Divorced, Desperate, and Delicious

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-three

“Peter?” The soda can slipped from her fingers, fell and started spewing all over the entryway.

“Hi, babe,” he said, looking down at the soda can, which was spinning in circles. “Can I come in?”

Lacy stared down at the mess pouring over her tile, but her thoughts went to Chase in the bedroom. “Uhh.”

Peter pushed his way inside and shut the door. “Shouldn’t you get something to wipe that up?” He pointed to the floor.

She turned around and went to the kitchen, grabbed a roll of paper towels and then went back to the hall and threw a handful on the floor. “What do you want?” she asked, setting the roll of towels on the antique sewing machine beside her purse.

Her ex crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. “Do you know you have your robe on inside out?”

Oh, yeah, I was just making love when the doorbell rang. She would give her eyeteeth right now if she could tell Peter the truth. But with Chase in hiding, she wouldn’t risk it. “Yes. I know. What do you want?”

He smiled. “Can’t an ex-husband stop by for a visit?” He reached out and touched her damp hair. “Did I catch you in the shower?”

“No, I wasn’t showering, and no you can’t stop by for a visit.” She pulled away.

The doorbell rang again. Thinking of the plumber, she snatched open her purse and grabbed her checkbook and a pen. As soon as she got rid of Mr. Screwdriver, she planned to send Peter packing. She opened the door and asked, “How much do I owe you?” She looked up from her checkbook.

It wasn’t the plumber. Blond, with dark blue eyes, and built like a football player, Jason Dodd had the market on good looks. Not that he interested her; she preferred dark hair, less bulk and . . . Face it, she preferred Chase.

“A hundred thousand would buy me a Porsche,” Dodd said, and his blue eyes crinkled with humor.

“Put it on your Christmas list,” she teased back. “Oh. Come on in. But be careful. I just spilled some soda.” She swung the door open and Jason stepped inside. She dropped her checkbook back into her purse.

Jason stopped in the middle of her entryway when he spotted Peter leaning against the wall. Lacy looked at one man and then the other, unsure how to proceed. The awkward silence forced words from her mouth.

She waved a hand between them. “Jason . . . Peter. Peter . . . Jason.” Fixing her gaze on her ex, she stiffened. “Now, what was I about to tell you? Oh, yeah, it’s time for you to go, Peter.” She pointed to the door.

The stunned look on her ex-husband’s face brought a smile to her lips. He thought . . . he thought Jason was her lover. Think what you want, you secretary-screwing lugworm. This was one misunderstanding she wasn’t about to correct. She even helped the misunderstanding along by shifting closer to the blond cop and offering him a flirty smile.

Jason took one glance at Peter’s expression, and he held up his hand as if he seemed to understand some of the undercurrents of what was happening. “I’ll wait right in here,” he said, and stepped into the living room.

As he moved out of the entryway, the doorbell rang again. Lacy grabbed her checkbook and swung it open.

“Surprise?” Sue said, and pushed her way inside with Kathy on her heels. “We were out garage-sale shopping and decided to stop by for a pee break and to see if you wanted to go with us. We found the cutest bedroom suite—not that either of us needs one.” Sue’s mouth moved a mile a minute. “Saw the cars. You got company?” She stopped jabbering long enough to look around. Her eyes widened.