Page 14 of First Date: Divorce
Oh, hell, maybe that critical assessment was her normal expression.Give her a break.
It had been a long, hard day.For both of them.
At least she’d had dinner.
His own darned fault he’d skipped the no-doubt delicious and generous dinner offered at Far Hills Ranch.
And for what?
To avoid a discussion of divorces and one spouse not wanting kids?Idiotic.That wasn’t what ended his marriage.Maybe a symptom, but definitely not the cause.
Not to mention he hadn’t got out of there fast enough to prevent Cully from telling him there’d be no avoiding any hang-ups he might still have on those issues, even before they went to Marriage-Save.
Cully hadn’t said it that way.He’d said he and Tal Bennett decided it made sense for K.D.Hamilton to stay with Eric until they went to Marriage-Save on Friday.Build the scenario, he’d said.
It was the way Cully looked at him that conveyed the messages about hang-ups, no use trying to avoid them, and get over yourself.
Annoying as hell that the guy was right.
Eric clattered down the outside steps — repaired enough that no one would fall through them, but not renovated yet.
“Glad you found the place okay.”
“Yeah.Navigation.”She’d already hooked a backpack over one shoulder and had her suitcase out.
“Let me get your suitcase.”
“Got it.Front door?”
“Yeah.”
She bumped the rolling suitcase over the uneven front walk, carried it up the rackety steps, and across the uneven front porch.
The moment he opened the front door for K.D., Pauline appeared in the hallway ahead, holding two folders.
“I printed out the information the sheriff sent, what Ellyn Griffin sent, plus what I found online so far about Marriage-Save.I figured you shouldn’t have that sort of thing on your phones in case somebody at Marriage-Save gets nosy.There’s also a questionnaire so you can study each other.”Without taking a breath, she added.“You could have helped her with her suitcase, you know.Suppose you’ll make her drag it all the way upstairs herself, too.”
Before Eric could defend himself, Pauline went on.“You both need to fill out the questionnaires tonight, so you can memorize the answers tomorrow.No time to waste.I’ll test you.Need to be perfect, so it’s natural by Friday.”
“K.D.Hamilton, let me introduce my assistant Pauline Ohlrich.Who is almost as invaluable as she thinks she is, and far bossier than she’ll admit to,” Eric said.
K.D.smiled and extended a hand.
The same could be said when she’d greeted him in Cully’s office, except this was arealsmile.
Pauline returned it.
They resembled two of those fairy godmothers from the cartoon version ofSleeping Beautyhis sister had watched over and over and over until it ground into his head.The short, round fairy godmother and the tall, thin one.
In fairness, Pauline, though short, wasn’t as round as that fairy godmother.Plus, if you went by personality, she resembled Napoleon more than a fairy godmother.
As for K.D., she looked nothing like a kindly fairy godmother.
Nothing.
Not with those legs.
“Didn’t think you’d ever get here,” Pauline said.
