“What’s this for?” asked Tasha coldly.
“In case my husband feels a little lonely and needs the company of a woman rather than a child,” Maddie replied with a sneer.
“Well, if he does I’m fairly certain he won’t be calling his porn star ex-wife who was a complete and utter bitch to his children.” Tasha sounded completely unfazed by Maddie’s little show, although the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach contradicted it.
“Just give it to him.” Maddie spoke through gritted teeth.
“I don’t think so. If he wanted your number he’d already have it, but just to be sure, and just to be clear on this, you ceased being his wife when he divorced you and when he married for a fourth, fifth and sixth time.” Without any thought of what she was doing or the consequences, Tasha reached into her bag and retrieved her phone. She hit the entry for Jim. “Feel free to ask him.” Her call connected. “James.” Suddenly the reality of her actions dawned, causing panic that if Maddie called her bluff she would be in serious trouble.
She held the phone out towards number three who was staring at Tasha’sJames. Relief washed over Tasha when the other woman turned and left.
“Sorry,” she said down the phone to Jim now. “I think I accidentally dialled you in my bag, but I’m leaving here soon, so I shouldn’t be much longer,” she added, mouthing a sorry to the others.
“Okay, baby. Everything good with you? You sound weird.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll see you soon.” She hoped she was masking her nervousness.
“I don’t believe you, honey.”
Clearly her nervousness was anything other than masked.
He continued, “But I’m looking forward to seeing you. I love you.”
She smiled at the sincerity in those three, final, little words. “I love you, too.” She hung up and breathed an audible sigh of relief to the others’ amusement.
“That was rather risky.” Sara stretched over and patted Tasha’s arm.
“I know and it didn’t enter my head that she may have accepted the challenge until I’d called him.”
“How long had you worked for Jim when your affair started?” Tasha quickly changed the subject back to Amanda.
“About three years, maybe more.” Amanda paused briefly, then added, “Which I should have considered as a downside to our affair becoming more. If he’d really felt something for me he would have known sooner and done something about it, but he didn’t.”
“What about you, Sara, how long did you keep Jim at bay before giving it up?” Abby was obviously a little tipsy now.
“I guess it was a couple of months. He thought I was a virgin, so took it slowly, but I think it was obvious later that I wasn’t,” revealed a laughing Sara. “And that just leaves you Tasha.”
“Me? Oh, you mean how long before I slept with Jim?” The others nodded. “Shit! You lot are really nosey.” She stared at them and shook her head as she answered their question. “I was in bed with Jim within no more than seven hours of meeting him. I know, I am a little slutty, but what can I say? I have zero regrets.”
“You must have been very good to be on a plane to L.A. the following day,” mused Sara.
“That’s not really for me to say, nor is it an invitation for any of you to ask Jim.” She laughed as Abby refilled her glass.
“No more, Abby. I have a hot date and have said I won’t drink too much.” Abby looked disappointed until Tasha reminded her. “And you’re coming wedding planner visiting with me tomorrow to look at dresses for the girls.”
Abby suddenly looked happier. “Oh yes, so we can talk some more tomorrow.”
“If we must.” Tasha joined in with her sister-in-law-to-be’s laughter.
Tasha was almost home before she asked Sara about her own marriage. “How are things with you and Lenny?”
“Good, really, really good. I took your advice and reintroduced him to the mistress he once had and it’s like a brand new relationship. The fact that Lizzie has been staying with you and Jim means the whole house is available to us most of the time and we have certainly taken advantage of that,” she replied honestly.
Tasha considered asking whether Sara too was struggling to contain the physical repercussions of a vagina full of balls, but decided against it so stuck to a more acceptable response. “I’m really pleased for you, Sara, and Lenny.” They exchanged a smile. “Have you tried the cane again since?”
Sara laughed. “No, but I have bought some very sexy lingerie that Lenny seems to appreciate. What about you?”
“I’m always buying underwear,” she replied slightly confused by Sara’s expression.
