The Great Escape (Wynette, Texas #7)(109)

“It feels good to have girlfriends,” she said one afternoon. “I didn’t have any when I was married. I knew all they wanted was for me to explain why I kept turning a blind eye to Scott’s cheating.”

“Bastard could never pull that shit on you now,” Temple said, crossing an ankle over her knee.

“No.” Bree looked suddenly sad, then seemed to shake herself out of it as she gazed at Kristi. “I haven’t had much business this afternoon. Are you sure you wouldn’t consider—”

“No!” Kristi declared.

Temple and Lucy exchanged looks, entertained by Bree’s attempts to convince Dr. Kristi to wear her red bikini as a way to draw in more business.

“You wear it,” Kristi said hotly. “See how you like it.”

“If I looked like you, I would.” Bree got back at Kristi by putting her on the confessional chopping block. “I don’t understand how you of all people can ever feel inadequate about men. You could have any one of them you want.”

Lucy immediately thought of Panda.

Kristi shoved her sunglasses on top of her head. Even her ears were perfectly shaped. “That’s what you think. The kind of men I’m attracted to aren’t attracted to me.”

“Corpses?” Lucy said, taking the empty periwinkle chair.

Temple laughed, but Kristi pursed her pouty lips like the prim nerd she was inside that knockout body. “Go ahead and mock. I like men with brains. Thoughtful men who read real books and have interests beyond playing beer pong. But guys like that won’t come near me. Instead, I get all the players—actors, athletes, zillionaire fifty-year-olds looking for a trophy wife.”

Lucy rubbed an ink stain on her thumb, then decided to hell with it. “What about Panda?”

“A fascinating exception,” Dr. Kristi said. “He looks like he should be the leader of the beer pong gang, but it doesn’t take long to realize how intelligent he is. Last night we spent an hour talking about Puccini. He has an incredible grasp of politics and economics. And a social conscience. Did you know he still works with street gangs? Too bad he’s completely unavailable emotionally.”

“Because he’s in love with Lucy,” Temple said pointedly.

“Right,” Lucy drawled. “That’s why he keeps coming over here to see me.” Even though she knew it was better for him to stay away, it rankled that he hadn’t even made an attempt to contact her.

“Temple hadn’t told me about your relationship when I made a play for him,” Kristi said earnestly. “I don’t believe in poaching.”

“If you really want a man,” Bree said, “you should do what Lucy did. You should disguise yourself. Make yourself ugly so regular guys aren’t afraid to approach you.”

Lucy pointed out the obvious. “Making Kristi ugly would take a Hollywood special-effects team.”

A silver Subaru sped by. Temple gasped and shot out of her chair.

“What’s wrong?” Kristi said.

Temple’s hand flew to her throat. “That was Max!”

“Are you sure?” Bree asked.

But Temple was already running toward the house.

The three of them gazed at one another. Finally Lucy said exactly what they were all thinking. “I’d give anything to see what happens next.”

“You and me both,” Bree said. But just then a van filled with women and kids stopped. With a glance of regret toward the woods, Bree went to help them.

Which left Lucy.

“Stay right where you are,” Dr. Kristi said. “This is a private affair between Temple and Max.”

“I know,” Lucy replied. “But—” She jumped up from the chair and made a dash for the path.

“Don’t let them see you!” Kristi called out as Lucy disappeared.

Lucy knew this was crazy. She didn’t want to go near the house. But she also needed to believe in happy endings, and if there was going to be one, she wanted to see it firsthand.

She turned onto a narrow track that led toward the garage. She moved carefully, dodging a stack of rotting firewood, a grown woman who’d lost her mind. She peeked around the corner of the garage just as Max emerged from her car. Her short red hair was as rumpled as her olive cargo shorts and ill-fitting tan blouse. Temple shot out of the woods and then froze, every insecurity that lurked behind her Evil Queen’s bluster written on her face. “Max …” The word sounded like a prayer. “Max, I love you.”

Max stayed where she was, her unyielding expression testifying she was just as strong-minded as her lover. “Enough to stop hiding? Or are all those messages you’ve been leaving for me crap?”

“Not crap. I do love you.”

“Enough to go out in public with me?”

Temple nodded.

“Enough to get married?” Max said stubbornly. “And throw a big party? And invite everybody we know?”

Lucy saw Temple’s throat work as she swallowed. “That much,” she whispered.

But Max wasn’t done with her. She made a brusque gesture toward her stocky figure. “I’m not making myself over for you. What you see is what you get, chub and all.”

“I love what I see. I love you.”

Max twisted one of the silver rings on her fingers. “This could destroy your career.”