“Hey, Irvin! Glad you could make it. Where’s Rachel?”
“She’s on her way,” he replied.
Vanessa’s head snapped toward him.
“She’s what?”
Irvin took a sip of lemonade.
“Did I forget to mention that?”
“You didn’t say she was coming!”
“You invited me, Vanessa. You didn’t tell me my wife wasn’t allowed.”
Her face tightened.
“I specifically asked you to come alone.”
“And I never agreed to that condition.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
For a moment, I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
At three fifteen, I parked outside her house.
I carried the gold-wrapped gift box in both hands.
Several neighbors were standing near the driveway, talking and laughing. When they saw me, a few smiled in greeting.
One woman glanced at the box.
“Is that for Vanessa?”
“It certainly is,” I said.
She looked surprised.
“You two are getting along again?”
I smiled.
“Oh, we’re about to have a very memorable afternoon.”
