“Wow.”
I take a chance and place my hand on top of his. He doesn’t flinch so I go on. “It gets better. Lilith used her old password to sneak into the Alpha Delt Panhellenic account and put Annie Laurie back on the schedule for Pref.That way she was guaranteed a bid. Anyone who goes to Pref gets a bid no matter what.”
“So you’re saying she deliberately manipulated the Rush ballot?”
“Yes. Right before Sallie submitted it. She distracted us with cappuccinos and gifts from Tiffany’s while she crept back to her bedroom. Then she must have signed in with her old password, and added Annie Laurie back on the Pref list. The worst part is, she removed Cali Watkins in the process.”
He narrows his eyes. “But Cali was there today.”
“She and everyone else thinks she got a snap bid. But Selma James and I went to Panhellenic. After hearing what Lilith did, the president made an exception.”
My husband’s slow-moving head, back and forth, is his signature way of expressing sheer disgust. I can tell he’s deep in thought.
“What are you thinking right now?”
“How to have her prosecuted.”
I laugh because, I don’t know, it’s funny and I’m desperate for comedic relief. “There’s no way to prove it, but we all know she did it.”
“So what else has changed?” He turns onto his side and raises up on his elbow. “You said you feel differently about a lot of things.”
“I’ve done a ton of soul-searching this week. Asking myself why I ever felt the need to keep up with her in the first place. And why I ever cared what she, or anyone else for that matter, thinks of me.” A hot flash sinks in, so I yank off my jacket. “Another thing I’ve been thinking about is why I’m always comparing myself to other people. Why do you think I do that, honey? I mean, I have my theories, but I’d love to hear what you think… as my husband.”
“I’ve said this before. I think it probably goes back to when you were a child. Not having a dad. Being raised by a whack job—sorry, a single mother who is, let’s just be kind and say obsessed with her highbrow roots.”
My eyelids fall. He’s exactly right.
“Sadly, she values proper etiquette and pedigree more than her own family. I’m surprised you’re as normal as you are.”
“The sadder thing is, I’ve never thought I was like that. Before Lilith Whitmore reentered my life, I thought I was a reasonable, down-to-earth person. And look what I did to you. To gain her favor. Ugh, I feel like a giant louse.”
He scratches his head, grimaces. “You’re not a louse.”
“I feel like one. I’d give anything if I could turn back the clock and never answer her phone call. Will you ever be able to forgive me?”
“I already have.”
I stare at him in awe, and he stares back.
“What did I ever do to deserve you, Haynes Woodcock?”
“Uh, if I remember correctly, you locked those Wildebeest horns tightly around my heart, and I was a willing mate.” He smiles devilishly, the way he does when he’s in a goofy mood.
“I love you, Woodcock. I love you from the top of my horns to the tip of my tail.” That was something I used to tell him when we first fell in love. It had been years since I’d thought of it.
He reaches up and strokes my cheek. “And I love you from the top of my rooster comb to the tip of my woody.”
“You—” I dive at him and he flips me over on top of our bed, wrapping his arms around me. Then he peers down at me like I am Miss dang Marilyn Monroe. “I really missed you this week.” Our lips are only centimeters apart.
“When you hear the rest of what Lilith pulled, you’ll know how much more I missed you.” I watch his lips brush mine, feeling the warmth of his minty breath.
“Right now, I’m much more interested in you showing me how much you missed me.” The stubble of his whiskers tickles as he kisses his way down my neck, slowly unbuttoning my blouse.
FIFTY
MISS PEARL
At seven thirty in the morning, when I arrive to pick her up, Aunt Fee won’t answer the door. I’ve been out here knocking and hollering ten minutes already. I’m trying to stay calm, but with each rap my stomach’s churning with fear. Why I didn’t get a key from her years ago is sitting heavy on my heart, but when I go around and find the back door open, relief settles in.
