Page 24 of First Date: Divorce
“No and no.”
“If you two don’t start working together, you’ll blow it.Tal saidsomeresistance to a working partnership can help with the pose of a couple on the brink of divorce, but it’s a hell of a lot more likely to cause the two of you to butt heads and blow the whole thing.”
“After a brief acquaintance with Tal Bennett, I find it hard to believe he said that in those words … or with that North Carolina drawl.”
“I interpreted his meaning for your non-law enforcement comprehendin’.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Welcome.Here’s more comprehendin’ you need to do.You two get yourselves out and about in town this afternoon.Let the people see you.The more of the big gossips you hit, the better.Then come to the house for dinner tonight.”
“I—”
“Both of you.That’s not an invitation, it’s an order.Grif and Ellyn will be there, along with Bodie and Cambria.Grif and I can give K.D.background on you.”
Eric groaned.
“Bodie and Cambria provide protective coloring to the gathering.”
Eric had met the couple a few times and knew Bodie was Cully’s friend from childhood and the reason both men came to Bardville, Wyoming, from North Carolina.Cambria and Jessa were the reasons they’d stayed.
Apparently taking Eric’s groan as acceptance and thanks, Cully named the time.“And bring your phones.We need to do something about them.”
“What—?”
Before he finished the question, Cully clicked off and another call came through without even ringing.
“Eric?”came K.D.’s voice.“I’m done.”
He spotted her then.
She not only had finished her shopping, she’d paid, and now headed toward the exit where he stood.
Maybe she was a woman in ten million.
CHAPTER NINE
As they walked around Bardville that afternoon, K.D.thought of all the hard work going into making this effort possible … and how much more would be needed for it to turn outsplendidlyas Ellyn had said.
Including Eric’s hard work.
After he told her about their dinner plans, she wondered a little how he felt about having his friends know about this masquerade.When this ended, she’d return to Cabot County and her regular life, leaving memories of this time behind.
But for him, the charade — especially this preparation — wove into his real life because of the connections with all these people he knew.Especially his close friends like Cully and Grif and their wives.
He’d taken her to the post office, dry cleaners, book shop, a tiny antiques store, and now they walked down the earthy smelling aisles of a greenhouse where the woman behind the counter greeted Eric by name.So the geraniums on his deck might be his doing, rather than Pauline’s.
At each stop, he’d introduced her as K.D.Larkin, his wife.
There’d been surprise, many glad-to-know-yous, and no nosy questions.
Which was a problem.
“What’s wrong?”he asked abruptly.
She looked around, saw that as long as the plants didn’t have ears they wouldn’t be overheard.“I thought we’d have had more opportunities to get our back story out.”
He picked up a pot.“Live and let live is the main motto in Shakespeare County, though I guarantee they’re asking each other a lot of questions right now about us.”
