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it broke your heart to look at her
after Lily died in that accident, because Olivia's her spitting
image."
    He kept his expression blank. "I didn't have
time to raise a five year old child."
    Mae harrumphed. "You couldn't stand looking
into eyes that were just like Lily's and remembering what you
lost."
    Forcing his jaw to relax, he asked, "Is that
really what you think?"
    "It's what I know." She patted her chest.
"Deep down in here. I remember how you loved Lily. I watched you
after she died. I should've done something about that." Walking
over to the cabinet, she pulled out dinner plates. "Go wash up for
dinner."
    It wasn't often he was dismissed. He stood
up, frowning. He should have brought a bottle of scotch with him.
He'd have Elaine get him one in the morning.
    As he turned to leave, Mae's voice stopped
him. "The man you were is still inside you, Everett. He's buried,
but alive. He deserves happiness too."
    Parker looked over his shoulder, catching
Mae give him one of her queerly intent looks. "We both know that
isn't true," he said as he walked out, conscious of his former
mother-in-law's too-knowing gaze following him.

     

     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Olivia rang the doorbell three times and
then banged on the door for good measure. She shifted her weight
from one foot to the other, wishing she'd changed into more
comfortable shoes before running out of the house.
    "Come on," she murmured, pulling her coat
closer to her body. "It's cold."
    Just as she raised her fist to knock again,
the door swung open. Eve blinked, a frown marring the smooth ivory
skin of her forehead.
    "About time," Olivia said. "I thought I was
going to turn into an icicle." She pushed past Eve and headed
straight for the kitchen.
    Treat looked up from his dinner as she
walked in.
    "Hey Treat." She picked up Eve's wine glass
and took a fortifying gulp.
    "Make yourself at home, Olivia," Eve said,
sitting back down at the table.
    "Thanks." Olivia didn't bother acknowledging
the less than faint sarcasm. She slipped out of her coat, draped it
over a chair, and sat across from Eve before picking up the wine
again.
    She looked up to see both Treat and Eve
arching their brows at her. "This is good wine," she said.
    Treat grinned. "I'm surprised you tasted
it."
    "Actually, I didn't. I was just being
polite." She drained the glass and held it out. "But if you fill it
up, I promise I'll savor it this time."
    "What's wrong?" Eve asked, frowning at her
husband as he refilled Olivia's glass to the brim.
    "What isn't wrong?" Olivia sipped a little
to prevent the wine from sloshing over. She caught the look that
passed between them and, for the first time ever, felt a twinge of
envy.
    Treat pushed back from the table. "I think
that's my cue to get lost."
    Olivia stopped him with a hand on his
forearm. "Finish your dinner. I'm the one who barged in." She
looked at Eve. "You too. Eat. I'll just sit here and enjoy this
lovely vintage."
    "Are you already getting tipsy?" her friend
asked suspiciously.
    "I sincerely hope so." Olivia leaned her
head back, clutching her glass in both hands.
    "When was the last time you ate?"
    Olivia pursed her lips. "Didn't I get a
scone with my latte this morning?"
    "No wonder you're loopy after one glass of
wine. We have plenty of food. I'll get you a plate." Eve stood
up.
    "Michael's back," Olivia said, staring at
the ceiling.
    "Michael?"
    Olivia nodded. "Michael Wallace."
    "Who's Michael Wallace?"
    "My one true love."
    Eve dropped back down.
    "You'd think it couldn't get much worse than
having the only man who ever broke your heart suddenly show up
after eleven years." Olivia frowned. "Actually, he didn't break my
heart. He ripped it from my chest, mashed it to a bloody pulp, and
then stomped on it for good measure. But I'm over him."
    "Sounds like it," Eve said dryly.
    "That should have been the
low point of my day, right? Wrong ." She banged her fist on the
table.
    "Careful." Treat took her hand and held it
in his. "Whatever