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As I consider renaming my dish “cheeseburger casserolly,” Jake walks out of the kitchen. He passes Tim coming in. Tim inhales deeply while looking positively enraptured.That’s my boy.Meanwhile, I finish putting the final touch—two pounds of grated cheddar—on top of mycasserolliesand tell the camera, “If I’m not lucky enough to find love on this show, I want all the bachelors out there to know that I won’t make you my cheeseburger casserole until we’re engaged, so you’d better be ready to commit.” I give the camera a sassy wink.
Trina calls out, “Cut!” Then she gushes, “You’re a natural! You should have your own cooking show.”
“Alas, math is my first love,” I tell her. “I would never cheat on her just for the chance at stardom.”
I glance over at Tim whose expression turns angry.
Shoot, I didn’t mean to bring up cheating but the last person I was thinking about was his ex-wife. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s time he let her go.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
TIM
This day is not turning out to be what I expected. I thought I’d come into the club, work on the Valentine’s menu, check in with Terry about our flower delivery, and then maybe kick back in my office and play some video games until it was time for tonight’s mixer. I did not expect Paige and Jake to be on some kind of cooking date.
I’m pacing nervously around the lobby when Terry approaches me. “If that cheeseburger casserole tastes as good as it smells, we should put it on the lunch menu.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because, Terry, country club women do not eat cheeseburger casserole. Can you see Mrs. Vanderhaven hunkering down to a piping hot bowl of fat and cholesterol?”
He shakes his head. “No, but Mr. Vanderhaven would.” He’s got a point. The men at the club seem far less concerned about health than their wives are.
I amend my answer to, “Maybe.” Then I ask, “Did you need me for something?”
Terry hands me a sheet of paper. “I went ahead and printed out a sample menu for Valentine’s dinner.”
“I thought we were going to work on that together.” I sound like planning sustenance for couples in love is my life’s greatest desire. Which it is not.
“We can always change it if you want.” He gestures at me like he’s waving away a foul smell. “You seemed to have a lot on your mind.”
“How long have you been married, Terry?”
“Fourteen years and two months,” he says proudly.
“Not that it's any of my business, but have there been any big bumps?”
“Candy has had three.” I wait eagerly hoping he’ll explain—and he does. “Terry Jr., Masie, and Clara.”
“Hahaha.”
“But you want to know if we’ve had any big fights,” he guesses correctly.
“It’s not my business and you don’t have to tell me.”Please tell me.
“Sure, we’ve fought.” Terry pats me on the back. “No one has a smooth ride all the time. The thing with marriage is that you both ultimately have to want the same thing. That’s what makes a good partnership.”
I walk over to the sitting area and plop down on one of the love seats. Terry follows. “I agree with you. I’m just scared to give it another shot.”
Sitting down next to me, he says, “You have a right to be. Eva really screwed you over. But you can’t let her actions dictate your happiness. You’ve got to take your power back.”
“I’m only doing this show to get even with her,” I confess.
I expect him to tell me the same spiel Paige and Cami were preaching—a happy life is the best revenge. So I’m surprised when he says, “You deserve to have your revenge. And if showing Eva you’re over her is what you need to do, you should go for it.”
“By flirting with other women?”
