mother and father away from her. When Trista’s own mother died, she thought she had no one. She was only three years old, for fuck’s sake. She didn’t ask to be relocated to Florida with a father who never wanted her and a sister who hated her guts. It was ironic that Marla was the only one who truly wanted Trista.
That woman was a saint. To take in the baby of the woman who had an affair with her husband was the ultimate act of forgiveness. She had treated Trista like her own daughter since the day she moved in, loving her unconditionally.
Eventually, Trista and her dad became close. It was more of Marla pushing him to do the right thing, but in the end, Sam became the father that Trista deserved, and that’s all that mattered to her. Marla was the only mother that Trista had ever really known, and she treasured each and every moment she had spent with her. That’s what made it so hard for Trista to understand why Nicolette never wanted to pursue a better relationship with her. It really hurt.
“Sorry if I’m seeing the simple solution to this problem. If Hathaway doesn’t want to sell, then find someone else who will,” Trista said.
Nicolette laughed. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Speaking of Daddy,” Trista took a sip of her margarita, “have you heard from him lately?” She hadn’t seen her dad since she’d arrived in town. He had been on a ’round-the-world cruise with friends. Trista had one brief phone conversation with him the week she left California. He was happy to hear that Trista was staying at the beach house for a while and promised to have dinner with ‘his girls’ when he got back next month.
“ Heyyyy …I know you!” a male voice boomed behind Trista, interrupting their conversation. His words were slurred. “You’re that gurrrrl…from the offfther…night.”
Trista turned to come face to face with Crazy Jack. His breath was ripe with whiskey. His teeth were stained a sickening yellow that matched his eyes and the tips of his fingers.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Trista said. She glanced around the bar for Riker, trying to get his attention. When Riker saw Crazy Jack, he walked over to them. Trista breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve never met,” she told Crazy Jack.
“Of course we have. I never forget a purrrty face. I gots a good memory…”
Nicolette was watching the exchange with a look of curiosity on her face. If Trista didn’t get this guy out of here, Nicolette would start asking some questions—questions Trista wasn’t ready to answer. She felt relief when Riker came around the bar and headed toward them.
“Hey, Crazy Jack. Quit bothering the ladies. The boys have a little game going on in the back room,” Riker said, grabbing Crazy Jack by the elbow. “Let’s go see how much trouble we can get into.”
“But…I was jus’ trying to talk to the purty lady…” Crazy Jack was saying as Riker led him off.
“Huh, what was that all about?” Nicolette asked, watching the whole scene unfold.
Trista tried to laugh it off. “You know how I always attract the loonies.”
“When did you meet Crazy Jack?” Nicolette asked, not willing to let it drop.
“I’ve never met that man,” Trista said. Which was technically true. Crazy Jack had been passed out almost the entire time she was at the bar that night. He only woke up for a few minutes while Riker was helping him get safely into the cab. She didn’t think he would remember her; they hadn’t even spoken to one another. “He probably saw me on the show.”
Nicolette laughed. “I don’t think Crazy Jack has ever watched You Only Live Once , let alone any kind of meaningful television.”
“That’s not true,” Riker said, catching the tail end of their conversation when he returned to the bar. “He’s a big fan of Duck Dynasty . He seems to think he’s kin to Silas.”
“Exactly my point!” Nicolette exclaimed.
“Hey, can we get going?
That woman was a saint. To take in the baby of the woman who had an affair with her husband was the ultimate act of forgiveness. She had treated Trista like her own daughter since the day she moved in, loving her unconditionally.
Eventually, Trista and her dad became close. It was more of Marla pushing him to do the right thing, but in the end, Sam became the father that Trista deserved, and that’s all that mattered to her. Marla was the only mother that Trista had ever really known, and she treasured each and every moment she had spent with her. That’s what made it so hard for Trista to understand why Nicolette never wanted to pursue a better relationship with her. It really hurt.
“Sorry if I’m seeing the simple solution to this problem. If Hathaway doesn’t want to sell, then find someone else who will,” Trista said.
Nicolette laughed. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Speaking of Daddy,” Trista took a sip of her margarita, “have you heard from him lately?” She hadn’t seen her dad since she’d arrived in town. He had been on a ’round-the-world cruise with friends. Trista had one brief phone conversation with him the week she left California. He was happy to hear that Trista was staying at the beach house for a while and promised to have dinner with ‘his girls’ when he got back next month.
“ Heyyyy …I know you!” a male voice boomed behind Trista, interrupting their conversation. His words were slurred. “You’re that gurrrrl…from the offfther…night.”
Trista turned to come face to face with Crazy Jack. His breath was ripe with whiskey. His teeth were stained a sickening yellow that matched his eyes and the tips of his fingers.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Trista said. She glanced around the bar for Riker, trying to get his attention. When Riker saw Crazy Jack, he walked over to them. Trista breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve never met,” she told Crazy Jack.
“Of course we have. I never forget a purrrty face. I gots a good memory…”
Nicolette was watching the exchange with a look of curiosity on her face. If Trista didn’t get this guy out of here, Nicolette would start asking some questions—questions Trista wasn’t ready to answer. She felt relief when Riker came around the bar and headed toward them.
“Hey, Crazy Jack. Quit bothering the ladies. The boys have a little game going on in the back room,” Riker said, grabbing Crazy Jack by the elbow. “Let’s go see how much trouble we can get into.”
“But…I was jus’ trying to talk to the purty lady…” Crazy Jack was saying as Riker led him off.
“Huh, what was that all about?” Nicolette asked, watching the whole scene unfold.
Trista tried to laugh it off. “You know how I always attract the loonies.”
“When did you meet Crazy Jack?” Nicolette asked, not willing to let it drop.
“I’ve never met that man,” Trista said. Which was technically true. Crazy Jack had been passed out almost the entire time she was at the bar that night. He only woke up for a few minutes while Riker was helping him get safely into the cab. She didn’t think he would remember her; they hadn’t even spoken to one another. “He probably saw me on the show.”
Nicolette laughed. “I don’t think Crazy Jack has ever watched You Only Live Once , let alone any kind of meaningful television.”
“That’s not true,” Riker said, catching the tail end of their conversation when he returned to the bar. “He’s a big fan of Duck Dynasty . He seems to think he’s kin to Silas.”
“Exactly my point!” Nicolette exclaimed.
“Hey, can we get going?
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