Charleston with a Clever Cougar: A Dance with Danger Mystery #6 by Sara M. Barton Page A

got everything she wanted. I
think they’re having money problems. Maybe Doug thinks if he has
the kids with him, it will save him money, especially now that they
have the triplets. But that’s just too damn bad. They have two
incomes, Cady. And Doug chose to leave me. He chose to marry Mimi. They hired the surrogate to carry the
triplets. It’s not like they’ve been swamped by bad luck.”
    I heard the unspoken truth hanging in the
air. If anyone had had bad luck, it was Carole. She wanted
desperately to be cured of her cancer. And she would have been
quite content to stay married to Doug, to keep her family intact.
That’s not how it worked out for her. I could understand her
bitterness and disappointment. Doug had made some really bad
decisions, climbing into that hole of his own accord. He squandered
the decisions he made without thought for the people damaged by the
result, while Carole’s choices were much more limited. Live or die.
Fight or give up. Life really wasn’t fair, was it?
    “You know we’re all here for you,” I repeated
into the phone, all too aware of Doc’s mouth right by my ear.
“Whatever happens, you can count on us.”
    “Thanks,” she said softly. There was a long
pause and I thought I heard a sniff on the other end. Or it could
have been a sob.
    “You okay?”
    “Sure. I’m probably worrying about nothing.
You might not understand this, but my kids are everything to me,
Cady. I don’t know what I would do if I lost them.”
    “I do understand the importance of family.
You won’t lose them, Carole. I promise you that. Daisy wants to be
with you and she’s old enough to choose that for herself.” Those
were my words. Doc leaned back and nodded approvingly. “And as for
Dylan, he needs to be with his mother and grandparents. If Doug
hadn’t hooked up with Mimi and moved so far away, the kids could
have had their dad involved in their lives. If Doug was smart, he’d
move back here and be available for his kids.”
    “He changed so much since he met Mimi.” There
was a wistful note in her voice that was hard to ignore. I thought
about what she was saying. It was true. He really had gone from
being Mr. Reliable to being a selfish jerk. It was as if Mimi
brought out the worst in him. She was so determined to be a
politician -- the Board of Ed was her first stepping stone. Having
a husband who was an assistant superintendent of schools was a lot
more impressive than having a husband who was the principal of
Miller Elementary. I wondered if Mimi’s ambitions ever overwhelmed
Doug. “It just makes me so sad. I never thought I would wind up
like this.”
    “I know, babe.”
    “It’s just so unfair.”
    “Well, it is what it is. Maybe it’s time to
build a new life for Carole, and leave Doug to wallow in the bed he
made for himself. If I might just change the subject for a moment,
what’s with you and Karl Schindler? He seems to have the hots for
you.”
    “Nonsense. You’re just trying to make me
forget about Doug.” I heard the doubt in Carole’s voice and burst
out laughing.
    “Oh, my God! You didn’t notice how he looked
at you?”
    “No way,” she scoffed.
    “Carole, if you don’t believe me, ask
Darlene. And by the way, you need to get out and about more. Karl
wasn’t the only guy checking you out at the shop.”
    “You mean that dishy Ross Gelber?”
    “Ross Gelber? No, he wasn’t one of the guys I
was thinking of, but since you mention it, I think I’ve made my
point. You’re selling yourself short. Men can’t find you attractive
if they can’t find you.” That last sentence was Doc’s, and even as
I said it, I got the point. Carole and I had a lot more in common
than I realized. We both hid ourselves away to avoid letting any
man break through the barriers that protected our hearts.
    “Thanks, Cady. You’re a good friend. And
speaking of men, have you seen the way Doc looks at you? The man is
smitten, if you ask me.” Doc leaned back in his