"You haven't been here, so you can't comprehend how complicated things have gotten with the Skipjacks. Spence is obsessed with Meg, and Sunny wants Ted. We're fairly sure that's why Spence came back to Wynette after the wedding fell through."
Francesca dismissed the Skipjacks. "Torie told me about Sunny, and Ted can handle her." Hurt shadowed her eyes. "I can't understand why you or Torie didn't call me?"
"It's been confusing. Meg did tell certain people she was in love with Ted, that's true. But we assumed she was merely using him to get Spence to back off."
Francesca's green eyes widened with astonishment. "Why wouldn't you believe she was in love with him?"
"Because she didn't act like it," Emma explained patiently. "I've never seen any woman, other than Torie, give him such a hard time. Meg doesn't get starry-eyed around him or hang on to his every word. She openly disagrees with him."
"She's even smarter than I thought." Francesca plowed a hand through her already unkempt hair. "He's never had a woman give him trouble. It's the novelty that's attracting him." She sagged onto the couch. "I hope she isn't on drugs. It wouldn't surprise me. The drug culture is everywhere in Hollywood."
"I don't think she's on drugs, Francesca. And we did try to persuade her to leave. Sunny Skipjack doesn't want any competition for Ted, and Spence dotes on his daughter. It's getting too messy. We knew Meg didn't have any money, so we offered her a check. Not our finest hour, I assure you. Anyway, she refused."
"Of course she refused. Why take your paltry check when she has Ted and his money in her sights?"
"Meg might be a bit more complicated than that."
"I'm sure she is!" Francesca retorted hotly. "Her own family has disowned her, and you can't tell me that was done lightly."
Emma knew she had to proceed carefully. Francesca was an intelligent, rational woman, except when it came to her son and husband. She loved both men ferociously, and she'd fight off armies to protect them, even if neither wanted her protection. "I know it might be difficult, but if you got to know her . . ."
Francesca grabbed a Star Wars figure that had been jabbing her in the hip and tossed it aside. "If anyone-and that includes my husband-thinks I'm going to stand by and watch that woman bewitch my son . . ." She blinked. Her shoulders collapsed, and all the energy seemed to seep out of her. "Why did this have to happen now?" she said softly.
Emma went over to sit next to her on the couch. "You're still hoping Lucy will come back, aren't you?"
Francesca rubbed her eyes. From the shadows underneath, it was obvious she hadn't slept well. "Lucy didn't return to Washington after she ran off," she said.
"No?"
"I've talked to Nealy. We both think this is a positive sign. Being away from home, from her job and her friends, will give her the opportunity to come to a deeper understanding of herself and what she's given up. You saw her with Ted. They loved each other. Love each other. And he refuses to talk about her. That tells you something, doesn't it?"
"It's been two months," Emma said carefully. "That's an awfully long time."
Francesca was having none of it. "I want everything to stop." She was up off the couch again, pacing. "Just long enough to give Lucy a chance to change her mind. Can you imagine if she finally returns to Wynette only to discover Ted's having an affair with the woman she considers her best friend? It doesn't bear thinking about." She spun on Emma, lines of stubborn determination forming around her mouth. "And I'm not going to let it happen."
Emma tried again. "Ted is quite capable of looking after himself. You mustn't-you really mustn't do anything rash." She gave her friend a worried look, then headed for the kitchen to make tea. As she filled the kettle, she pondered one of Wynette's most frequently recounted legends. According to local lore, Francesca had once flung a pair of four-carat diamonds into a gravel quarry to prove a point about how far she'd go to protect her son.
Meg had better take care.
,
The day after Meg's encounter with Francesca Beaudine, she received a summons to report to the office. As she drove the drink cart past the pro shop, Ted and Sunny emerged. Sunny wore a short blue-and-yellow harlequin print golf skirt and a sleeveless polo with a diamond quatrefoil pendant nestled in the open neck. She looked well organized, confident, self-disciplined, and perfectly capable of bearing Ted a genius baby in the morning, then heading to the course for a quick nine holes.