A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins #1)(16)

"And protecting you from cockroaches. Don't forget that."

Gwen laughed. "Right. How could I forget?"

"You can't if I keep reminding you."

"Ready to go?" Maricela hefted her purse strap over her shoulder. "I'll walk you to your car."

"Sure." Gwen smiled once more at Lance.

She pulled her jacket closer around herself when she hit the cold, night air. "It's funny how you think you know someone, but you don't know them at all."

"I know. I was so surprised to hear about John's wife. It makes me... I don't know. I'm not making excuses for him, but I'm sorry for him. I know how it feels to be cheated on," Maricela said.

Gwen looked at her. "Right. That. It does explain things. But, I didn't mean John."

"No?"

"No. I was talking about Lance. I think there's actually a nice guy beneath that handsome exterior. That whole hero thing he did tonight—it made me look at him in a new light.”





Chapter Ten


Enzo's was crowded. The warmth, the noise, the smell of garlic and tomato enveloped Art as he entered the sports bar. He and the kids made their way across the black and white checked linoleum floor to an empty table near the back.

"I want a calzone," Tyler said, sliding into the booth.

"You always want a calzone. Why can't you just eat pizza?" Jason sat next to him.

"I want cheese pizza. No pepperoni." Emily made a puke face when she said the word pepperoni.

Jason poked Tyler. "If we share a pepperoni pizza then Emily can have a little one all to herself."

"Enough." Art felt like a single dad. He was left alone to deal with the kids more and more often, and tonight he was out of patience. He'd needed Gwen with him at that concert, needed her not just as a prop, as she described her role, but as a co-parent. If it hadn't been for Lorelei the evening would have been a disaster.

He was standing on the stage in the auditorium introducing the performance in front of several hundred parents and the entire board of directors when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jason slap Tyler in the head. He'd left the kids alone in the third row with threats of dire consequences if they got out of line while he was gone.

He stumbled on his words, but then saw Tyler's mouth opened in a silent scream. No harm done. He'd deal with Jason later. He regained his composure, but then saw his second son pull a harmonica from his pocket, wiggle up close to Jason's ear, and fill his cheeks for what could only be a blast of hurricane proportions.

Art lifted a hand as if he could stop Tyler from where he stood, when Lorelei, God bless her, reached over the seat and snagged the instrument from his grasp. She kept a hand on each of his son's shoulders while Art hurried through the rest of his address.

A harried waitress in black jeans and a gray Enzo's T-shirt ran up to the table, pulled a pencil from behind her ear and said, "What can I get you, Mr. Bishop?"

"Hey, Carrie," Art said. Carrie’d graduated from St. Barnabas two years ago and was working her way through college as a server. "One large pizza, half pepperoni, half plain cheese."

"Dad..." Tyler started to say, but Art stopped him with a no-arguments look.

"How's school going?" Art asked Carrie as she scribbled their order on a pad.

"Crazy busy. Mid-terms. I have to write a paper after my shift tonight." She pushed a stray, black hair into her ponytail.

"Sounds like you're keeping out of trouble anyway," Art said.

"I try." She smiled.

"Work going well? You guys are pretty busy." Art looked around the crowded room.

"It's okay. We're all still kind of shook up."

It was a strange comment. "Shook up?"

"Because of Olivia's kid."

Art was confused.

"Getting hit by a truck." She lowered her eyes.

The din of the restaurant faded as Art focused on the girl standing in front of him. He was sure he'd heard the words wrong. Her statement made no sense.

"What are you talking about?"

"Brian, Olivia Richard's little boy. He's in third grade at St. Barnabas." Carrie shifted her weight from one foot to the other and looked up the row of tables.

"I know Brian," Art said.

Carrie gave a small nod to another table and spoke quickly. "I was sure you'd heard. He was in a hit and run earlier this evening. I guess he was suspended from school. Olivia had to come into work and couldn't find a sitter. He was supposed to stay in the house, but he went out on his skateboard..."

Cold seeped into Art's veins. Brian, the terror of the third-grade playground. Brian, the only kid in grammar school who'd stand up to Dwayne Pratt. Brian, whose small, defiant face had peered over his desk at him only a few days ago. Carrie must be mistaken.

"The cops came to the restaurant to tell Olivia. It was pretty awful." She paused. "I'd better go put in your order."

As she moved from the table, Art caught her hand. "How bad is it?"

She stood and looked at him for a moment before responding. He could see her measuring her words, choosing carefully before she spoke. "I don't think they know much yet. I guess it's serious."