Return to You

give him one of her queerly intent looks. "We both know that
isn't true," he said as he walked out, conscious of his former
mother-in-law's too-knowing gaze following him.

     

     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Olivia rang the doorbell three times and
then banged on the door for good measure. She shifted her weight
from one foot to the other, wishing she'd changed into more
comfortable shoes before running out of the house.
    "Come on," she murmured, pulling her coat
closer to her body. "It's cold."
    Just as she raised her fist to knock again,
the door swung open. Eve blinked, a frown marring the smooth ivory
skin of her forehead.
    "About time," Olivia said. "I thought I was
going to turn into an icicle." She pushed past Eve and headed
straight for the kitchen.
    Treat looked up from his dinner as she
walked in.
    "Hey Treat." She picked up Eve's wine glass
and took a fortifying gulp.
    "Make yourself at home, Olivia," Eve said,
sitting back down at the table.
    "Thanks." Olivia didn't bother acknowledging
the less than faint sarcasm. She slipped out of her coat, draped it
over a chair, and sat across from Eve before picking up the wine
again.
    She looked up to see both Treat and Eve
arching their brows at her. "This is good wine," she said.
    Treat grinned. "I'm surprised you tasted
it."
    "Actually, I didn't. I was just being
polite." She drained the glass and held it out. "But if you fill it
up, I promise I'll savor it this time."
    "What's wrong?" Eve asked, frowning at her
husband as he refilled Olivia's glass to the brim.
    "What isn't wrong?" Olivia sipped a little
to prevent the wine from sloshing over. She caught the look that
passed between them and, for the first time ever, felt a twinge of
envy.
    Treat pushed back from the table. "I think
that's my cue to get lost."
    Olivia stopped him with a hand on his
forearm. "Finish your dinner. I'm the one who barged in." She
looked at Eve. "You too. Eat. I'll just sit here and enjoy this
lovely vintage."
    "Are you already getting tipsy?" her friend
asked suspiciously.
    "I sincerely hope so." Olivia leaned her
head back, clutching her glass in both hands.
    "When was the last time you ate?"
    Olivia pursed her lips. "Didn't I get a
scone with my latte this morning?"
    "No wonder you're loopy after one glass of
wine. We have plenty of food. I'll get you a plate." Eve stood
up.
    "Michael's back," Olivia said, staring at
the ceiling.
    "Michael?"
    Olivia nodded. "Michael Wallace."
    "Who's Michael Wallace?"
    "My one true love."
    Eve dropped back down.
    "You'd think it couldn't get much worse than
having the only man who ever broke your heart suddenly show up
after eleven years." Olivia frowned. "Actually, he didn't break my
heart. He ripped it from my chest, mashed it to a bloody pulp, and
then stomped on it for good measure. But I'm over him."
    "Sounds like it," Eve said dryly.
    "That should have been the
low point of my day, right? Wrong ." She banged her fist on the
table.
    "Careful." Treat took her hand and held it
in his. "Whatever happened couldn't be worth hurting yourself."
    "You don't know what happened."
    "So why don't you tell us," Eve suggested
calmly.
    "I get home tonight and find out that Gran
is letting my father stay at the farmhouse."
    Eve gasped. "Knowing how you feel about him?
Why would she do that?"
    "Because she's a perverse old bag." Olivia
took the wine bottle and refilled her glass. "Actually, Parker
probably conned her into it. She never had a chance."
    " Your grandmother?" Eve asked
incredulously. "Somehow, I have a hard time imagining
that."
    Olivia pointed a finger at her. "Don't
underestimate that slick bastard."
    "I can see you women are going to need
another bottle of wine. Why don't you take it into the living room
and I'll bring it out. I'll even turn the fireplace on for you." He
dropped a kiss on Eve's lips before gathering the plates and taking
them to the sink.
    "That man is unbelievable. Aren't you glad
you listened to me and hooked up with him?" She got up and wobbled
on her platform shoes.
    "Hey, you okay there?" Eve reached out to
steady her.
    "My feet are killing me." She bent over and
slipped one shoe off before toeing the other one off as well. Not
bothering to pick them up, she went into the living room and
dropped onto one corner of the couch.
    Eve followed a moment later, carrying two
clean, empty wine glasses and a box of saltines. "You don't mind if
I join you, do you? Or would you rather have the entire bottle to
yourself?"
    "You're such