. The days following the mediation had been a little rocky for Michael and Drew, but then things settled into a routine and Lauren and Beau got together with the boys a few times. That’s when she realized the kids needed this legal wrangling to be over as much as Beau and Lauren did.

She made a point to reach out to Lacey more often to make sure she was settled with the idea that her parents were not going to reconcile, but there was no such reassurance from her daughter.

“Have you seen your father?” she asked Lacey.

“Not that I want to, but I’ve seen him. He’s making it really hard. I think he might be going a little crazy.”

Lauren’s jaw clenched. “Why do you say that?”

“The way he talks,” she said. “The things he says. Since Christmas... Since Thanksgiving, really, he hasn’t looked healthy. He’s lost weight, he has bags under his eyes, sometimes he chews Tums like they’re breath mints. I can’t even ask him if he feels okay because he says, ‘No. I’m sixty and my wife of twenty-five years left me for a younger man.’”

“Listen, seeing him is up to you, honey. He’s always had some serious anger issues and I think staying with him for so long masked those problems from you girls. Beau is three years younger than I am, not exactly a younger man. Beware, Lacey. If he’s making you uncomfortable, you can just be too busy. You’re over twenty-one. If you don’t want to talk to me, talk to Cassie.”

Lacey laughed. “And she really is too busy. Unlike me, Cassie has a life!”

“Aunt Beth will certainly make time for you,” Lauren said. “Don’t try to go through this alone, honey.”

Lauren missed Cassie like crazy, but the great news was that Cassie had never been happier. She was overworked, sleep-deprived, deep in debt and completely happy. Jeremy was a good partner; law school, while horrifyingly difficult, was a challenge she was up to and she was doing just fine. She had new friends.

And Lauren had old friends. She met her coworkers from Merriweather and they caught up on all the latest news, including the news that Stu Lonigan had left the company.

Lauren was frustrated by the length of time it was taking for her divorce to become final. It seemed Brad’s attorney had one delay tactic after another. And Brad was gathering fines for contempt, for not paying support, for failing to appear. Beau said, “It doesn’t matter. The law will catch up with him eventually but in the meantime, we’re fine. We’re together and we have plenty to eat.”

Her life was so good in spite of divorce, in spite of unsettled finances. When she went to Sylvie’s house to work she was filled with gratitude. Ruth Ann was executing her move to a warmer, less expensive part of the country, though still available by phone. What files and records she kept for Sylvie were paperless and Sylvie’s office was right down the hall. There were weeks that Sylvie and Andy were traveling and Lauren was alone there, holding down the fort. The job made her feel empowered. It was a great pleasure to support worthy causes even if the money was not hers.

While Erica Slade could not seem to hasten Lauren’s divorce, she was able to settle with Merriweather. Lauren was given a generous settlement to avoid court, a settlement she immediately deposited in a trust and offered to share with Cassie. She was feeling downright lucky.

* * *

Beau was just thinking of quitting for the day when he received a phone call from a man who identified himself as Detective Craig Moore. It was the call he’d been waiting for, even though he had no hope of recouping his loss on the truck.

“Mr. Magellan, we have been interviewing a suspect and would like you to come in to talk with us. We’d like to know if there’s any connection between the two of you.”

“What’s his name?” Beau asked reflexively. But his thoughts ran wild. Did the police think he orchestrated the bombing of his own truck? Impossible. First of all, he lost money on the damage—the truck was totaled for the blue book value and he’d bought it for far more. Drive it off the lot and it depreciates by thousands.

“If you wouldn’t mind, sir. There’s quite a lot to explain about the incident and I think maybe you can help.”

“All right,” he said, confused but eager to be helpful. “Give me a half hour. I was just leaving work.”

“Take your time,” Detective Moore said. “I’ll be here.”