Kim sets the phone on the counter and listens as her hands work preparing Bella’s school lunch.
“—and we’re going out again on Friday. Dinner this time,” Suze says.
“Three dates in a week? Things are moving faster,” Kim says.
Suze hums. “It feels right. We’ve both been burned. His ex-wife uses his kids as bargaining chips. I sense a lot of bad vibes when he talks about her. That’s a bit of a beige flag, to be honest.”
“So no overnights yet?”
“No. I can’t dive into anything like this anymore, Kim, not without a lot of thought. Two months of thought in this case. I can’t put Jorie into anything that might not work out.”
“But how can you know? There’s no guarantee of a happily ever after. How long do you wait?”
“I know.” Suze sighs. “Look at you and Chris. That’s a strange, fucked-up situation if ever there was one.”
“That’s different.” Kim spreads the bread with mayo and adds ham, sliced tomato, and lettuce. “The chances of your Tyson being another Chris are what? A million to one? Higher?”
“True. But I’m still wary.”
“Does Jorie want to come for a sleepover on Friday?” Kim asks. “I’ll be home.”
“That would be fantastic. Jorie would love it. Also, the only time she eats veggies is at your house.”
“The trick is to put them on pizza. Kids don’t look past the cheese.”
“Well, it works. It’s the only half-serve of her five-a-day that she gets.”
“Jorie can come home with us after school. Then you can primp and shave for your hot date.”
“No shaving,” Suze says. “If I don’t shave, I won’t sleep with him, as I’ll be too embarrassed by my 1970s-style body hair.”
Kim laughs, but her mind flies back to Danika and her lack of pubic grooming. No embarrassment there; Danika in a natural state had been a huge turn on. Strike that.Danikawas a huge turn on.
But apart from a couple of texts about nothing in particular, she’s heard nothing from Danika since the weekend. Since they slept together. Since the fat wedge of money had jammed between them.
She’s done nothing about it since. And that is the sticking point, as she’s sure Danika is giving her time to think about how she wants to proceed.
“Do you know a good family lawyer?” Her words cut across Suze’s chatter about whether to dress sexy and seductive or cool and casual for her date.
A silence. “Kim, why the hell do you need a family lawyer?”
“Remember I told you about Chris’s lack of a will? Well, Danika made me an offer.” It all comes spilling out.
“Fucking hell,” Suze says. “I hope you’re writing all this down. Hollywood called, and they want their script back.”
It’s too close to home to laugh.
“But that is one hell of an offer,” Suze continues. “She could not have told you. Or told you, but in a what-the-hell-can-I-do-about-it-way. Why do you think you need a lawyer?”
“Too complicated. I’d like to try it without, but I think Danika wants a more formal agreement.”
“I get that. Divorces that try to sort it out informally always end up with one person getting screwed.” Suze sounds bitter, with good reason. “My shit of an ex managed to convince me that my twelve-year-old VW was worth the same as his two-year-old truck. I should have lawyered up. So I get why you think you need to.”
“Can you think of anyone? Someone who’s a decent human, and fair.”
“I can’t, but I’ll ask around if you want.”
“That would be great, but please don’t say who it’s for.”
