Page 31 of Desolation

Chapter Twelve

Mari

I get in the Jag and slump forward against the steering wheel.

Maybe I should go to dinner with him.

He is sexy as hell. He looks like no man I’ve ever been with. Not that I’ve been with many. And despite his cockiness, he is really nice. He’s never given me a bad vibe or been rude or condescending.

He practically told you he wanted to fuck your brains out.

I curse my conscience for thinking that. Okay, so maybe his words were a bit condescending.

More like hot and dirty.

Dammit. I need him out of my head.

I am only here for a short time. I can’t have any distractions.

But it gets me thinking. My husband has cheated on me. More times than I probably know. Maybe it would be nice to see what it was like with someone else. Besides when my divorce is finalized, I will be in this situation eventually.

I lean back in the seat contemplating my options when my stomach growls. I grab the sandwich Landon insisted I eat and pull it open.

It’s an Italian beef.

Not French dip, thank you very much.

This is my favorite sandwich.

I know he had no idea. Hell, he didn’t even know I was there.

I bite into the delicacy. The bread soggy from the au jus, the meat tender and perfectly flavored, the giardiniera bringing just enough heat to satisfy every taste bud. I can’t believe it’s from a place in Southern California. I haven’t had a true Italian beef since I was in Chicago.

I pull a napkin out of my purse as I wipe my chin and mouth. I need to find out where this is from. But that means I would need to talk to Landon. And I don’t think that is a good idea. I’m afraid I might cave, give in to him and his request for dinner.

Or his request for sex.

No. I can’t. I almost let it slip that I was married. Stupid on my part. He can’t know about my life. From the sex comment he made the other day, I am sure that’s all he really wants. But if he did want more, would he want this? This mess I have made into my life. He seems like a bachelor; I have two kids and enough baggage to need a luggage cart.

No, he wouldn’t want me if he knew the truth.

And my truth is too much for even me to bear.

* * *

“I gots to see the elephants, Mommy. They were soooo cool. And big. I want one. Do you think Grandma Eleanor would let us have one?”

I laugh as I listen to Makayla talk about the trip to the zoo my mom took her and Olivia on. “No sweetheart, I don’t think Grandma Eleanor would get you one.”

“Why not? She bought us a horse.” I can hear her pout through the phone.

“Those are two totally different animals. Elephants are huge. They weigh like two tons.”

“Six, Mom. This one was six tons.”

“And do you know how many pounds that is?”

“Twelve thousand.”

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