Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,58

the movie we were watching earlier.”

Barb nodded. “I understand, honey.”

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it,” Arden said hurriedly. “Sex, I mean.”

“Obviously not, if you bought yourself a butterfly,” said Lida, eliciting a hoot of approval from the ladies gathered in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry. I must be ruining the mood.” Arden stood, but the women surrounded her.

“No, girl, not at all. This is Ladies’ Night. We’re here to ogle the buns of hunky men, gorge on chocolate and drink ourselves sillier than we already are. Seems to me you’re in exactly the right place.” Marla grinned and held up her plate of dessert.

“And since most of us also spent a portion of the time complaining about our husbands, current and ex,” Candace put in, “I also think you’re in the right spot. Because if you don’t have a reason to be supremely pissed off with the man you married, none of us do.”

Arden’s mouth dropped open, but she saved herself from looking too stupid by filling it with a mouthful of chocolate-frosted cupcake. She chased it with a swallow of diet soda. “I’m not... I can’t be... Oh, hell, you’re exactly right. I’m pissed at Jason for leaving me and the girls. I’m pissed at him for not going to the doctor sooner. I’m pissed at him because he never did learn to put his socks in the laundry, and now he never will.”

Saying the words felt good, and more tumbled out of her mouth. “I’m pissed because he used to snore right through midnight diaper changes, but couldn’t seem to fall asleep if I stayed up late reading a book. He never put the toilet seat down. He called me Ardie, even though I hated it. He never hung up his ties, just left them hanging on the back of a kitchen chair. And I’m pissed because he left us. Me and Maeve and Aislin, and he’ll never see them grow up, or go to the prom, or get married. I’m pissed because he’s not here and I still am, and it’s hard to be alone.”

Her voice hitched and the room swam, but this time the tears stayed away. Arden looked around at the room full of women, all of them nodding and none of them staring at her with what she’d feared most to see: pity. Empathy, yes, and compassion. But no pity.

Arden took a deep breath. “It’s been a year and three months since he died. And I’ve never said any of that to anyone.”

“Then I guess it’s about time you did,” Lida told her and applauded, then hugged Arden with one strong arm. “It’s okay to be mad.”

“Death doesn’t make anyone perfect, even though we’d like to think they are.” This from the mostly silent Pam. An older woman with soft gray hair, she gave Arden a smile.

“Are you going to cry again?” Lida handed Arden another tissue.

“I don’t think so. I’m going to eat another cupcake.”

The ladies gathered around her broke into another chorus of cheers. Arden stuffed her mouth with the luscious cake and patted her stomach.

“And it’s been eighteen months since she had sex,” Lida announced, making Arden blush.

Arden thought of her daughters, who’d become her entire life since she’d lost Jason. “I’m not ready for a relationship.”

“I saw you watching Ewan’s bare ass,” said Marla, wiggling her eyebrows. “You can’t tell me you don’t want a piece of something like that.”

Gail sighed and put her hand theatrically over her heart. “Who doesn’t?”

“All right. If Ewan shows up at my door, I’ll let him in.”

“And we all know how likely that is to happen.” Candace shook her head. “I agree with Lida. You should have no trouble at all finding a man to give you some action. You just need to pick the right one.”

“Good luck with that,” grouched Gail good-naturedly. “I’ve been looking for the right one for fifteen years.”

“Arden doesn’t want a boyfriend. She wants a bumpin’ uglies buddy,” quipped Barb, who ducked when Gail threw a paper napkin at her.

The idea had more appeal than Arden was willing to admit out loud. “C’mon, you guys, I’m a mom. That’s not me anymore.”

“A mom. Like having kids means you don’t need sex, too?” Marla shook her head. “No red-blooded straight male is going to turn you down because you’ve had kids.”

Arden wasn’t vain enough to think herself a beauty or insecure enough to believe herself a beast. But a siren capable of wooing a man for the sole purpose of