herself to the tasks at hand. The morning flew by. Before she knew it, lunchtime had arrived. This was Wednesday. Emily felt a tingle of anticipation. Thad would be waiting for her at the diner.
Thad was seated at what they had begun to refer to as their table when Emily entered the restaurant. He waved to her.
Emily waved back, feeling a little surge of happiness as she did so. Thad was good for her morale. She slipped into the chair across from him. “It's good to see you."
He smiled. “Howdy, Buddy. I ordered for you. The house special today is veal cutlets. I know that's one of your favorites."
"Thank you.” Emily settled back in her chair.
They talked, as they always did, of events and happenings from the past week. Thad told Emily of an especially exciting court case he had won and provided some sketchy details about a wild encounter with his latest conquest. His vivid description of her outrageously flamboyant bedroom left Emily in stitches. “Nobody,” she declared, when she could stop giggling, “does a bedroom in red and white hearts and overhead mirrors."
Thad raised his right hand. “Upon my oath as an honest man, I swear.” His hand dropped to his side. “How was your dinner with the Morrisons?"
"Uncomfortable at first, but things got better.” After describing her evening with Dennis Morrison, Emily told Thad of her meeting with Robert. She finished by adding. “He isn't seeing Susan Barrett anymore. She dumped him."
Thad didn't pull any punches. “Is that why you suggested that the two of you go away for the weekend?"
"We aren't going away for a weekend.” Emily's mind lingered briefly over the last time Robert had taken her away for the weekend. “No more weekend trips with Robert, ever."
"But you're staying overnight.” Thad inclined his head and widened his eyes.
"That's only because we want to spend the entire day with Larry. Robert thinks it would be better to rest overnight and drive back the next morning."
"Don't you think you might be tempting fate, staying overnight in the same motel as your ex-husband?"
Emily smiled. “I feel perfectly safe. Robert wants nothing more from me than friendship."
Thad cut into his steak. “How can you be so sure?"
"He told me so.” Emily's smile vanished. “Robert doesn't love me anymore. I sometimes wonder if he ever did."
"Do you want my opinion?” Thad chewed thoughtfully.
"I put great store by your opinions and your advice."
"I don't think he ever stopped loving you."
Emily almost choked on her food. “Until now, that is. Don't be absurd."
Thad shrugged. “Sorry if I hit a sore spot.” He laid his fork on the table. “So what else is new?"
"So much for your opinions,” Emily teased. “I still put great stock in your advice, some of which I need now."
"Shoot.” Thad held up one hand. “I didn't mean that literally."
Again, Emily laughed. “What would I do without you?"
"Hire an attorney?” Thad quipped with a quizzical lifting of his shaggy eyebrows. “And I would have to begin writing Dear Abby again."
When their laughed died down, Emily asked in sober tones. “How much is my house worth at present market prices?"
"You're thinking of selling?” Thad pushed his plate back and reached for his dessert. “Are you moving into an apartment?"
"I'm not the apartment type and neither is Boo. I want a smaller house, one nearer the city, but in a good neighborhood."
"Boo?” Thad stuck a fork in his sticky dessert before pushing it aside, “Your dog?"
"It may sound silly and sentimental, but I am very fond of Boo."
"Sentimental, yes. Silly, no. You are such a paradox. Do you want me to help you sell your house?"
She wasn't about to ask him why he thought her a paradox. He would tell her and it might not be something she wanted to hear. “Do you know the name of a reputable realtor?"
"Isn't Robert a realtor?"
He knew the answer to that. “I don't need my ex-husband's help to sell my home."
Thad glanced at his
Thad was seated at what they had begun to refer to as their table when Emily entered the restaurant. He waved to her.
Emily waved back, feeling a little surge of happiness as she did so. Thad was good for her morale. She slipped into the chair across from him. “It's good to see you."
He smiled. “Howdy, Buddy. I ordered for you. The house special today is veal cutlets. I know that's one of your favorites."
"Thank you.” Emily settled back in her chair.
They talked, as they always did, of events and happenings from the past week. Thad told Emily of an especially exciting court case he had won and provided some sketchy details about a wild encounter with his latest conquest. His vivid description of her outrageously flamboyant bedroom left Emily in stitches. “Nobody,” she declared, when she could stop giggling, “does a bedroom in red and white hearts and overhead mirrors."
Thad raised his right hand. “Upon my oath as an honest man, I swear.” His hand dropped to his side. “How was your dinner with the Morrisons?"
"Uncomfortable at first, but things got better.” After describing her evening with Dennis Morrison, Emily told Thad of her meeting with Robert. She finished by adding. “He isn't seeing Susan Barrett anymore. She dumped him."
Thad didn't pull any punches. “Is that why you suggested that the two of you go away for the weekend?"
"We aren't going away for a weekend.” Emily's mind lingered briefly over the last time Robert had taken her away for the weekend. “No more weekend trips with Robert, ever."
"But you're staying overnight.” Thad inclined his head and widened his eyes.
"That's only because we want to spend the entire day with Larry. Robert thinks it would be better to rest overnight and drive back the next morning."
"Don't you think you might be tempting fate, staying overnight in the same motel as your ex-husband?"
Emily smiled. “I feel perfectly safe. Robert wants nothing more from me than friendship."
Thad cut into his steak. “How can you be so sure?"
"He told me so.” Emily's smile vanished. “Robert doesn't love me anymore. I sometimes wonder if he ever did."
"Do you want my opinion?” Thad chewed thoughtfully.
"I put great store by your opinions and your advice."
"I don't think he ever stopped loving you."
Emily almost choked on her food. “Until now, that is. Don't be absurd."
Thad shrugged. “Sorry if I hit a sore spot.” He laid his fork on the table. “So what else is new?"
"So much for your opinions,” Emily teased. “I still put great stock in your advice, some of which I need now."
"Shoot.” Thad held up one hand. “I didn't mean that literally."
Again, Emily laughed. “What would I do without you?"
"Hire an attorney?” Thad quipped with a quizzical lifting of his shaggy eyebrows. “And I would have to begin writing Dear Abby again."
When their laughed died down, Emily asked in sober tones. “How much is my house worth at present market prices?"
"You're thinking of selling?” Thad pushed his plate back and reached for his dessert. “Are you moving into an apartment?"
"I'm not the apartment type and neither is Boo. I want a smaller house, one nearer the city, but in a good neighborhood."
"Boo?” Thad stuck a fork in his sticky dessert before pushing it aside, “Your dog?"
"It may sound silly and sentimental, but I am very fond of Boo."
"Sentimental, yes. Silly, no. You are such a paradox. Do you want me to help you sell your house?"
She wasn't about to ask him why he thought her a paradox. He would tell her and it might not be something she wanted to hear. “Do you know the name of a reputable realtor?"
"Isn't Robert a realtor?"
He knew the answer to that. “I don't need my ex-husband's help to sell my home."
Thad glanced at his
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