Page 21 of The Wife Stalker

“No. I’m fine. Why don’t you take the children outside? I’ll bring everything out. We can sit and talk and get to know each other.”

The three of them were down at the water’s edge when Piper placed the lunch tray on the table she’d set earlier, and she walked along the stone path leading to the pebbly sand to join them. Leo was showing Stelli how to skip stones, but the boy wasn’t having much luck. Piper picked up a pebble, bent her wrist back, let it go, and watched the pebble bounce across the water three times.

“Hey, girl. You’re pretty good,” Leo said.

“Lots of practice. I grew up on the water.”

Evie looked up at her with a shy smile, but Stelli glared at her.

“Can I show you how?” she asked him, hoping to get on his good side.

He shook his head. “I don’t want to throw anymore,” he said, and walked away from them toward the house.

She felt herself deflate, and Leo put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, he’ll come around. Give it time.”

They walked up the slight hill together, and the three of them took their seats at the table while Piper filled their plates.

Stelli picked up his sandwich, examined it, and took a bite. “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite,” he said as he chewed. Then he made a face and put the sandwich down, pushing the plate away from himself. “The jelly’s too lumpy. Yuck!”

“I’m sorry, Stelli. I can make you another,” Piper said, swallowing the urge to correct his poor manners. She took his plate and stood.

But he shook his head. “That’s okay. I don’t like your bread either. Do you have any cookies?”

“I’m afraid I don’t. How about a banana?” She held one out to him.

“I guess.”

Leo gave Piper a sheepish look and shrugged. “Picky eater.”

Piper smiled at him, pretending to sympathize. “How’s your tuna, Evie?”

“Good. Thank you, Piper.”

At least she was a sweet child, seemingly without a care in the world, her bare legs swinging back and forth under the glass table.

“So, guys,” Leo said, “did I tell you that Piper has a really big sailboat? And she told me she would take you for a ride on it if you’d like.”

“Cool!” Evie said. “Can we go now?”

Before Piper could answer, Stelli spoke up. “I don’t like sailboats. They go slow. I like our boat.”

The rest of their lunch was more of the same, with Leo trying to lighten the mood, Evie responding positively, and Stelli squelching all attempts at connection. Piper was becoming more annoyed by the minute and was counting the seconds until this visit was over.

“We’ll help clear everything,” Leo said when they’d finished.

As they walked through the kitchen to the living room, Piper’s collection of blown-glass African animals caught Stelli’s attention. He walked over to the shelf, and Piper followed him. “They’re terrific, aren’t they? I got them in South Africa.”

He continued to stand there, transfixed by the figures, and Evie came over to see them, too.

“Which do you like the best?” she asked.

“The rhinoceros,” Stelli said without hesitating.

She looked over at Leo and smiled. “Here,” she said, taking theplate with his uneaten sandwich from Stelli. “Your father and I will put the dishes away. You stay here and look at the animals.”

As she and Leo walked to the kitchen, he whispered, “See? I told you he’d come around. Nothing to worry about.”

“You’re right. I just want them to like me.”

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