Pound Foolish (Windy City Neighbors Book 4) (45 page)

     Nicole suddenly felt slightly dizzy as Greg chattered on about realizing she might need a break from homeschooling, and maybe they could set up a plan with her mom or Tabby Jasper to watch the kids after school every day. “Guess I’ve been selfish expecting you to stay home full time when you’re trained as a paralegal,” he said.

     Finally, Nicole found her voice. “I—I don’t think working for Lincoln Paddock would be such a wise thing.”

     “You don’t? But I thought—”

     “Because . . .” How could she say it? It was almost too much. “Because you had some concerns about me working for him, and . . . and you weren’t completely off base.”

     Greg’s face suddenly clouded. “What? Did he hit on you?” He rose from his chair and stomped around for a moment. “I’m gonna rearrange that . . . that jerk’s face! I knew he was a cad.”

     Nicole held up her hand. “No, no. He’s not a cad. You don’t have to worry about him. In fact, he was the one who suggested that we not have any lunches alone, no rides in his limos.”

     Greg stopped and stared at her. “What do you mean? Has something happened already?”

     “Honey, please sit down.” Nicole had no idea how much to tell Greg. She didn’t want to destroy the miracle in their relationship that had been happening in the last hour—but would it be just as destructive to live with secrets? She sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “Greg, remember before we got married, when we talked to the pastor at my mom’s church?”

     He made a face. “You mean that one-shot counseling session?”

     “Yeah. He hardly even named the challenges we had to deal with in our first year of marriage. But he did ask one useful question. He asked whether either of us had been sexually involved with anyone else. He said we didn’t need to name names or share details but that neither of us should be surprised if something ever came up in the future.”

     “Yeah, I remember. I told you about that one spring break in college with the girl I was going with for a while. We never took our clothes off, but it wasn’t good. You seemed able to handle that, and I have to admit, I was glad I told you.” But Greg still looked wary.

     Nicole nodded. “I’d like to do the same thing here. Mr. Paddock has not made a pass at me. There’s been no touching, no words of endearment. But I . . . I was feeling lonely, and he was so kind to me and the kids, I began thinking the grass might be greener on the other side of the fence.” She swallowed. “Is that enough?”

     Greg stared into his glass of iced tea as if digesting what she was saying. “Just thinkin’? No touching? No secret rendezvous? And he wasn’t hitting on you?”

     “No. Just my fantasies, and I’m not very proud of them.”

     Greg was silent for several long moments. Then . . . “Guess I can handle that. I appreciate you telling me.” He stared into his glass some more. “Sounds like I bear responsibility for not being the kind of husband you needed me to be.” Greg reached for her hand. “I’m sorry, Nikki. Really sorry about that. Guess we may need some help to build up our relationship—but I don’t think I’m going to ask Pastor Hanson. Maybe the Bentleys can recommend someone. I’m willing to do that.”

     Nicole stared at their hands, bridging the space between them. “Me too,” she whispered. “I’d really like that. And maybe I can find a job someplace else.”

     They sat silently for a while, just holding hands, the warm breeze caressing them gently. Nicole felt too full to say anything.

     But finally she realized it was getting late. “Guess I better go rescue Mom.” She started to get up.

     Greg gripped her hand and held her back. “Honey, let’s both go rescue your mom and pick up the kids. Together.”

     Nicole smiled and nodded, no longer hiding the tears that were slipping down her cheeks. It was time to come home.

THE END

Book Club Discussion Questions for

Pound Foolish

1.     If you were walking in the rain with your children, what things would influence whether you accepted a ride from someone you knew lived on your block? What does that say about how well you know your neighbors?

2.     What was happening in Greg and Nicole’s relationship that caused Nicole to feel disconnected and unappreciated? Has that ever occurred to someone you know? Why didn’t Greg’s attempt to take the family on a vacation
“restore some peace to the ol’
hacienda
” as he hoped it would
?

3.     Pastor Hanson continually used scripture in his messages. In fact, he bolstered his authority by quoting scripture for nearly every point he made. Why then was Nicole uncomfortable with his views? Describe a time when someone’s use of scripture has caused you to be uncomfortable.

4.     When Chuck Hastings told Greg he was going to close down Powersports Expos, he said, “
All I ask is that you not mention this news, and I mean not to
anyone
.” Greg felt betrayed and thought his boss hadn’t done everything he could have done to keep the business going. Why did Greg want to speak to his clients before his boss did? How would you have handled the situation?

5.     Why did Greg conclude that getting laid off by Powersports might actually be an opportunity for a more prosperous future? How did that view influence how he proceeded?

6.     Describe a time when you or someone close to you got laid off and how you responded to that situation. How might a more realistic view of your situation have changed what you did next?

7.      Greg told Nicole they needed to look at their situation right, “You know, with faith. . . .
Our faith will bring God’s blessing, just like it did to Abraham.
” What is the role of faith in a situation like this? Why wasn’t Nicole encouraged by Greg’s faith?

8.     When Greg expressed suspicion and jealousy over Lincoln Paddock’s attention to Nicole and the kids, she bristled. What would have been a better response, first by Greg and then by Nicole?

9.      Greg looked hard for a new job before jumping on SlowBurn. One might say it was the only thing he could find. But what might have told him it still wasn’t a good idea?

