Page 24 of Third Time Lucky

‘Sort of,’ I admit. ‘As if I’ve done something wrong.’ I hesitate, unsure if I should keep speaking, but I have to know, because I’ve spent countless nights worried about this woman. ‘Did I?’

‘I—er… you—’ She tries to speak but clamps her mouth shut, then opens it again, but no words leave her lips.

The last thing I want is her hating me for what I did. What Ihadto do. The smell of something ‘off’ earns my attention, and I race back to my pan.

‘Please tell me I didn’t ruin your life. I’ve thought about it – about you, a lot.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah, I’ve been worried. Like, did I do the right thing? Should I really have gone so public? Was the video actually necessary?’

She shakes her head, her face softening. ‘Don’t worry,youdidn’t ruin anything. That was all Brandon,’ she says his name with a sad sigh. ‘But it’s in the past. Now, I’m doing great. Totally over that tool. And despite the fact that I’m dressed for bed at six in the evening on a Friday night, I am also over all that Vegas crap. In fact, I have a date tomorrow night. So, that’s proof I’m not just sitting around here mourning what I thought I had.’

Mitzi suddenly coughs, covering it up with a sip of water from the bottle on the counter in front of her.

‘You have a date?’ Mitzi asks once she’s recovered.

‘Um…yes,’ Lucy insists.‘I told you all about him recently, remember?’

‘No,’ she responds.

The way her eyes go wide and panicky says Mitzi is blowing this story for her.

‘Her memory isn’t what it used to be,’ she says to me behind a hand covering her mouth so her grandmother doesn’t see. She then turns to Mitzi. ‘Remember the lawyer I met with Madi that night we indulged in cake and cocktails?’

With a look as suspicious as suspicious gets, Mitzi nods. ‘Papa Haydn, right?’ Mitzi says. ‘I didn’t realize you’d called him yet.’

‘Didn’t I tell you? We’ve been texting all week.’

‘What’s his name?’ Mitzi challenges her.

‘Tucker—er, Tanner?’

I chuckle to myself, my eyes on the stove. This is awkward.

‘You’re not sure? You’ve been chatting him up all week, and you haven’t memorized his name?’ Mitzi asks.

Lucy bites her lip, avoiding the question. She could be lying. But why? Let’s take a shot in the dark, shall we?

‘This is your first “date” since the wedding, isn’t it?’ I ask, pouring the contents of one of the many bottles of cooking magic I brought with me. Flames shoot toward me and the gasp from Lucy is adorable. I shake the pan, killing the flames.

She cracks a guilty grin, glancing at Mitzi, then back at me. ‘Sort of – how did you know?’

Interesting.

‘Legit, just a good guess.’

‘Well, this is exciting,’ Mitzi says. ‘You’re ready to move on. That deserves the finest of champagnes to celebrate.’ She attempts to leave her seat, but I stop her.

‘I’ll get it,’ I say, throwing the towel I just wiped the counter with over my shoulder. ‘Direct me.’

‘Thank you, sweetheart. Wine Fridge. Bottom shelf.’

I kneel down and pull open the wine fridge tucked under the island countertop full of wine and champagne bottles – and not the cheap stuff.

‘Glasses?’ I ask.

‘Cupboard on the far right,’ Mitzi says.

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