“Isn’t this just perfect?”Heather whispered to her mom.
“Evelyn, Heather.”Her father stopped when he reached them.
“Darren,”her mother said.
“Father.”Her voice held an edge of anger and distrust, though it appeared he didn’t notice. Not that her father noticed much of anything about her, so this wasn’t new.
“This is Lacey.”
He introduced his girlfriend. Lacey the homewrecker. And it appeared she had no last name. Probably hoping to get her father’s last name soon…
“And Lacey, you know, my wi—I mean Evelyn.”He didn’t even have the good grace to blush.
“Yes, hello.”Lacey bobbed her head of golden curls while she held possessively onto her father’s arm as if she was going to lose him if he talked to hiswifefor long enough. And she stillwashis wife, in spite of her father acting like he was already divorced.
“Evelyn, I’m still waiting for those signed papers.”He eyed her mother, giving her his world-famous don’t-argue-with-me glare. The one that always worked for him in business.
“Not ready to sign them.”
She almost laughed out loud at her mother’s statement. Good for her.
“I don’t know why you’re making this so difficult.”He took a step forward, but her mom didn’t back away.
Her mom glanced pointedly at Lacey and said,“I don’t think this is the time to discuss the matter. And if you have anything to say to me about it, it would be better if you contacted my lawyer.”
“You’re just being silly. Difficult. You know I don’t like it when you’re difficult. Just sign the papers.”
“Father, you heard her. And she’s right. This is not the time for the discussion.”Heather stepped forward, facing her father directly and ignoring the woman clinging to his arm.
“Stay out of it. This doesn’t concern you,”her father barked at her.
“Right, my parents’divorce doesn’t concern me.”She rolled her eyes at him, knowing full well that it irritated him when she did that.
His face reddened.Ah, she’d got to him. Good.
He gave one more glare at her mother.“Sign those papers. Immediately. Stop this nonsense.”Then he dismissed her with barely a nod.“Let’s go now, Lacey.”He grabbed Lacey’s arm and steered her around them.
“Bye, Father. Great to see you,”she called out merrily after them.“Jerk,”she said under her breath.
Her mother let out a long breath.“Well, he’s as charming as ever, isn’t he?”
“He’s…he’s not worth our time thinking of names to call him. You okay?”
“I’m fine. Iwillbe fine. I actually can’t wait to be divorced from him.”
“But you’re going to take your time signing those papers, aren’t you?”A grin began to spread across her face as she watched her mother.
Her mother’s mouth lifted in an amused smile.“Yes, I do think I will wait just a bit. Now that he commanded I sign them immediately. It’s not going to happen. Besides, my lawyer still wants to make some changes to the agreement.”
“Father isn’t going to like that.”She grinned even wider.
“He won’t. But I’m done worrying about what your father likes or doesn’t like. And he’s given me one too many orders, too.”
“He’s given you hundreds of orders too many. He treats you like you work for him, not like you’re his wife. You should wait months to sign those papers.”
“He no longer gets what he wants, when he wants it. I’m finished with that.”
She looked at her mother in admiration.“Mom, you’re an incredibly strong woman and I’m really proud of you.”