10.     With SlowBurn not bringing in any income, why did Greg consider an even riskier venture with TopOps?

11.      Do you agree with how Harry Bentley applied the adage, “penny wise and pound foolish,” to Jesus’ words, “
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”? How have you found that to be true in your life?

12.     God saved Greg from his foolishness, though his actions were not without consequences. Describe a time in your life when you or someone you know experienced something similar. How were you able to learn from that?

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to
John Loeks
, our son’s father-in-law, whose company sponsors numerous boat and sport shows and gave me insight into that industry.

Many thanks to
Jennifer Stair
, who has edited many of the novels that make up the “Yada Yada world” and remembers details about our characters that we’ve forgotten! Thanks, Jen, for dropping everything to edit
Pound Foolish
in spite of your busy schedule.

Thanks, too, to
Janelle Schneider
(fellow author and friend),
Michelle Redding, Lelia Austin
, and
Krista Johnson
for your willingness to proofread the edited manuscript on a tight deadline, as well as offering many helpful questions and comments. Add another star to your crowns!

SlowBurn
is modeled after actual multi-level marketing companies that continually recruit representatives looking to live the “high life,” and
TopOps
accurately reflects binary options trading that can entrap anyone on the web. As for the theological promises of
Pastor Hanson
, all too many TV preachers get rich from off of people they seduce to “seed” into their ministries.

Excerpt from
Snowmageddon

Book 5 of Windy City Neighbors series

Chapter 1

Bzzzzzzzz!!

     Estelle Bentley’s head jerked up. Wha … what? She must’ve dozed off. Was someone at the door? Lands sake, what time was it? She glanced at her watch. Three-fifteen . . . too early for DaShawn to be home from school. Besides, the boy had his own house key. Who could it be? Maybe the postal carrier. Whoever.
Umph.
Guess she better go see who it was.

     Hefting herself out of the overstuffed chair in the living room, Estelle padded in her house slippers down the stairs of the two-flat she and Harry owned, past their tenant Mattie Krakowski’s door on the right, and pulled open the outside door.

     The front stoop was empty.

     She peered into the mailbox marked “Bentley.” Nothing there either.

    
Hmph.
Whoever it was didn’t even give a body time to get to the door.

     Annoyed at having to reclimb the stairs for no good reason, Estelle muttered all the way into the kitchen at the back of their second floor apartment. DaShawn would be home soon anyway, might as well fix him a snack. He’d be wanting something sweet, especially if he smelled the—

     Estelle’s eyes flew wide open! Her cake! In the oven! That buzzer hadn’t been the front door. It was the oven timer, set to go off at . . . oh, good Lord! Don’t let Michelle Jasper’s birthday cake be burned!

     Grabbing two potholders, Estelle pulled open the oven door and hauled out the Bundt pan holding the lemon pudding cake she’d put in an hour ago. She eyed it critically. Golden brown on top … slightly pulled away from the sides …
hmm.
So far so good. A few more minutes in the oven hadn’t seemed to hurt it after all.

     The round Bundt cake had cooled and was sitting regally in the center of the kitchen table, a lemon-sugar sauce dripping prettily down its sides, when she heard her step-grandson pounding up the front stairs. “Hey Gram!” Thirteen-year-old DaShawn Bentley came breezing into the kitchen, tossed his backpack into a kitchen chair, and pulled open the refrigerator door. “We got any milk? Oh, see it.” The slender black teenager pulled out the plastic jug, got himself a glass from the cupboard, filled it, and chugged down the milk in one long draught. “Ah, that’s good.”

     Estelle, meanwhile, stood with one hand on her hip and one hand leaning on the back of a kitchen chair. “Well, hello to you too, young man. Where’s my sugar?”

     DaShawn grinned as he wiped his milk moustache off with the back of his hand. “Oh, sorry. I was just so thirsty.” He gave his step-grandmother an awkward hug and plopped into a kitchen chair—and then spied the cake. “Oh, man. Lemon cake! Can I have a piece?” He reached out a finger as if to take a taste then and there but pulled it back when Estelle slapped his hand.

     “You let that cake be, DaShawn Bentley, if you want
any
food to eat in this house before the sun comes up tomorrow.” Estelle snatched the cake plate off the table and whisked it into a far corner of the kitchen counter. “It’s Sister Michelle Jasper’s birthday today—Miz Jasper to you, don’t you forget—an’ I’m takin’ this cake over to help ’em celebrate.”

     “Can I come? When you gonna go over? Miz Jasper is Tavis and Tabby’s mama anyway. I know they’d want me to come too.”

     Estelle hid a smile. She’d planned for all of them to go across the street to the Jaspers with the cake—her and Harry and DaShawn. Had even told Michelle’s husband she wanted to make a cake since he was working all day out at the airport, and he’d said, “Only if you and Harry and DaShawn come along to help us eat it.”

     But all she said now was, “
Hmph.
We’ll see ’bout that if you eat your supper.”

     DaShawn settled for an apple from the fridge, then headed for the back door with his basketball.

     “Where you goin’?” she asked, thinking the boy’s “short Afro” was in need of a trim. Hadn’t they agreed on two inches, no longer?

     “Just gonna shoot some hoops. Tavis said he’s comin’ over.”

     Estelle frowned. “Wait just a minute. His mama told
me
the doctor said Tavis isn’t supposed to play sports this fall, and school just started three days ago. Don’t you go helpin’ that child break doctor’s orders. Lord, Lord, that boy’s still not a hundred percent after gettin’ himself shot this summer.”