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But she detected an undercurrent in the forced conversation between Cindy and Chris, something untoward. She suddenly had the feeling that possibly there had been an encounter recently that went beyond an innocent telephone conversation between the exes and her focus shifted from Cindy to Chris. Then she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“She reminds me of Lola Beauregard,” Katrina whispered, referring to her ex-boyfriend’s ex-wife.
“Yes, she does. Blond, long legs, and big boobs.”
Katrina covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
“I wonder what the attraction to me is?” Annie questioned. “We are as different as night and day. I’m short, chubby, and brunette.”
“Stop it. Stop putting yourself down,” Katrina said. “You’re gorgeous, too. He’s lucky to have you.”
“Whatever. I’m not feeling it, are you?”
“What?”
“That they are nothing more than exes. I’m picking up some magnetism there. Look at the way they are looking at each other.”
“Maybe,” Katrina replied with a concerned tone to her voice. “What did he say their relationship is like?”
“He said there’s nothing, if I can believe it after seeing them together.”
“They are bantering,” Katrina said.
“See, that’s the thing. He said they don’t have a relationship outside of support for the boys.”
“Just take him at his word,” Katrina said.
Annie frowned, watching her boyfriend openly flirting with his ex-wife.
“This is getting out of hand. Am I expected to serve refreshments?”
“Do what you feel. Asking her will make her stop talking to Chris.”
Annie nodded and took a step closer to Cindy while the sons were talking to Justin. So far, Chris hadn’t bothered introducing her so she poked him gently in the ribs.
“Oh! Here’s my fiancée, Annie,” Chris said to Cindy. “Annie, this is Cindy, Joel and Ben’s mother.”
Yeah, no kidding, Chris,Annie thought, trying not to sneer.
“Boy, Chris, your boys look so much like you and your brothers.”
“It’s pretty shocking, no?” Cindy replied, her eyelids just lowered enough for Annie to guess she’d made an impression on Cindy.
“Would you like a soda?” Annie asked, forcing eye contact.
“Oh no, we’re fine. We’re visiting and decided at the last minute to drop in. I was curious about the house and all.”
I bet,Annie thought. She’d offered, and now she was going to just observe. Chris’s hand was on the back of her neck as he chatted with his family, finally including her in at least his body language. Suddenly, Annie had the most intense desire to close her eyes and go to sleep right there. The feeling made her giddy, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud.
Justin was right. All she had to do was smile, nodding her head when appropriate, feeling the warmth of Chris’s big hand seeping through her skin, spreading down her back, around to the front of her chest, erecting her nipples and heading south. Chris was doing all of that to her while he had a heartfelt conversation with his ex-wife. Everything was out in the open now.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Joel and Ben talking with Katrina and the other two brothers, the bonds of family growing. She imagined those boys visiting on holidays, starting with Mardi Gras in just two short months, followed by the day of all days—Easter Sunday. How would having them around affect her relationship with Chris? She really didn’t want to wash clothes and feed and clean up after two more men.
But if they did visit, what would poor Cindy do, all alone in Mobile? It wasn’t her problem.
“This is Ben,” Chris said, finally introducing Annie to his sons. “And this is Joel.”
Joel was a senior at University of Florida in Gainesville. “You’ve probably got more in common with Joel than you do me,” Chris said, laughing. “Annie’s working on her master’s in social work.”
