Hotter than Texas (Pecan Creek) - By Tina Leonard Page 0,47
to do?”
“Nothing,” Sugar said, surprised. “There’s nothing to do. If she’s with Lassiter, good for her. I wasn’t thinking about Lassiter when I saw her bed was empty.”
“I don’t trust him,” Lucy said darkly.
“It doesn’t matter. Mom can decide for herself whether or not he can be trusted. Are you going to be home for dinner?”
“I don’t know,” Lucy said. “Probably not.”
“Okay. Good to know.” Sugar hung up, looking around the big kitchen and the cold stove where no nuts were being toasted to golden-brandy-colored goodness. This was not the way it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be getting closer as a family, sharing a journey together, a Hallmark card come to life.
Something they’d never had before.
It was beginning to feel more like a bad mission where things blew up unexpectedly, beyond repair. Sugar wanted to hold on to the dream.
She called Paris down from Maggie’s bed. “C’mon, girl. Let’s go pay a call on Jake.”
Kel Underwood came to sit with Sugar as she took a place on the outdoor patio. Paris made herself comfortable underneath a shady oak tree where Sugar could keep an eye on her. Sugar ordered a glass of tea and waited for Jake to make his way over to her.
“Hi,” Kel said.
“Hi, Kel,” Sugar said. “It’s busy in here today.”
“I know. That’s good.” He glanced around at the diners on the patio enjoying hamburgers and lemonade. “I’ve been hoping to talk to you, Sugar.”
“All right.” She smiled. “Go ahead.”
He glanced around her. “I’m getting a divorce.”
The smile slipped from Sugar’s face. “Kel, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. I am too.” He rubbed a hand at the back of his neck. “Debbie and I have been married a long time. We’ve got kids, you know. Bonds.”
Sugar smiled. “I know. I’ve heard you talk about your family.”
He nodded. “I think my wife has a new guy.”
“Are you sure?”
He shrugged. “Hard to keep anything quiet in Pecan Creek.”
She could believe that. “I hope things work out for you.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jake studying them closely. He didn’t work his way over to the table, so she wondered if he’d known Kel wanted to talk to her about his problem.
“It’s because of Lucy.”
Sugar blinked. “Lucy, my sister?”
“Yeah. Debbie thinks I have a thing for Lucy.”
She swallowed. “Do you?”
“I mean, no different from any other guy in this town, maybe,” Kel said, clearly embarrassed. “She’s hot.”
“Yeah, but—” Sugar wasn’t certain what to say. Lucy had never mentioned Kel in a romantic way. She knew Lucy too well; she would never date a married man with children. “That’s the reason your wife wants a divorce?”
“Pretty much,” Kel said, “without going into more detail.”
“Oh.” Sugar stirred her tea. “I don’t know what to say, Kel.”
“Yeah, I know. Jake didn’t, either. Well, he said a lot, but he’s not a woman. He doesn’t know anything about getting a wife back.”
“I’m not a good person to talk to about that. I’m divorced myself.” And there was not one thing Ramon could have done to get me back.
Kel drummed the table. “I’d rather Lucy didn’t know. She may hear it from somebody eventually, and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable around me.”
“I understand.” Sugar pondered Kel’s dilemma. She knew her sister too well, and if Debbie ever decided to take her grievance to Lucy, there could be a major bitch-slap involved. Lucy would not take kindly to anyone accusing her of luring their husband. “Maybe you need to tell Debbie that you do not and never did have a thing for Lucy.”
“She won’t believe me,” he said, miserable.
Sugar shook her head, disbelieving. Small-town life could be tangled. “I’m going to have to tell Lucy, Kel. It’s not fair for her not to know that your wife suspects her of ruining her marriage.”
“Okay.” He looked completely destroyed. “I’m sorry, Sugar. I’ve been having some problems, and—”
“It’s all right.” Sugar sighed. “There’s got to be a way to work this out. We all have to live in Pecan Creek together, so it would be good if everyone understood that nobody is having an affair around here.”
He nodded. “I know. Thanks, Sugar.”
“I didn’t help much, but you’re welcome.”
He left, and Jake made himself over to the table, taking Kel’s seat. “Hey, gorgeous.”
She gave him a disgusted face. “Did you know Kel was going to tell me about his thing for Lucy? And when were you going to warn me that an upset woman in this town thinks my sister destroyed her