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He shook his head. “Damn it, I don’t need that.”
“Why? Are you in love with someone else?” She squinted. “Let me guess. You had a long time girlfriend. Now that your wife is out of the way, you’re waiting for the appropriate amount of mourning time to flaunt your secret love, right?”
“Wrong. Go to hell, Jessica,” he hissed. Once more, she’d reminded him of Annette’s cheating. “Your assumptions are out of line again.”
“Are they?” She snorted. “I don’t think so.”
He swallowed a curse and scooped her up in his arms. “Where’s your bedroom?”
A broad smile brightened her face. “Left to the corridor and then right. I knew you’d be tempted.”
He stomped to her bedroom, dumped her in the middle of her bed, and closed the door behind him. Grabbing his laptop case, he dashed to the door and down the stairs.
His dealings with Jessica had taught him he didn’t need a night of bad sex to forget his wife’s infidelity.
Chapter Ten
May
On Sunday, Erin noticed that Tim was unusually quiet, aloof, and distracted, staring at her but averting his gaze as soon as their eyes met.
“Where are the children?” he asked, throwing a glance at the backyard where the swings sat abandoned.
“Downstairs, playing in the basement. It’s too hot outside.”
“The Montgomery Swim Club opened two weeks ago for the season. How about spending the afternoon at the pool?” Tim suggested. “I’m sure the kids would love it.”
“Great idea.” For her, it would be a wonderful relaxation with Tim by her side.
“We can leave right after lunch. I’ll go get our bathing suits and towels, while your children get ready.”
“I’ll stay home with the twins,” Teresa announced.
“No,” Erin said at the same time as Tim.
“You’re coming, too, Teresa. We’ll put the twins in their floaties, and we’ll all jump in the water. We’ll have a blast.”
“All right. You make it sound so tempting. I’ll fix lunch. We’ll eat as soon as you’re back.”
Tim left, and Erin called her older children. “Coach Tim is taking us to the pool. I want you to change into your bathing suits. David, gather the floaties for Ethan and Nat. Rachelle, put the sunscreen in a bag. Debbie, collect eight towels and bring them to the couch in the living room. Becky, do you want a floatie?”
“No, Mommy. I’m not a baby. I swim like the others.”
“I can use a noodle to relax.” Teresa chuckled. “For lunch, we’ll have ham and cheese on toast with cucumbers and tomatoes.”
Erin dug out the children’s swimsuits and the terrycloth dresses Teresa had made for the girls. She tossed them onto their beds. “David, wear a t-shirt with your swim trunks.”
Then, she prepared a special bag with waterproof diapers for the twins, caps, and goggles for the others, as well as a cooler with bottles of water, and the toddlers’ strollers. She stowed everything in the back of her van.
“What about me?” Brianna cried. “I have no bathing suit here. Where’s my dad?”
“He went home to get your bathing suit, sweetie. Just help Debbie carry the towels downstairs.”
By the time Tim returned, wearing a pair of navy swim trunks and a t-shirt, the Perkins gang was sitting in the kitchen, finishing their lunch.
“Brianna, here’s your stuff. Go change while I eat. I’ll take you, Debbie and Rachelle in my car.”
A few minutes later, Erin had buckled her three youngest kids in their car seats. David sat in the third row, while her mother sat in the passenger seat next to her. “Tim, I’m not sure of the way.”
