Page 44 of First Date: Divorce
“Oh, dear,” the elderly couple chorused.“We have a birthday dinner for our granddaughter.We should have left already.”
“We don’t need them tonight,” Eric said.“But we do need them tomorrow.Figuring time to get back to Far Hills for the wedding, plus some cushion — say by two in the afternoon.”
“By two in the afternoon?By nine in the morning,” declared Mr.Schmidt, already taking her hand in his to measure her finger.“Not a minute later they will be ready.You will pay then, so we can go now to our party.”
“Absolutely.”Eric hooked one hand around her arm.“Thank you so much.We need to go, K.D., so we don’t hold up the Schmidts.Happy birthday to your granddaughter.”
Mrs.Schmidt followed, waving them out the door, then locking it behind them and turning over the sign to read “Closed.”
“I’m not sure—” K.D.started once they were on the sidewalk.
“I know you’re not and you were about to try to demolish the whole deal, which would have made them miserable.But Iamsure.Besides, you took them into your confidence, but not Mrs.Cavendish.That has to be a sign.”
It took her a second to realize what he meant — she’d told the Schmidts they were putting on a performance, pretending to be married, but had kept up the charade in front of the woman at the clothes store yesterday.
She’d told the Schmidts…
What a rookie mistake.
“They live far enough from Marriage-Save, I doubt they’d come in contact with anyone there.But if you think I’ve compromised the investigation—”
“Don’t get all stiff.I agree they’re unlikely to come in contact with the Marriage-Save people.Even less likely to rat us out.I wasn’t criticizing your telling them.”He steered her toward his vehicle.“I’m trying to understand how you think, figure out what makes my wife-to-be tick.”
“Your ex-wife-to-be.”
“That, too.C’mon, let’s get dinner before we drive back.”
It was a good plan.Especially since they lingered over the meal long enough that Pauline was long gone to her private area when they finally returned to his house in Bardville.
Skipping a grilling session from his assistant had probably been his intention in suggesting they have dinner in Casper.
That’s certainly why she’d kept asking him questions and answering his at the candlelit restaurant table where they’d lingered and lingered.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THURSDAY
Her wedding day.
From the moment K.D.woke, the words drummed in her head.
Hard enough to drive her out of bed and down to the kitchen even before the sun took hold.
She was drinking a glass of water when Eric came in.
She braced for questions about why she was up so early.Well, he was, too.So if there were nerves—
“I’m going for a run.Want to go?”he asked.
“You’re a lawyer.Aren’t you supposed to play tennis and golf?”
“I do.”That had some snap to it.So did the words that followed.“I also play poker with the guys.Scrabble with my family at holidays, Go Fish with nieces and nephews.And I run, usually by myself, so if you don’t want to go—”
It occurred to her that he’d know the better places to run.
It made sense to go with him.
“I’m coming.”
