time as she was giving her own mom. She sure hoped so.
“Pearl fixed us a nice pot roast dinner,” Patrick said from the other side of the threshold.
“Your favorite, how nice.” If he caught the sarcasm in her voice he didn’t show it.
“Lee went to a movie with a friend, and Juliette ran her mouth on the phone while Pearl and I watched a video.”
“Patrick, you spoil Juliette rotten,” Jolene teased. “I hope she finished her homework.”
“They both finished their homework before dinner. Well, I guess I’d better run. If Lee’s back, she’s at the house alone since I just dropped Pearl off at her place. And if she’s not alone ’cause she invited that boy in, I want to be there.”
Jolene waved her hand. “Oh, I’m sure Lee is fine. Why don’t you come in for a minute?”
Patrick hesitated and glanced at his watch. “I really should get back.”
Jolene pulled him in. “For goodness’ sakes, Lee is seventeen years old. Juliette’s only fifteen and I’ve left her here alone for brief periods. I want to talk to you about something important.”
That was a lie. Jolene just wanted to get him into the house. It had been ages since they’d really talked in person, and she missed his presence. Brian was great for sex but he could barely put two intelligent sentences together. And she wanted a chance to feel Patrick out about getting back together.
“I guess I can stay for a quick minute,” he said and followed her into the family room.
Jolene walked to the bar. “Can I get you a drink?” She sensed that he was about to decline as he sat on the black couch across from her cow-print chairs without removing his leather jacket. He looked so uncomfortable. It was hard to believe that he had once lived here.
“C’mon, Patrick. Don’t be a spoilsport. Just a little?” She held her thumb and forefinger an inch apart and put on her sweetest smile. She wanted him to relax, and when they had been a couple her smiles used to always win him over.
He smiled back at her. “OK, what are you drinking?”
She lifted her glass. “Martini.”
He nodded. “I’ll have the same. But just a little. I’m driving.”
“For God’s sake, Patrick, you only live ten damn blocks away. And take off your jacket.”
He accepted the drink from Jolene and removed his jacket. Jolene was reminded that he was in great shape for a forty-year-old man, as she noted his firm, muscular arms and shoulders. She poured a fresh drink for herself and settled on the couch next to him.
“Looks like you’ve been busy decorating around here,” he said, indicating the chairs.
She smiled. “Do you like it?”
“It’s nice. But what was wrong with the old family room furniture?”
“Just that, it was old.”
He stared at her incredulously. “You just bought it when the house was finished last summer.”
“I know, but I decided it was all wrong for this room. I wanted something more modern.”
Patrick shook his head. “Can we afford it with two mortgages? Yours and mine? Not to mention . . .”
She waved a hand. “We’re fine, Patrick. We always manage to pull through one way or another. Stop worrying about money.”
“Someone’s got to do the worrying, the way you spend it.”
“I’m better than I used to be. I haven’t bought many new clothes in ages.”
“Uh-huh,” he said doubtfully, eyeing her designer outfit. “So, what was so urgent?”
“It’s not exactly urgent. Does it have to be urgent to get you to sit and talk to me for a minute?”
“Nooo. I just thought . . . well . . .” He shrugged and sipped his martini.
“We’re divorced but that doesn’t mean we can’t get along,” she said. “I mean, we’re still raising a daughter together.”
“You’re absolutely right. I actually think we get along better now than we did when we were married. At least when it comes to the last few years of our marriage.”
She smiled and turned toward him so he could get a good look at her
“Pearl fixed us a nice pot roast dinner,” Patrick said from the other side of the threshold.
“Your favorite, how nice.” If he caught the sarcasm in her voice he didn’t show it.
“Lee went to a movie with a friend, and Juliette ran her mouth on the phone while Pearl and I watched a video.”
“Patrick, you spoil Juliette rotten,” Jolene teased. “I hope she finished her homework.”
“They both finished their homework before dinner. Well, I guess I’d better run. If Lee’s back, she’s at the house alone since I just dropped Pearl off at her place. And if she’s not alone ’cause she invited that boy in, I want to be there.”
Jolene waved her hand. “Oh, I’m sure Lee is fine. Why don’t you come in for a minute?”
Patrick hesitated and glanced at his watch. “I really should get back.”
Jolene pulled him in. “For goodness’ sakes, Lee is seventeen years old. Juliette’s only fifteen and I’ve left her here alone for brief periods. I want to talk to you about something important.”
That was a lie. Jolene just wanted to get him into the house. It had been ages since they’d really talked in person, and she missed his presence. Brian was great for sex but he could barely put two intelligent sentences together. And she wanted a chance to feel Patrick out about getting back together.
“I guess I can stay for a quick minute,” he said and followed her into the family room.
Jolene walked to the bar. “Can I get you a drink?” She sensed that he was about to decline as he sat on the black couch across from her cow-print chairs without removing his leather jacket. He looked so uncomfortable. It was hard to believe that he had once lived here.
“C’mon, Patrick. Don’t be a spoilsport. Just a little?” She held her thumb and forefinger an inch apart and put on her sweetest smile. She wanted him to relax, and when they had been a couple her smiles used to always win him over.
He smiled back at her. “OK, what are you drinking?”
She lifted her glass. “Martini.”
He nodded. “I’ll have the same. But just a little. I’m driving.”
“For God’s sake, Patrick, you only live ten damn blocks away. And take off your jacket.”
He accepted the drink from Jolene and removed his jacket. Jolene was reminded that he was in great shape for a forty-year-old man, as she noted his firm, muscular arms and shoulders. She poured a fresh drink for herself and settled on the couch next to him.
“Looks like you’ve been busy decorating around here,” he said, indicating the chairs.
She smiled. “Do you like it?”
“It’s nice. But what was wrong with the old family room furniture?”
“Just that, it was old.”
He stared at her incredulously. “You just bought it when the house was finished last summer.”
“I know, but I decided it was all wrong for this room. I wanted something more modern.”
Patrick shook his head. “Can we afford it with two mortgages? Yours and mine? Not to mention . . .”
She waved a hand. “We’re fine, Patrick. We always manage to pull through one way or another. Stop worrying about money.”
“Someone’s got to do the worrying, the way you spend it.”
“I’m better than I used to be. I haven’t bought many new clothes in ages.”
“Uh-huh,” he said doubtfully, eyeing her designer outfit. “So, what was so urgent?”
“It’s not exactly urgent. Does it have to be urgent to get you to sit and talk to me for a minute?”
“Nooo. I just thought . . . well . . .” He shrugged and sipped his martini.
“We’re divorced but that doesn’t mean we can’t get along,” she said. “I mean, we’re still raising a daughter together.”
“You’re absolutely right. I actually think we get along better now than we did when we were married. At least when it comes to the last few years of our marriage.”
She smiled and turned toward him so he could get a good look at her
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