portico when she stopped short, her floating emotions deflating and sinking. Claire Falcon exited The Market’s second door, her cart loaded, her white-blonde hair piled on her head and held in place with a pink head scarf.
Pausing to put her wallet in her bag, Claire shifted her gaze and froze when her eyes glanced over June. Their eyes met, and telepathic passion exploded between them.
Claire lurched into a hasty, sloppy run, her heels skidding over the slick, painted pavement. Her loaded cart swerved and rattled across the roadway and up the main thoroughfare. “Stay away from me, June.”
“Hold up, hussy!” June dashed after Claire, her empty cart shimmying and shaking.
“Stay away, June. I’m warning you.” Claire circled her Escalade and peeked at June over the hood, keeping the vehicle between them. “Come nearer, and I’ll call the police.” She fumbled around inside her purse, raised a small tube. “And zap you with this . . . mace.”
“Do it. Zap me. Call the police. I’d love to tell my side.” June stalked and circled the SUV, ramming her cart into Claire’s.
“Are you crazy?” Claire backed away, tripping on the curb, losing a brown pump in the process. “June, come on, this isn’t the place.”
“Oh really? Then where?” June rammed Claire’s cart again. “My house? The club? At the spring dance? I could have the bandleader dedicate a song to all the women Reb’s bedded. How about a duel in Laurel Park? Ooo, even better, up on Eventide Ridge.”
“Are you threatening me?” Claire hunched close to her cart, white-knuckling the handlebar.
“How do you have any right for indignation? I caught you half-naked with my husband, Claire.”
“You could let me explain.”
“Explain?” June crossed her arms and waited. This ought to be rich . “There’s an explanation? Well, then what am I all riled about? Let’s hear it, all the glorious details of how you came to be naked with my husband in my own home.”
“He told me you two were . . . well, that you two had an agreement,” Claire said through a clinched jaw.
“Agreement? What kind of agreement?” June shoved her cart out of the way and stepped toward Claire. “You’re lying.”
“Honest to heaven, June. Reb told me that you two, well, stepped out on each other once in a while. He made it sound like an open marriage. I saw it on Oprah once. Did you see that episode?”
“Oh my stars . . . Oprah ? Claire, are you so stupid?” Hands on her hips, June bent toward Claire. “Do I look like a woman who’d live in an open marriage?”
“Well, no. But the prim and proper women are the ones who shock us the most. I didn’t see why he’d lie to me?”
“You couldn’t see why he’d lie?” Ha! “Reb got exactly what he wanted, Claire. Sex without consequences.”
A couple of women heading for their cars slowed and lowered their voices as if to listen.
“Hey, busybodies, this is none of your business. Scoot, scoot.” June flicked her hand toward them. They hurried past. “Claire, did you think to challenge him? And you came to my house. Did he tell you I didn’t mind if he brought his whores home?”
“That’s enough, June.” Her faced paled, and she shimmied like an uprooted reed. “There’s been a misunderstanding—”
“Misunderstanding? Adultery is a misunderstanding?”
“If you’ll hear me out, June . . . I’m sorry for what happened, but I’m not a whore.” Claire shoved the mace back into her bag, her hand trembling. “During my divorce from Walt, Reb was so kind to me. One night at the club he gave me advice that saved me financially. Then it seemed I saw him everywhere. We started talking one night at Diamond Joe’s, and he asked me to dinner. I was flattered. I mean, Rebel Benson. I remember him from high school and thought a man like him would never go for a girl like me.”
“He’s married , Claire.”
“All right, June. I get it. I was stupid. But believe it or not . .
Pausing to put her wallet in her bag, Claire shifted her gaze and froze when her eyes glanced over June. Their eyes met, and telepathic passion exploded between them.
Claire lurched into a hasty, sloppy run, her heels skidding over the slick, painted pavement. Her loaded cart swerved and rattled across the roadway and up the main thoroughfare. “Stay away from me, June.”
“Hold up, hussy!” June dashed after Claire, her empty cart shimmying and shaking.
“Stay away, June. I’m warning you.” Claire circled her Escalade and peeked at June over the hood, keeping the vehicle between them. “Come nearer, and I’ll call the police.” She fumbled around inside her purse, raised a small tube. “And zap you with this . . . mace.”
“Do it. Zap me. Call the police. I’d love to tell my side.” June stalked and circled the SUV, ramming her cart into Claire’s.
“Are you crazy?” Claire backed away, tripping on the curb, losing a brown pump in the process. “June, come on, this isn’t the place.”
“Oh really? Then where?” June rammed Claire’s cart again. “My house? The club? At the spring dance? I could have the bandleader dedicate a song to all the women Reb’s bedded. How about a duel in Laurel Park? Ooo, even better, up on Eventide Ridge.”
“Are you threatening me?” Claire hunched close to her cart, white-knuckling the handlebar.
“How do you have any right for indignation? I caught you half-naked with my husband, Claire.”
“You could let me explain.”
“Explain?” June crossed her arms and waited. This ought to be rich . “There’s an explanation? Well, then what am I all riled about? Let’s hear it, all the glorious details of how you came to be naked with my husband in my own home.”
“He told me you two were . . . well, that you two had an agreement,” Claire said through a clinched jaw.
“Agreement? What kind of agreement?” June shoved her cart out of the way and stepped toward Claire. “You’re lying.”
“Honest to heaven, June. Reb told me that you two, well, stepped out on each other once in a while. He made it sound like an open marriage. I saw it on Oprah once. Did you see that episode?”
“Oh my stars . . . Oprah ? Claire, are you so stupid?” Hands on her hips, June bent toward Claire. “Do I look like a woman who’d live in an open marriage?”
“Well, no. But the prim and proper women are the ones who shock us the most. I didn’t see why he’d lie to me?”
“You couldn’t see why he’d lie?” Ha! “Reb got exactly what he wanted, Claire. Sex without consequences.”
A couple of women heading for their cars slowed and lowered their voices as if to listen.
“Hey, busybodies, this is none of your business. Scoot, scoot.” June flicked her hand toward them. They hurried past. “Claire, did you think to challenge him? And you came to my house. Did he tell you I didn’t mind if he brought his whores home?”
“That’s enough, June.” Her faced paled, and she shimmied like an uprooted reed. “There’s been a misunderstanding—”
“Misunderstanding? Adultery is a misunderstanding?”
“If you’ll hear me out, June . . . I’m sorry for what happened, but I’m not a whore.” Claire shoved the mace back into her bag, her hand trembling. “During my divorce from Walt, Reb was so kind to me. One night at the club he gave me advice that saved me financially. Then it seemed I saw him everywhere. We started talking one night at Diamond Joe’s, and he asked me to dinner. I was flattered. I mean, Rebel Benson. I remember him from high school and thought a man like him would never go for a girl like me.”
“He’s married , Claire.”
“All right, June. I get it. I was stupid. But believe it or not . .
Similar Books
