“Yes, and I had a great time.”
There was a long pause. “So he agreed to the deal?” Myra was the only person she’d told about her plans, and she was vehemently against it. But Jessie had listened to her heart.
“Yes.” Jessie bit her lip, trying not to react to the disapproval in Myra’s voice.
“Just like that?”
“No, but we worked it out.” Jessie scooted up against the headboard, the dress sliding up to her hips.
“With strings, I’m sure, to his benefit.”
Jessie gave up on being tolerant. “Myrie, I’m not talking to you if you keep being so critical.”
“I’m just worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I could use my friend’s support.”
“Cadde Hardin is wrong for you.”
And the conversation went like so many in the past— Myra in her misguided wisdom was always trying to protect Jessie, and Jessie inevitably lost her cool. Why couldn’t the people closest to her understand that she had to live life—her way?
“You don’t know him.”
“I know his type.”
“And what is that?” Jessie stroked Mirry to calm herself.
“Strong, powerful, determined and in control…always. I see his type in the courtroom all the time.”
“Cadde’s not like that.” Well, that probably wasn’t true. Jessie barely knew Cadde, but she was trying to make a point.
“You’ve known him, what? Ten years or more? And ninety-nine percent of that time he’s ignored you. He was sucking up to your father for a big chunk of Shilah.”
“I didn’t meet him until I came home from college and that hasn’t been ten years. If you don’t apologize, I’m done talking to you.”
A tense pause. “Okay, I’m sorry, but he’s going to hurt you.”
“I might hurt him. Have you thought of that?”
“Since you’re besotted with the guy it hasn’t crossed my mind.”
Jessie sighed. “Myrie, I’m not that little girl you used to lead around by the hand. I can make my own decisions and handle the consequences.” She stuffed a pillow behind her back with more force than necessary. “I recall a certain lawyer I know who dated a man for nine months and then found out he was married. She cried for three days.”
Another pause. “Okay, I’m a lousy judge of men.”
“Yes, you are, so let me make my own mistakes.”
“That’s hard to do.”
“Try.”
Myra laughed. “Tell me about your evening.”
“No. It’s private.”
“You’re kidding.”
Jessie kicked off her heels and they landed with a thud on the carpet. “He’s my husband and I’m not telling tales about our relationship.” And it would be a whopping tale. She could embellish with the best, but the truth was they were both feeling their way and she wasn’t giving Myra details. She wasn’t a teenager.
“Wow! This is serious. We talk about everything.”
“Not my husband, though.”
A long pause.
“Wanna hear about this lawyer who’s been giving me the eye?”
“Oh, no. Not another one.” Jessie settled back to hear the rest of the story.
CADDE FLUNG HIS HAT ACROSS Roscoe’s study and it landed somewhere behind the brown leather sofa. He needed something strong. Opening the liquor cabinet, he pulled out a bottle of Scotch. He didn’t bother with a glass. He wasn’t going to need one.
Unscrewing the top, he set the Scotch on the coffee table and plopped onto the sofa. Jessie needed time. She’d started this whole charade and now she wanted to wait. He didn’t get that, but then he didn’t get a lot about women. Maybe that’s why he was still…
Single?
He wasn’t single. He’d been married eighteen months—without sex.
He reached for the bottle and took a sip, wincing as it went down. Damn! The stuff was potent. Taking a breath, he noticed the lights were on all over the house. What was that about? Rosa and Felix had gone to bed long ago. Many nights he came in late and the lights were always on. Why? He upped the bottle again.
Rules! Jessie had rules. As much as he wanted to be irritated, he somehow understood. At his age he had come to realize that men and women were different in more ways than the obvious ones. Compliments, flowers, open hearts and love reached a woman faster than a bullet could strike a moving target. The first two most men handled without a problem. The last one…love…proved to be the stumbling block.
He was no different. He wasn’t even sure what love was. His parents were supposed to love each other and look how that had turned out—tragically. But their defunct marriage wasn’t the reason he was single all these years. He hadn’t really known about his dad’s affair until recently.