“Yeah.” Zoey was perfectly aware that her friend was teasing. Mary Ellen knew as well as Zoey did that Ryan had never had any real interest in her, only as a stooge to make Adele Martinez jealous. “Did you know he almost married Adele? That’s what Lizzie says. She ran off before the wedding. Jilted him.”
“No!” Mary Ellen looked genuinely shocked. “That poor man!”
“Yes. And of course Lizzie—” they both turned to their good friend, Zoey with a grin and Mary Ellen with an expression of dismay “—knows everything.”
It was true. Elizabeth knew who was in town and who wasn’t and why they’d left and when they’d be back, if ever. She knew the price of beef and how much a new teacher made in the Stoney Creek district and that washing soda was a perfectly good substitute for detergent in the laundry. She bottled and preserved and made her own Christmas presents and sewed all her girls’ clothing, as well as running a busy seasonal craft business specializing in candles and fridge magnets.
She was Fullerton Valley’s own blend of Ann Landers and Martha Stewart.
Zoey had realized right away that Elizabeth was a wealth of local information and could steer her clear of any faux pas she might otherwise make in this small community. If the mayor’s wife was sleeping with the fire chief, Zoey wanted to know.
“Yep.” Zoey loaded her fork with alfalfa and black radish sprouts. They were dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette, quite tasty. “Ryan was with his brother and niece. Say, what’s with the brother?” She turned from one to the other. “Weird. He asked me to dance and then never said a word the whole time we were dancing. Except once. I asked what his wife’s name was and he said he didn’t have a wife. End of conversation. He has the most darling little girl, though. He’s your basic tall, dark and handsome type, but no where near as handsome as Ryan. You ever meet him?”
Mary Ellen shook her head. “I don’t think so. Never mind him, what happened with Ryan and Adele?”
“They went out for a while right after high school and Ryan wanted to marry her. They were too young, of course. I don’t think Ryan was twenty-one.” Elizabeth set down her wineglass. “Anyway, the wedding was all planned and everything and then, bingo, she dumped him. Left him high and dry—”
“No!”
“Yes. It was quite a scandal around here. No one ever thought anything like that would happen to Ryan Donnelly. But, to tell you the truth, I don’t believe she was ever in love with him. She’d been seeing some older guy, a married man, before she changed her mind and said yes to Ryan.”
Mary Ellen’s eyes were huge. “What happened?”
“Don’t know. She never showed up for the wedding. Took off for Vancouver. I heard she had a baby seven months later.” Elizabeth gave Mary Ellen a penetrating look, as though daring her to add it up. “A little boy.”
“Oh, Elizabeth! Maybe it was Ryan’s,” Mary Ellen said in a stricken voice. Zoey glanced over her shoulder. She hoped no one was listening in on their conversation.
“You really think so?” Elizabeth gave them both an “oh, don’t be dumb” look. “If so, why did loverboy leave his wife and run off to Vancouver to join the new mom and baby? Maybe he couldn’t count, either. Anyway, it was a big fuss and I don’t think Ryan’s parents ever really recovered but—” Elizabeth took a sip from her water glass “—what did they expect?”
Zoey leaned across the table, desperately curious. “What do you mean?”
“The Donnellys are not lucky in love,” Elizabeth said darkly. “They never have been. Ryan or his brother. Or most of the cousins, for that matter.”
“So, what happened to him? Ryan’s brother?” Not that she cared much. He’d been an old stick when they danced and after the initial surprise, she had the feeling he was checking her over on behalf of his brother. Like some piece of ranch machinery they were considering putting a bid on! Ryan was the one she felt sorry for. Left at the altar, just like in a bad novel.
“Same thing. Although in his case they were actually married and had a baby. That’s Lissy, of course. His wife wasn’t from around here,” Elizabeth said, as if that explained a lot. “I heard he met her in a bar. She took off with the baby, then came back two years ago and dumped her in Cameron’s lap. He’s not much for women anymore although quite a few have tried to change his mind, including, lately, one of the new teachers in town.”
“The blonde they were with on Saturday?” Zoey was itching with curiosity. Who said nothing ever happened in small towns!
“That’s the one. Sara Rundle. Cameron generally leaves the lady stuff to his brother. Ryan’s never changed. He likes women. Arthur told me Cam’s hauled him out of quite a few scrapes over the past few years. Of course, Arthur wouldn’t tell me what kind of scrapes but I can guess.”
“Funny neither of them left the valley, considering their experiences here,” Mary Ellen murmured. “Started over somewhere new.”
“Not everyone wants to leave the Cariboo, you know.” Elizabeth stared at her with something approaching disapproval. “You and Zoey did, but there’s a lot of us who stuck around.” Zoey thought she sounded a little defensive.
“Are they on the Donnelly place?”
“No. Family ranch was sold when the folks retired a few years back and moved to Kelowna. Leave it to his boys? Old Man Donnelly didn’t have any soft spots and if he did, no one ever found ’em, that’s what Arthur says.” Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. “What a bunch! No, they’re west of town, paying down a brand-new mortgage. At least, Cam is. Ryan works for him, and their aunt, Marty Hainsworth, lives with them, kind of takes care of the little girl. Hey, is this too complicated for you?”
Mary Ellen smiled and shook her head and reached for the menu. Zoey had been thinking of the crème caramel. She hoped it wasn’t made with soy milk. “Edith’s told me bits and pieces over the years,” Mary Ellen said. “She never mentioned the Ryan and Adele thing. What happened to her? Anyone ever hear?”
“The unnamed married man went back to his wife and family. They moved away. Some say Adele’s a high-class call girl now, but I don’t believe it. Small-minded people with not much imagination say that,” Elizabeth sniffed. “Someone told me she was a model. Makes sense. All she ever cared about was clothes and hair.” They all smiled, remembering.
“Hey, good for her. Looks don’t last.” Elizabeth sat back and rested her fork and knife diagonally across her plate. “Use ’em while you got ’em, that’s what Mum always said.”
“I feel sorry for Ryan,” Mary Ellen said softly. That was one of the things Zoey loved about her friend—she was so loyal. So caring, so sensitive.
Zoey examined her own feelings for Ryan. She’d been thrilled when they’d met, no question. Even after ten years, her pulse had ricocheted all over the place. He’d called her gorgeous! Of course, he’d always been a flirt. Still, maybe now that Adele was definitely out of the picture…
Zoey was happy with her situation but she wanted a partner in life, children one day. Back when she was twenty, she used to tell Charlotte and Lydia that if she hadn’t met anyone she felt strongly about by the time she was twenty-eight, she’d start looking. Well, she was nearly twenty-eight….
“Forget the Donnellys! Let’s talk about Edith and the wedding,” Zoey said suddenly, picking up the menu Mary Ellen had put down. “You’re right, Lizzie, this place sounds more complicated than a soap opera.”
“It can be,” Elizabeth said serenely. “If you believe half of what you hear, and I do. Just ’cause we’re small town doesn’t mean we’re boring. Hand over that menu, Zoe. You two feel like dessert?”
TWO DAYS