What I Did for Love (Wynette, Texas #5)(82)

Bram lifted an eyebrow. “I have to admit you two clowns have raised my curiosity. Georgie, aren’t you the least bit interested in hearing what they have to say?”

“I already heard what one of those clowns had to say last night, but it turns out I don’t want to end our marriage and set off to Thailand for a gigantic photo op with the two of them.”

“You’re kidding.”

“It’s not the way she’s making it sound,” Jade said quickly. “Lance and I are talking about a humanitarian trip. Georgie, we all need to start thinking globally instead of personally.”

“I’m not that spiritually advanced.”

“Me either,” Bram said. “Besides, Georgie and I already have a trip planned. To Haiti. We’re delivering medical supplies.”

Jade looked genuinely excited. “Really? That’s great. Anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Start by getting out of my bedroom,” Georgie said.

Jade looked gorgeous and hurt. “I think you’re a wonderful person, Georgie, and I’m sorry you’ve been so badly hurt.”

“I’m not hurt, you bozos. I’m furious.”

“I recognize your right to be angry, Georgie. I know what Lance and I are suggesting is crazy, but let’s do it anyway. Just for the hell of it. Let’s show the world that women are more sensible than men.”

“I’m not more sensible! You and my ex-husband had an affair behind my back, he lied to the press about me, and now you want me to go off on some kind of altruistic ménage à trois? I don’t think so.”

Jade’s doe eyes melted into bottomless pools of sadness. “I told Lance you were too self-focused to consider it.”

“Well, I think that does it.” Bram shoved the balcony doors open. “It’s been a great visit, but Georgie has to go throw up now.”

This time Lance and Jade didn’t argue.

“Fun couple,” Bram said as he flipped the lock on the doors behind them. “A little intense, but still a barrel of laughs.”

Georgie headed for the bathroom. “And here I am, naked under this sheet, my hair sticking out all over my head. I haven’t even brushed my teeth. Jade can get the best of me without even trying.”

“I should have been more sensitive toward your pathetic self-esteem issues,” Bram said, following her. “I’m going to punish myself by taking you back to bed and working extra hard to be the man of your sexual fantasies.”

“Or not.” She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. No wonder they were staring at her neck. She had a giant sucker bite. She touched it with the tip of her finger. “Thanks a lot.”

He slid his own finger over the slope of her shoulder. “I wanted to make sure Lance didn’t forget who you belong to.”

She grabbed her toothbrush. Women weren’t property, especially this woman. Still, it was nice of him to have thought ahead. What she didn’t find so nice was her discovery that he had one fewer vice than he’d led her to believe, something she’d have to confront him about very soon.

He handed her the toothpaste. “Last night when I went outside to get Jade, she was already walking toward the front door, talking on her cell. I can’t prove it, but I think she was discussing the quarantine with someone.”

“Before she came in?” Georgie said around a mouthful of toothpaste. “But that doesn’t make sense. If she already knew about the quarantine, why would she let herself get stuck here?”

“Maybe because she didn’t trust her husband to be holed up with his still-sexy ex-wife for two days?”

“Really?” She smiled and spit. “Cool.”

“You’ll tell me, won’t you, when you’re ready to stop obsessing over the two of them and start living your real life.”

She rinsed out her mouth. “This is L.A., so real life is an illusion.”

“Bram!” Chaz yelled from the bottom of the stairs. “Bram, come quick! There’s a snake in the swimming pool. You have to get it out!”

Bram shuddered. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“You should make Lance and Jade do it.” Georgie docked her toothbrush. “It’s probably one of their relatives.”

“Bram!” Chaz called out. “Hurry!”

Georgie ended up pulling a robe around herself and following him out to the pool, where a rattlesnake had climbed up on a kickboard floating in the water. It wasn’t a big rattler, maybe two feet long, but it was still a poisonous snake and one that didn’t like the water.

Chaz’s yelling had alerted the other houseguests. As Lance and Jade appeared, Bram picked up the leaf skimmer and held it out. “Here you go, Lancelot. Impress the women.”

“I’ll pass.”

“Don’t look at me,” Jade said. “I’m phobic.”

“I hate snakes.” Chaz made a face.

Georgie extended her hand toward Bram. “Oh, give it here. I’ll do it.”

“Good girl.” Bram passed over the leaf skimmer.

As Georgie took it, Laura appeared, followed by Rory, who flipped her cell closed and dashed to the rim of the pool, the heels of her very expensive Gucci sandals clicking on the deck. “It that a rattler?”