your side piece gave you an ultimatum.”
“Don’t call her that, Grace. It’s beneath you.”
Hatred. Pure hatred ran through her veins. How had Grace been married for twenty years to the gaslighting jackass who was standing at her table? Had he always been such a douche? Had she only seen what she wanted to see, or had he turned into an asshole after ditching her for Shondra? She didn’t know. And other than feeling like the biggest fool that ever lived, she didn’t really care either. “Bill, go away. Go back to Shondra and leave me alone to live my life.”
Bill opened his mouth to no doubt say something else completely awful, but Lucas rose and said, “Hey, man. I think you should just do what she asked.”
“Who asked you?” Bill narrowed his eyes at Lucas. Then recognition dawned in his squinty gaze. “Lucas King. What did you do? Wait until I was finished with her to come back and stake your claim?”
“Bill!” Grace grabbed his wrist and jerked him toward the exit. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What are you doing? Does Hope know you’re dating that guy?”
“We’re not dating,” she spat. “And even if we were, it’s none of your business. You. Left. Me. Remember? Your input isn’t welcome.”
Before he could say another word, Grace spun on her heel and stalked back to her table where Lucas was still waiting and watching.
“Are you all right?” Lucas asked, placing his arm around her shoulders.
She nodded. “Just pissed. What a jackass.”
“You’ve got that right.” Lucas slid back into the booth, and Grace followed suit. “It looks to me like he’s regretting his choices. Why else would he be so put out by who you date?”
Grace scoffed. “Please. He’s a liar. Our marriage might not have been new and shiny, but we were fine. He’s being a dick because he doesn’t like seeing me with anyone else. He’d have been content to stay with me and cheat for the rest of his life. Shondra made him choose, and he’s not happy about it.”
“That’s really effed up, Grace.” Lucas dropped some bills into the check folder and then handed it to the waitress.
“I know.” She rummaged in her wallet and pulled out some money. “Here. I fully planned to pay for that. Client lunch.”
He shook his head. “No way. This was me taking an old friend out. Don’t give it another thought.”
“At least let me pay half,” Grace insisted, still shoving the bills at him.
“Nope.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Deal with it, Valentine. You can get the next one.”
“Fine.” She grinned at him. “It’s good to have you home.”
“Especially when I buy you lunch,” he teased.
“Shut it, King, or I’ll tell everyone you used to wet the bed until high school.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “That is such a lie.”
“Okay, until sixth grade then,” she said, chuckling.
“Keep it up. See what happens.”
“Grace!” Jackson Dixon, Lex’s best friend, rushed over to the table. He was wearing tight ripped jeans and a T-shirt that had Pointe of View Café scrawled across the front. “Hey. I was hoping I’d get a chance to say hi before you left.”
“Hey, Jackson. What are you doing here?” She eyed him, wondering why he was working at the café when he had a thriving graphic arts business.
“Just some extra cash. You know how it is. Gig economy. It’s nice to have multiple cash flows.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Plus, it’s nice to be around other people a few days a week.”
“Right.” She gestured to Lucas. “Jackson, this is my old friend, Lucas King. Lucas, this is Jackson Dixon. He’s been Lex’s best friend since grade school.”
Lucas shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Jackson turned his attention back to Grace. “I tried to get over here sooner to run Bill off, but I got held up by a customer. Can you believe Shondra has already cheated on him?”
Shock rendered Grace speechless for a moment. But then she forced herself to swallow and croaked out, “She did? How do you know?”
Jackson glanced over at the kitchen, apparently checking to see if he was needed before sliding into the booth beside her. “Um, I have an acquaintance who works at the women’s clinic. We got together one night and had way too much to drink. I’m talking entirely too much tequila, and he started to tell me this story about a woman who came in to get checked for genital warts.”
Grace’s eyes went wide.