Page 175 of Love Bites

“Do either of you know this Doctor Nyce guy?” I asked Mona and Jane.

They shook their heads in tandem.

“Did he say he wanted to buy or sell a house?”Or buff my Bronco?Had he read Addy’s ad and tracked me down?

“No, just that he wanted you to call him back,” Jane said.

“I bet he got your postcard.” Mona winked at me. “That was a great marketing idea, don’t you think so, Jane?”

Jane grinned. “Mona, you couldn’t be more obvious if you were wearing a blinking neon sign. Violet, please tell me you have at least one signed contract in the works.”

“I do. Two of them.” Lying was bad, I reminded myself. I held up the Post-It. “Maybe even a third.”

“Good. It will make today’s lunch more tolerable.”

“What’s going on at lunch?” I asked, sweat forming in all of my usual nervous spots.

“Ray insisted on taking me out.”

Mona closed her laptop with a click. “He’s not still trying to get you into bed, is he?”

Jane was in the midst of wrapping up her third nasty divorce. Being the vulture that he was, Ray kept circling, waiting for her to stumble and fall into his arms.

Jane’s laugh seemed hollow. “No. He wants to introduce me to his nephew.” She perked up at the sound of her phone ringing. “Oh, that’s my lawyer.”

I watched her stride back into her office, my lungs in lockdown as panic ran amok. Ray’s plan to replace me with his nephew was no longer just a mouthful of hot air.

“Vi, honey,” Mona’s voice sounded like she was talking to me through a double-paned window. “You’re turning blue.”

I gulped. “I’m so screwed.”

“Not necessarily. It’s just lunch.”

I stared at the phone number on the Post-It. This Doctor Nyce better not be another freak interested in “twiddling with my radio dials.” I picked up the receiver and punched in the numbers, counting the rings. After the sixth, I hung up.

Pushing to my feet, I grabbed my purse. “I’m going to head out a little early and take some pictures of area houses I can use for price comparisons.”

“That’s my girl.”

“If this Doctor Nyce calls back, will you give him my cell number?”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks.” I took a deep breath and smiled at Mona. “I’ll be back after lunch. If Ray’s here, I’m going to stuff my signed contract down his goddamned throat.”

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