Wife-In-Law by Haywood Smith Page A

Immediately, his features congealed.
    Good. He ought to be wary. I knew the sordid truth about his desertion, things I hadn’t even told Kat because they were too humiliating. Clearly, Greg hadn’t shared them with her either. He always had been able to erase unpleasant realities from his mind, especially when they got between him and what he wanted.
    Not that it was my business to tell Kat the gruesome details. She knew what he’d done to me, but still wanted him anyway. Maybe Greg’s flexible memory was contagious.
    I passed him with a friendly wave and greeted Kat with a cheery, “Hey.”
    “Hey.” She watched with suspicion as I climbed the stairs.
    Boy, had he brainwashed her. I smiled. “Amelia tells me you two are going to get married.”
    Defensive, Kat started up with, “Now, Betsy. We’ve been through all this already. Greg’s gotten right with God. He’s not the same man he was.”
    “And glory hallelujah, thank God for it,” I said as sincerely as I could manage. I waved again to Greg, who abandoned the lawn mower in concern and headed our way. “I think I’ll wait till Greg gets here to tell y’all both what I came over to tell you.”
    Kat’s suspicion deepened. “Are you sure that’s necessary?”
    It hurt to see she didn’t trust me anymore. She’d find out the hard way about the man he really was. But that was her problem, not mine. I was just glad he had somebody to look after him, so the girls wouldn’t have to worry about him.
    Panting from the heat, Greg wiped his face with a spotless linen handkerchief as he approached. In spite of his sweat-soaked T-shirt, he draped a possessive arm across Kat’s shoulders. “So. What brings you here, Betsy?”
    I looked at them both, amazed at how peaceful I felt. “I’ve just come to congratulate Greg and wish you both the best.”
    Their mouths almost dropped open.
    “I mean it.” I turned to Kat. “Kat, honey, I hope you have every good and gracious thing together.” Not that I believed they would, but I could hope. “You deserve it.”
    Greg tightened his arm around Kat, unconvinced, but she pulled free of him and hugged me gingerly. “Thanks, Betsy. That means a lot to me.”
    God bless her. She’d need it.
    Heck, maybe Greg really had changed. That would be even better. Kat would be happy, and Greg might cut my grass sometimes. Lord knows, Kat was welcome to him. After what he’d done to me, I certainly didn’t want him anymore.
    Now for the fun part.
    I leaned toward Kat in earnest. “Would you like for me to walk him down the aisle and give him away with my blessing?” I asked. “Because I’d be delighted to, really.”
    The look on their faces was worth a million.
    “It would make things so much easier on the kids,” I said, “don’t you think?”
    Greg frowned in disapproving confusion. Kat pursed her lips, nostrils flaring, and bit out, “I don’t think so.”
    Boy, was it good to be over my ex. “Okay. Whatever you want.” I started for home, leaving them frozen in consternation. “But if you change your mind, just let me know.” I stopped at the edge of the porch. “Oh, and Greg, while you’ve got the lawn mower out, would you mind doing my yard too? My lawn mower’s on the fritz.” True.
    He scowled. “Sorry, but Kat’s is about all I can handle.”
    I pretended to be disappointed. “Oh. The thing is, I can’t find anybody to come fix mine. They all want me to bring it to them, and there’s no way I can get it into my trunk.” I used my best poor-pitiful-me face. “But if you can’t, you can’t. I was just thinking about the neighbors. Don’t want my yard to be the sore spot on the block.”
    Kat elbowed him. “Greg, do it,” she whispered sharply. “She needs help.”
    Greg did what Greg did best: he balked. “Sorry. No can do.” He grabbed Kat by the elbow and dragged her into the house, leaving the lawn mower sputtering in the yard.
    Suppressing a smile, I turned and went home without