Flirting with Fire: A Summer Camp Swingers novel

For some reason, I felt the urge to pour myself a stiff drink, even though I’d stopped drinking when Christy had gone into treatment. Still, sometimes I wanted to buy a bottle for myself and keep it locked in a cupboard in my office. Wanted to but didn’t, I reminded myself, since it wouldn’t have been fair to Christy.

I grabbed the next best thing, a Snapple from the fridge, and settled on the couch in the living room. I turned on the TV and scrolled through the guide before I turned it off again. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop thinking about the call earlier. I replayed it in my head. Part of me was annoyed that I’d lost my temper, but part of me felt justified.

I didn’t ever want to go through postpartum depression again. My life had been bad enough, but Christy’s had been worse, a living hell. And now she wanted more children? Sometimes I still didn’t understand her. Worse, she had a way of getting what she wanted. This time I was determined to stand my ground.

Do you really think that’ll work? the little head wondered, serious instead of sarcastic for a change.

No, but it doesn’t matter. You’re shooting blanks, my friend.

When has that ever stopped her? Besides, you know what she means.

Mmm. And she doesn’t need you.

Nope, not this time.

Chapter 2

On Saturday afternoon, Emily knocked on my door and then stuck her head into the office. I saved my work and automatically checked the time. It was only one o’clock, but she liked to be early.

“Ready to go?” I said, and she nodded. “What about Susie?”

“Her too.”

“Okay. Do we need to pick up anything on the way?”

“I can call them and ask.”

“I’ll do it.” I flipped open my phone and clicked the contacts. I didn’t call Allie very often, so I had to scroll down to R.

“It’s on the dance mom’s list,” Emily said helpfully.

“No, I have it. Home and cell.” I picked the home number and dialed.

“Hello!”

“Hey, Allie, it’s Paul Hughes. We—”

“Oh, thank God!”

My eyebrows rose, and Emily sharpened her attention. She didn’t like surprises. Fortunately, she was like me and looked for solutions instead of avoiding the problem altogether.

Allie barely paused, “Please tell me you’re coming early.”

I reassured Emily with a nod and soothed Allie with my tone, “We are. Do you need anything—?”

“I could kiss you!”

See? the little head said. She totally wants me.

“I’m guessing that’s a yes,” I chuckled. The little head turned smug, so I ignored him. “What do you need?” I asked Allie.

“Ice. Like, several bags. And something to put it in. And… I’m so sorry to even ask, but…”

“Go ahead.”

“Would you mind picking up drinks?”

“Coke or juice?”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“Then you’re in luck. We have juice here. Snapple. A couple of cases.”

“You’re amazing! A lifesaver!”

“No, just a guy whose family drinks a lot of juice. Anything else?”

Like a long, hard—

Will you stop!

“No,” Allie said. “Just the ice and drinks. Thanks!”

“No problem. See you in twenty minutes.”

“Awesome.” She hung up.

I closed my cell phone and resisted the urge to glare at my crotch. The little head wasn’t likely to get the message, and my eleven-year-old daughter didn’t need to either.

“Drinks and what else?” she said. “Ice?”

“Uh-huh, and the cooler.”

She grinned. “Chop-chop.”

* * *

I pulled into the driveway and parked outside the open garage. Allie’s Lexus SUV filled the right side, but cardboard boxes and plastic totes cluttered the left, Ken’s normal spot. At least, it had been.

Out with the old, in with the new, the little head said flippantly.

I sighed and did my best to ignore him. Fortunately, Mother Nature helped—I opened the car door and stepped into a sauna. The air was so thick that I felt like someone was sitting on my chest, and my skin immediately prickled with beads of sweat that would never evaporate in the damp air.

“Ugh, disgusting.” Susie hopped to the ground and slammed the car door like it had caused the humidity. She was our Boston child, and she still didn’t like the weather in Atlanta. I had to admit that I didn’t like it either, and I’d grown up here!

The door at the back of the garage opened and then closed, and Allie’s daughters appeared a moment later.

Madison was long-limbed and coltish, with light brown hair and a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She looked like a younger version of her mother, albeit without her curves. She and Emily made an unlikely pair, the beanpole and the pixie, but they’d been friends since kindergarten.