“At times,” he replied. “So you went to college in Salt Lake?”

“No. I went to Snow College. My best friend from Montezuma Creek asked if I wanted to be her roommate, so I took her up on it.”

“Snow College,” he said. “Isn’t that in Manti?”

“It’s the town next to it,” I said. “Ephraim. The one with all the turkey farms. Sometimes turkey dander would settle over the school. I was horribly allergic to it.”

“To turkey dander?” he asked.

I nodded. “That’s where I met my ex-husband, Dan.” I paused. “Dan. Dan-der. I never made that connection before.”

Nicholas laughed. “Dander. I like that.”

“Dan was from Salt Lake. He was doing his general ed at Snow because it was cheaper than the University of Utah. He was ambitious back then. He promised to show me the world. Then he left college to sell water purifiers. Dan wasn’t very nice, but that’s what I was used to. The truth was, he was my way out. A counselor once told me that Dan was my ‘vehicle of emancipation.’ I think she was right. I followed Dan to Salt Lake, and we got married. We were married for eight years before he divorced me.”

“Why did he divorce you?”

I looked at Nicholas and said, “Wasn’t there a clause in our contract about deep and probing questions?”

“You’re right. I crossed the line.”

“Well, technically, we crossed the line about ten minutes ago,” I said. “It’s okay. Dan divorced me because he was cheating on me with my best friend.”

“Your college roommate?”

“Yes. He’s now married to her.”

“Remarkable,” Nicholas said. “What was your divorce settlement like?”

“Not good. It’s not like Dan had much money, but I didn’t get anything.”

“Sounds like you had a poor attorney.”

“No, he had a poor client.”

“Why?”

I looked down. “Some people are born thinking they’re pretty important. Some aren’t.”

Nicholas nodded slowly as if he understood.

I took a deep breath. “So now that I’ve spilled all my secrets, let’s talk about you.”

“That’s a nonstarter,” he said.

“Really? After I just shared my entire life history, you’re holding out on me?”

“I’m only saving you from boredom.”

“I think there are some answers that might interest me.”

“Such as?”

“To begin with, why aren’t you married?”

He looked at me for a moment, then said, “Isn’t that why I asked for this contract? So I didn’t have to answer that question?”

“I still want to know.”

He looked at me thoughtfully and after a moment said, “A lot of people aren’t married. A lot of people are married who shouldn’t be.”

“You’re evading the question.”

“It’s complicated,” he said.

“Is that all I get?”

“For now,” he said.

“Then tell me about your childhood.”