Page 3 of Pieces of Perfect
CHAPTER TWO
Lorelei was surprised to find her ex-husband, Mark, parked in her drive when she returned. He was supposed to have their six-year-old daughter for the next week. She would’ve assumed he was bringing Lucy home early, but she didn’t see their child in the car.
What was going on?
Steeling herself for what she might encounter, she got out of her Jetta. He vacillated between berating her for her lack of forgiveness for what he deemed “one mistake” and pleading with her to reunite their family, despite the fact that he was currently with someone else.
She forced a smile, hoping a congenial response would influence the tone of the conversation. Their split had been so acrimonious. She was finished fighting with him, wanted nothing more than to put it all behind her and move on.Hewas the one who wouldn’t let go, which was pretty ironic considering the reason for their divorce. “Hello, what are you doing here?” she asked.
“I need to talk to you,” he replied, acting as though it was important.
She peered around at his Explorer. Sure enough, he was alone. “Is Lucy okay?”
“She’s fine.”
“Where is she?”
“Francine took her and Leila swimming at a friend’s house.”
Leila was the sixteen-month-old daughter he’d had with Francine. She was a beautiful baby, but Lorelei had a difficult time looking at her. Francine had been her best friend before she had an affair with Mark and wound up pregnant.
Did Francine even know Mark was here?
Lorelei doubted it. She would not be happy to learn she was babysitting both kids while he was visiting his ex.
But Lorelei felt no loyalty to Francine. They were no longer friends. So she wasn’t going to argue or question him. “Okay.”
He gestured at the house. “Can we go inside?”
Her mind raced for an excuse to stay out in the yard. She didn’t want to be alone with him. The last time he’d had an opportunity like this, he’d pressed her up against a wall and kissed her. He’d been trying to remind her of what they’d once had, but she’d felt nothing other than a mild revulsion. Ever since she’d met Finn Hatch, who’d rented the cabin next to the one where they were staying that summer in Tahoe, she hadn’t been able to get excited about anyone else. He was the new standard by whom she measured all men. “Actually, I don’t have more than a couple of minutes. I was just stopping by to grab my checkbook. The only time I use it is when I get my hair done, so I forgot to take it with me when I left this morning.”
The way she’d shored up her statement with so much detail was a dead giveaway that she wasn’t being truthful. Besides, she’d just had her hair done. But she curled her fingernails into her palms and hoped he’d buy it.
He seemed frustrated that they couldn’t have more time and more privacy, but he didn’t seem to suspect her of lying. “It won’t take long,” he said.
She was tired of being cornered by him, so she risked pushing back, even though she’d been doing her best, for Lucy’s sake, to keep things calm and positive between them. Her efforts were probably to blame for why he was suddenly trying again. He thought he might have another chance—but he didn’t. “Just tell me now. I’m in a hurry,” she reiterated.
He sighed. “I want to talk to you about Lucy.”
“What about her?”
“I think the divorce is taking a big toll on her. She’s not the same.”
He’d been coming up with more and more of this type of thing lately, and, while Lorelei was worried about how the divorce was affecting their daughter, the concerns he expressed were engineered to manipulate her into coming back to him. “What do you mean? In what way?”
“She started crying last night when I was putting her to bed.”
“Because…”
“She wants her parents to be together again. She doesn’t like having to split her life between your house and mine.”
“What about Leila?” she asked. “Won’t your other child want the same?”
“Leila’s too young to know any different.”
“And Francine?”
“Come on, Lorelei. I’ve told you she drives me crazy. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.”
