Page 29 of Summer Affair
“Maybe his wife talked him into it.”
Jillian shook her head. “Dirk is the king of that relationship, and she wouldn’t dare pressure him into anything. If anything, she voiced no opinion.”
She was young and naive just like Jillian had been, which made it hard to hate her. Jillian knew firsthand how it felt to be charmed by an older, successful man, who seemed like a prince only to turn out to be a frog. It was terrifying. She wasn’t sure if Nikki had realized her fate yet, and Jillian hoped, for the woman’s sake, that she did sooner than Jillian had. It’s one thing to be trapped in a bad marriage, it’s another to be trapped without the financial security to escape.
“He and I wouldn’t get along,” Piper said. “I’m willing to bet that it would end with me punching him in the nuts and landing in jail for assault.”
“I can give you his address,” Jillian joked … kind of. “But I don’t even know how Dirk would have found out about camp.” She looked at Darcy.” Did you call him?”
“The only thing I’d call him would be a cheating, lying bastard. I have his number for one reason, in case of an emergency. While I know this was important to you, it doesn’t warrant an emergency call to your ex.”
“If I don’t have to pay, do I have to tell Dirk?”
“No!” her friends said in unison.
“Just because you get a pass doesn’t mean he should. Take that money and put it toward your tasting room,” Piper said. “You have been working toward opening your own place ever since I met you. Maybe this is the big break you’ve needed.”
It wouldn’t get her all the way there, but it would bring her one giant step forward in achieving her dream. Stability, independence, financial security—all the things Jillian’s marriage had cost her—were once again within her grasp and, this time, when she crossed that finish line it would be on her own two legs. Legs no one could sweep out from under her.
The moment she signed those divorce papers Jillian made herself a promise. No matter how hard or terrifying things became, she’d never place her family’s future in anyone else’s hands. Fail or succeed, her life was hers.
“Maybe,” she said.
“Or something for yourself,” Darcy said. “When was the last time you did something just for you?”
Um, an hour ago. When she’d said yes and had Clay’s hands all over her. Then there were his lips.Sweet baby Jesus,those lips.
“Why do you look like you’ve just eaten an entire cake by yourself?” Darcy asked, setting the finished PB-and-apple spider on a tray.
“You’re mistaking glee with stress. I was just thinking of all the things I have to do when I get home.”
“I’ve got Sammy, why don’t you take off so you can get started.”
Because she knew who’d be waiting for her at home and she didn’t want to tempt fate again. This time there wouldn’t be a travel-sized chaperone.
“After we finish these snacks, I’ll head out.”
Darcy’s phone pinged with an incoming text. She jerked her eyes off the screen to look at Jillian, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “I think I just solved the mystery.”
A bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. “Spill.”
“Not until you do.” Darcy showed Piper her text and Piper laughed. So hard she nearly fell backward on the bleacher.
Jillian reached for the cell, but Darcy held it above her head. “Either show me or I’ll give Heather your number. I hear she’s looking for a venue to host her goddaughter’s wedding.”
Darcy sobered. “You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t test me.”
“Fine. But out of curiosity, what’s up with you and Clay?”
“Nothing. He’s just a renter.” And she was a big fat liar. He might have been that the other night, but she was afraid that he’d shifted into a completely different category. A dangerous category.
“Since when do sexy, single renters pay for a kid’s summer camp?”
“What?” She went ramrod straight, nearly knocking the tray off the bleacher. “Is that what Gage said?”
“Yup. I asked him if he knew, and he said it was probably Clay.”
