The Secret Lives of Housewives by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd Page A

coffee since she’d been trying to cut down, but as she took another sip she couldn’t help but agree with the other women. “I’m such a coffeeholic that I seldom notice what hot, brown liquid I’m drinking, but this really is the pits. I’d be afraid to let the spoon sit in the cup too long.” She grinned. “It might dissolve. Cawful. Great term.”
    Angie sipped hers. “I’m just happy I can drink coffee again. You can’t have caffeine while you’re nursing, you know.”
    â€œOh, right,” Monica said. “That and no wine, were my sister’s biggest complaints. Well, morning sickness, of course. And being unable to roll over in bed, and toward the end, no sex.”
    Angie groaned. “Not much sex afterwards either.” Then she looked startled, as if surprised that the words had come out of her mouth.
    â€œGod,” Cait said. “I couldn’t get along without sex, good, bad or indifferent.”
    â€œMe neither,” Monica said.
    â€œOh,” Angie said, “I thought you weren’t married.”
    â€œAnd your point is?” she said with a leer. “You don’t have to own the cow to enjoy the milk.”
    â€œA woman I have to admire,” Cait said, grinning.
    â€œYou sound just like Tony did before we were married,” Angie added with a giggle. “He’d had enough of marriage.”
    â€œHe’d been married before?” Cait asked.
    â€œJordanna,” she said with forced lightness. “They were married for three years.”
    â€œExes are the pits,” Monica said. “My parents were divorced when I was thirteen and my mom never let me or my sisters forget what a shit he was.”
    â€œOh, Jordanna’s not that bad. We used to have lunch occasionally.”
    Monica caught a tightness in Angie’s voice. “Used to?”
    â€œWell, now with the babies and all, it’s difficult for me to get out.”
    â€œShe doesn’t visit you?” Eve said, then paused. “Well, I guess that would be a bit strange.”
    â€œVery strange. Tony sees her from time to time.” Angie looked down at her watch. “Listen, guys, I have to get going. I really enjoyed getting out. Maybe next week?”
    â€œSure,” Monica said. She was surprised to realize that she had thoroughly enjoyed herself. Such an odd combination of women, but somehow they seemed to fit.
    As Angie picked up her gym bag and took out some money, Eve’s cell phone rang. She looked at the screen, and when she obviously recognized the phone number, Monica watched Eve’s entire expression soften and a small smile light her face. She grabbed the phone and her purse, pulled a couple of singles from her wallet, and dumped them on the table. As she pressed the button to answer the call, she said, “Gotta take this call outside. Let’s meet next week. Okay?”
    â€œSure,” Cait said. “Do you have to rush off?”
    â€œYeah,” she said, then whispered, “Just a minute,” into the phone.
    â€œOkay, see you next week.”
    Eve rushed out with Angie following more slowly. Cait and Monica stood up, and after leaving a few more bills on the table, Monica hugged her quickly. Then, leaving Monica behind, smiling at the spontaneous gesture, Cait too headed out into the heat.
    This is becoming something really nice , Monica thought. She asked for the check, counted the money already on the table, added what she needed to, and walked down the ramp toward her car, a wide smile lighting her face.

Chapter
7
    E ve had seen the familiar phone number on the screen of her cell phone and had hustled out of the diner. Mike. “Hi,” she said into the phone. “Hang on a minute.” Dashing across the street to the 3Cs parking lot, she unlocked her car and almost tumbled in. “Hi, baby.” The interior was boiling hot so she started the engine and turned