Page 31 of Sweet Temptation

“Oh my, and is that… Alfredo sauce?”

His mother’s smile couldn’t have grown any wider. “Yes. I was busy baking all afternoon so we’re having fettuccine Alfredo for dinner. You’re staying, of course.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s fresh rolls too if you prefer that to cornbread.” His mother had begun walking Eleanor to the kitchen.

The woman stopped in her tracks and tipping her face up at his mother, barely shook her head. “May my grandmother Morretti forgive me, but I’ll take the cornbread.”

Laughing as if they’d been friends for years, the two sauntered the rest of the way to the kitchen mumbling something about marinara versus Alfredo and linguini and angel hair pasta.

“Are we in trouble?” he mouthed softly to Jackie.

With a lazy shrug, she rolled her head. “I have no idea.”

The sound of spitting gravel caught both their attention, followed by a car door slamming and booted heels stomping up the porch steps. Another moment and the screen door flew open.

Eyes wide as saucers and slightly out of breath from the jaunt to the house, Rachel zeroed in on Jackie. “You. Will. Not. Believe this.”

“Believe what?” Her gaze narrowed, Jackie swung around to face his sister.

“I bumped into Iris Hathaway at the candle shop. She was telling Jillian all about Angela Simpson’s handsome new… ready?… Fiancé!”

“Oh, no.” Jackie’s hand flew to her mouth. “Brad proposed to her?”

Hands fisted on her hips, Rachel dipped her chin down and up. “Ooooh, yes.”

Brad was engaged? Jackie’s stomach twisted as she processed Rachel’s words. To the blonde from the café? What scam was this character thinking he could pull off? Did he really intend to become a bigamist and drive back and forth between two wives, or did he have some other crazy scheme up his sleeve? “Are we sure she’s not just hopeful?”

Rachel nodded vigorously. “According to Iris, he proposed last night. Got down on one knee and everything.”

Garret followed them, his expression darkening. “This guy gets worse by the minute.”

The three of them sank onto the couch, Jackie’s mind racing. Disbelief at Brad’s audacity simmered until pure anger at his nerve brewed to a boil. “I need to tell his wife.”

“Well, someone needs to tell Angela before she gets in any deeper.” Rachel leaned forward eagerly. “This man can’t just keep collecting women like trading cards.”

“What man collects women like trading cards?” Grams’ voice made all three of them jump. She stood in the doorway, her glance drifting to Garret, then back to her granddaughter.

“Grams, I—” Jackie started, but her grandmother raised a hand.

“I couldn’t help but overhear. These old ears still work remarkably well.” She crossed the room and perched on the arm of the sofa beside Jackie. “Would this be the same Brad you were so smitten with in Houston?”

Jackie nodded.

“And he skipped over marrying you and chose this woman here in town?”

Again, Jackie bobbed her head, wondering how she’d gotten so lucky to have dodged a marriage proposal from Brad. “There’s a bigger problem.”

Her grandmother’s brows drifted high on her forehead, but she sat silently waiting for what Jackie had to say.

“He already has a wife,” Rachel blurted out.

Immediately Grams eyes narrowed in disbelief, and then just as quickly her chin lifted, eyes sparkling with mischief. It was the same look Grams had when she’d accidentally poisoned the shrubs a neighbor had planted—and refused to move—from their side of the property line, or when her police buddies cited Joe Parker with a traffic violation over and over for an entire month after smacking her best friend’s granddaughter. Yep, she’d seen that look a lot throughout her childhood whenever her grandmother saw injustice and was brewing an idea to help Karma along. Grams tapped her fingers against her knee. “You know, when I was in college, there was a boy who tried to date three girls from the same sorority house.”

“What happened?” Garret asked.

“Let’s just say some lessons need to be taught publicly to really stick.” Her smile broadened. “And Mary Jo Pucket’s brother looks really good in makeup and a padded bra.”

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