"Ooh, girl, is it that bad?" Maggie asked, grabbing a cup and pouring Marion some hot water for her tea.
Marion rolled her eyes. "It's worse. My dad has been an absolute bear since Lisa left for France."
Maggie chuckled, "Misses her that much?"
"Not that he'd ever admit it," Marion said, pulling a face as she dunked her tea bag into her mug.
"Jack's always been a proud man," Maggie said, leaning on the counter.
"You can say that again!" Marion said, her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline, "He's been driving me crazy."
"How's your love life going?" Maggie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What love life?" Marion said, exasperated.
"Maybe that's your problem," Maggie said with a laugh.
Marion rolled her eyes, "Well, I have spoken to Victor, but I'm really pleased with my decision to just be friends with him. I did the right thing there."
Maggie pouted sympathetically at Marion. "Still not over Tim Fleming?"
"I don't think I'll ever be over Tim," Marion said, sadly. "I'd like to see him once more, and just, you know, see. If nothing else, it would be good to have closure. To really know it's over."
Maggie nodded, understanding where she was coming from."But your daddy, he would go berserk," Maggie said, pulling a face.
Marion bulged her eyes out emphatically, "Especially right now. Everybody's on his bad side."
Maggie laughed and refilled Marion's hot water for her tea.
"The other day Dan Hartfield stopped over to ask me to work with one of his horses. Now I don't like the man, and I wouldn't take his business again, now that I know who he is, unless I really needed the money, but my dad was an absolute grouse to him. Practically ran him off the property like a junkyard dog."
"Who is Dan Hartfield?" Maggie asked, dropping her voice.
"You don't know?" Marion said, searching Maggie's eyes. "American businessman, runs Brookland Stables? I worked with a horse for him about two months ago. Before I realized that he was Lisa's ex-husband."
"What?" Maggie said, her eyes bulging out, "Lisa's ex is living in Hudson?"
Marion nodded.
"Did she know he was in town?" Maggie asked, incredulous.
Marion shook her head.
Maggie whistled in response.
"I know," Marion said, "he makes Tim look like a peach. And seeing Lisa and Dan together, it's just so clear there's nothing there. It makes me wonder why they were ever together in the first place. I wonder if it would be like that if I saw Tim again."
Maggie furrowed her brows, "So, this Dan, what's he like? Is he anything like Lisa?"
Marion shook her head, "I mean, I guess on the surface they probably seem like a good match. Attractive, wealthy, of a certain status. But not in any way that actually matters. Dan treats people like they are ants under his shoe. But Lisa really cares about people. She's kind. And she's genuine."
Maggie nodded, "She really is. And in that way, she's a really good match for your dad."
Marion nodded, "They are a good match. They might not seem like one on the surface. But they are both kind. And they both hide how caring they are behind these brusque facades. I just worry my dad's going to screw it up."
Maggie nodded at her sympathetically. "What else is new with you? It's been too long, since I saw you."
"Apparently, it has, if I know gossip that you don't. I can't believe I scooped you on Dan Hartfield."
Maggie laughed.
"Actually," Marion said, "I have been talking to this case worker, named Clint Riley, and I have a kid coming to live at the ranch to work as a farm hand."
"Really?" Maggie said.
"Yeah," Marion said, "I loved having Scott live with us, and I have that space in the loft just sitting there. So I figured why not offer it to another kid?"
"When you're not fixing horses, you're fixing people," Maggie said with a grin.
"Just trying to help where I can," Marion said, catching Maggie's eye with a gleam in her own.
Amy slumped dramatically into a bean bag chair on Soraya's floor.
"That bad?" Soraya asked.
"My grandfather is driving me crazy!" Amy said. "And Jesse has been in a mood."
Soraya rolled her eyes, "At least you have a boyfriend. I can't even get a guy to ask me out."
Amy chuckled, smiling at Soraya sympathetically.
"What's up with your grandpa?" Soraya asked, throwing a few pillows onto the floor and sinking down next to Amy.
"Your guess is as good as mine. But he's been so grumpy lately. Just completely impossible."
"Even grumpier than usual?" Soraya asked, her eyebrows disappearing into her hairline.
Amy nodded.
Soraya whistled.
"I know," Amy said. "Mallory thinks it's because Lisa Stillman went out of town."
Soraya looked thoughtful for a moment, "How is that Mallory knows more about relationships than we do?"
Amy laughed, "If that's true, we really are in trouble." And threw a pillow at Soraya.