resting at the gate, realizing, just like his buddies, that where pussy was concerned, he would find more famine than feast over the next few weeks.
Vernon strolled over to Tanya, who had perched on the paisley love seat as though she were a family heirloom instead of a stranger who should have never graced their doorstep. And she certainly should never have given his wife a stupid idea like this. “After all I did for you, making sure you didn’t want for anything, how can you betray me like this?”
“Betray you?” she yelled, her skin flushing an angry pink. “Betray
you!
You’re the one who
lied
about being married. You’re the one who said your wife died giving birth to Sierra.” Then she folded her arms across her breasts. “Or is there another wife hidden in the trenches who happens to be the mother of the two girls you brought to my house last week?”
Tanya? Angry? Talking back to him in public? What was wrong with his women today?
“If you stay with Brandi, I want all my shit back—everything,” he said. “You walk away with what you came with—one suitcase and—”
“
Au contraire, mon cheri
,” Brandi purred in a fake French accent as she inched up to the not-so-happy duo. She placed a condescending arm around Vernon’s shoulders. “She has every right to keep the jewelry, clothes, the figurines, and the artwork. They were gifts. If this was Texas, she could sue you for breach of promise to marry. I think there’s a woman who wrote a novel about that…”
“It’s called
Divorcing Your Husband
,” Tanya supplied quickly, taking a tiny sip of Scotch while keeping a keen eye on Vernon. “I think it’s by P. M. Carroll or somebody like that.”
Brandi nodded as she continued, “I suggest you pull it together, scoop your ego off the floor, and come to terms with the new order of the house. I now have something to show for
your
efforts.” Brandi leaned in, whispering, “And I’m going to enjoy every minute.”
Vernon reached out, pushing Brandi back toward the bedroom and yanking Tanya off the love seat so they could have it out in private.
Donny scrambled from behind the turntable, making a beeline for his brother-in-law.
Tanya whirled out of Vernon’s grasp.
Craig and Jeremy reached Vernon before Donny did, and yanked their friend backward, dragging him to the front door. Vernon shrugged them off, shaking an angry fist in the air. “There wouldn’t be a business, this house, or any of this if it wasn’t for me. For
me!
Where do you get off making stupid rules like this?”
“Like I said before, the money was minor,” Brandi said in a calm tone. “But I kept it going and growing…” Her lips spread into a near-evil smile as she winked. “Unlike
some things
these days.”
Howls of laughter erupted all around them.
Vernon froze, glowering at the women now congregated on Brandi’s side of the room. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Fine,” Brandi said, shrugging. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Vernon nodded toward Tanya. “And she’d better be gone.”
The newest member of the family turned to Brandi, saying loudly enough for everyone to hear, “What time shall I serve breakfast?”
Brandi grinned without taking her eyes off her husband. “Seven-thirty’s good for me.”
Vernon took a tentative step toward Tanya. Jeremy and Craig reined him in, lifting him off the floor and, carried him—ranting, kicking, and yelling—toward the door.
As the three men reached the foyer, Brandi called out, “DJ, turn the music up. The party’s just beginning, folks.”
Vernon’s gaze connected with his wife as she swiveled her shoulders to the rhythm of
You can’t hit and run, I’ve got to be number one…
with a smirk on her generous lips.
Vernon’s mind raced like a V-8 engine with the throttle wide open. Brandi and Tanya might think they had the upper hand, but they wouldn’t be so happy when he returned tomorrow.
There would be no family or friends
Vernon strolled over to Tanya, who had perched on the paisley love seat as though she were a family heirloom instead of a stranger who should have never graced their doorstep. And she certainly should never have given his wife a stupid idea like this. “After all I did for you, making sure you didn’t want for anything, how can you betray me like this?”
“Betray you?” she yelled, her skin flushing an angry pink. “Betray
you!
You’re the one who
lied
about being married. You’re the one who said your wife died giving birth to Sierra.” Then she folded her arms across her breasts. “Or is there another wife hidden in the trenches who happens to be the mother of the two girls you brought to my house last week?”
Tanya? Angry? Talking back to him in public? What was wrong with his women today?
“If you stay with Brandi, I want all my shit back—everything,” he said. “You walk away with what you came with—one suitcase and—”
“
Au contraire, mon cheri
,” Brandi purred in a fake French accent as she inched up to the not-so-happy duo. She placed a condescending arm around Vernon’s shoulders. “She has every right to keep the jewelry, clothes, the figurines, and the artwork. They were gifts. If this was Texas, she could sue you for breach of promise to marry. I think there’s a woman who wrote a novel about that…”
“It’s called
Divorcing Your Husband
,” Tanya supplied quickly, taking a tiny sip of Scotch while keeping a keen eye on Vernon. “I think it’s by P. M. Carroll or somebody like that.”
Brandi nodded as she continued, “I suggest you pull it together, scoop your ego off the floor, and come to terms with the new order of the house. I now have something to show for
your
efforts.” Brandi leaned in, whispering, “And I’m going to enjoy every minute.”
Vernon reached out, pushing Brandi back toward the bedroom and yanking Tanya off the love seat so they could have it out in private.
Donny scrambled from behind the turntable, making a beeline for his brother-in-law.
Tanya whirled out of Vernon’s grasp.
Craig and Jeremy reached Vernon before Donny did, and yanked their friend backward, dragging him to the front door. Vernon shrugged them off, shaking an angry fist in the air. “There wouldn’t be a business, this house, or any of this if it wasn’t for me. For
me!
Where do you get off making stupid rules like this?”
“Like I said before, the money was minor,” Brandi said in a calm tone. “But I kept it going and growing…” Her lips spread into a near-evil smile as she winked. “Unlike
some things
these days.”
Howls of laughter erupted all around them.
Vernon froze, glowering at the women now congregated on Brandi’s side of the room. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Fine,” Brandi said, shrugging. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Vernon nodded toward Tanya. “And she’d better be gone.”
The newest member of the family turned to Brandi, saying loudly enough for everyone to hear, “What time shall I serve breakfast?”
Brandi grinned without taking her eyes off her husband. “Seven-thirty’s good for me.”
Vernon took a tentative step toward Tanya. Jeremy and Craig reined him in, lifting him off the floor and, carried him—ranting, kicking, and yelling—toward the door.
As the three men reached the foyer, Brandi called out, “DJ, turn the music up. The party’s just beginning, folks.”
Vernon’s gaze connected with his wife as she swiveled her shoulders to the rhythm of
You can’t hit and run, I’ve got to be number one…
with a smirk on her generous lips.
Vernon’s mind raced like a V-8 engine with the throttle wide open. Brandi and Tanya might think they had the upper hand, but they wouldn’t be so happy when he returned tomorrow.
There would be no family or friends
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