at his buddies. “Could you clarify?”
“It’ll feel like we’re cheating,” Evert said. “We tell our significant others that we’re never with other women. It’s true, ’cause we’re not. We’re down here, doing nothing, sure, but nothing’s not bad if it doesn’t involve a female. If Sugar is a regular visitor, then there’s no reason other ladies can’t come down, and then our one haven becomes a hangout. We don’t want our ladies here, so if other women are here, technically we’d be cheating.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Jake examined the complaint from every angle, impressed by his friends’ consideration of the issue. “And I swear she’ll keep our secret. One thing about the Cassavechias, they’re not much for gossip.”
The men nodded.
“Thanks for understanding,” Kel said. “It’s a small thing, but really important, you know?”
“It is important,” Jake said, but Kel raised a hand to stall him.
“Debbie and I are getting a divorce,” he said, “and I don’t want her to have any reason to hit me with anything that would alienate me with the courts.”
“What?” Jake exclaimed. “Kel! For the love of God!” He stared at his friend, shocked, realizing he was serious. “Debbie was all you talked about when we were over on the other side of the world, convinced we were never going to get back. Debbie and those ugly kids of yours. Pull your head out, man, you love your wife. And if this is about Lucy,” Jake said, shaking his head, “you are barking up a dead tree, my friend. Cassavechias are nothing to mess with, and as much as I hate to dent your ego, Lucy does not know you’re alive.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Kel said miserably. “Debbie knows.”
Evert slapped a commiserating paw against Kel’s back. Bobby German shook his lunkhead and looked like his own heart was breaking.
“My God.” Jake sank onto a barstool, absolutely mystified. “Kel, think, man! Think about those kids of yours. I know I call them ugly, but that’s just because I’m jealous as hell. You’re the only one with little tax deductions. Their lives will change without you around. They already spent way too many years without you while we were serving. Do not throw your marriage away over a fast—I mean, over Lucy.”
Kel got up and found himself a contraband beer. “Debbie knew, man. She knew when we made love that I’d gotten the hots for another lady. She put up with it for a while, but when certain things in our sex life changed, she filed. There’s nothing I can do.”
Jake cleared his throat, glancing at Evert and Bobby for assistance. “Change it back, whatever it was.”
“I can’t.” Kel’s face was a study in complete confusion. “Certain things just aren’t working anymore, when we get together. Debbie said I used to be like a jack-in-the-box. Now she says I’m more like one of those water-wiggle things that only flop around when the water spigot’s on full blast.”
“Crap,” Jake said. “Go see a doctor. Get some of those blue pills. Get a girlie magazine. Take Debbie to a dirty drive-in, or better yet, send the kids off and rent some porn. Figure out a way to save your marriage.”
Kel shook his head. “I think I need to find out what’s on the dark side, man.”
Jake closed his eyes for a minute, seeing Sugar lying on the pier, those beautiful breasts kind of relaxed and loose under the tight tank top. Could he blame Kel for losing his mind over Lucy?
He was no better than Kel.
I’m just single, which is what he understands. He doesn’t want to “cheat” on his wife by having females down here, but I’d take Sugar on the pool table if I could.
“Which reminds me,” Bobby German said, “Averie came by the restaurant to see you. Said she had something she wanted to give you.”
Jake looked up from pondering a nonexistent bump in the pool table felt. “Give me what?”
“I don’t know,” Bobby said, “but I think it was either sex or a piece of her mind. She’s heard that you’ve got a thing for the new muff in town.”
“I do not,” Jake said, “have a thing for what you just said.” He got up and went to get a beer from the same stash Kel had hit. “What did you tell her?”
“That you’d be by tonight at eight o’clock to pick up whatever she wants to give you.” Evert shrugged. “Far be it from me to judge.”
Jake stared. “Who are you, my social secretary?”
“Kind of,” Evert