Page 33 of Lyrical

“What the hell, you two?” The whir of the garage door sounded below me. “I can hear you halfway down the stairs. You’re lucky it was me coming up,” Stephen said.

I turned my head. “There’s no ‘two’ here. That was all your fiancée.”

“Because of your crazy neighbor,” Perry said.

“You’re not acting much saner.”

“What would you do if our neighbor flashed you?” She looked at Stephen, who was scarfing down dip.

“I’d probably kick his ass,” he said, voice muffled with food.

“See? He agrees with me. That’s what you should do, Jills.”

“I’m not going to assault my neighbor.”

“What do you think she did to us? I almost keeled over.”

I turned to Stephen. “I take it Chase went to help Michelle?”

“Yep.”

“Ha!” Perry said, filling her glass back to the top.

We both looked at her. “Ha, what?” I said. “I’d blame your mood on what you’re drinking if this wasn’t normal for you.”

She stuck out her tongue at me. “Just for that, I’m not letting you try any.”

“Thank you.”

Stephen went to the window. “Tony and Val are here. I’m going out.”

He left through the front door, and I shut the garage door. When I stepped back into the kitchen, Perry was pointing at the boots by the patio door.

“Now do you believe me? She’s a fucking nutbag.”

“Huh.” She’d left without her shoes. That did seem kinda strange, but I couldn’t think about it now. People were starting to arrive. “You never told me how it looked down in the rec room.”

“You know, I never thought of it before, but that room would make a great little love nest for you and Chase. Especially now with Daniel home. You’d be shut off, and it seems pretty soundproof. A little cold but—”

“Perry, I meant how much of a mess is down there.”

“Oh. None at all, Jills. Chase cleaned it really well. Which makes him even more of a keeper, as if you needed another reason. You’d better make sure nothing happens to him over at the crackpot’s house.”

I shook my head. “Can you just get all the bags of chips out of the pantry for me? I have to bring up some more coolers.”

I kept busy for the next half hour, putting out food, setting up chairs, greeting guests. Mom and Frank arrived, and they were chatting away with the others in the family room. I really didn’t think much of Chase still being gone until I looked at the clock. Of course, I didn’t believe Perry’s theory that he was locked up in her basement, but I did wonder what was taking so long. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick walk over there.I’ll give it ten more minutes.

“Daniel’s here,” Stephen called from the front room.

Oooh… the guest of honor. I was beaming. Now I just needed Chase back. I was so psyched for the day. I loved entertaining, especially when I had such a good reason for it. I’d spent some incredible quality time with my man this morning—my temperature still hadn’t dropped yet—and I’d be spending quality time with my son later. And in between, I’d be with all the other important people in my life. The perfect day.

“Ohhellno.”

That was it. I didn’t care how sweet and fluffy those drinks looked; Perry was cut off. I heard her loud enough from the other room. She knew my mother wasn’t a fan of the swearing, no matter how tame. Especially when it was loud. I stormed in there ready to give her shit.

Until I saw who Daniel’s friend was.

“Oh hell no.”

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