Chapter 7

“I don’t think its broken. The pins are holding. I’ll order the X-ray just in case.” Dr. Giles Nixon, Susie’s friend January’s husband and her other friend Laney’s father, palpated the outside edge of Susie’s foot. “I think you just made your peroneal tendon angry.”

“Can the X-ray wait until tomorrow? I’m about to have like three hundred people descend upon my house.” She didn’t have time to drive into town and have an X-ray. Her foot might have hurt, but she had plans that couldn’t be rescheduled. Besides, she was taking ibuprofen for the pain.

Giles waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, it’s only to rule out a stress fracture.”

“You know that peroneal tendon, it’s so touchy.” January shoved an entire orange roll in her mouth. Amelia, the eight-month-old baby on her hip, played with January’s strawberry-blonde hair.

“We have some news.” Giles grinned. “We’re expecting again.”

January patted her flat stomach. “Yeah, we’re having another baby. Lately my life is a series of unplanned pregnancies. My husband’s trying to keep me barefoot and pregnant, but I’m one step ahead of him.” She pointed down to her turquoise-Converse-clad feet. “I don’t do barefoot.”

“You do know how babies are conceived?” Laney pried her half sister from January’s arms. “I can explain it if you’re unclear on any of the details.”

“What can I say, my husband can’t keep his hands off of me.” January shoved another orange roll in her mouth.

Giles grinned and rested a hand on his wife’s waist. Clearly, he agreed.

Laney gagged as she settled Amelia onto her hip. “I’m taking Amelia outside to look at the trees before she’s completely damaged by hearing about her parents’ sex life.”

“I’ll follow you out.” Giles grabbed his medical bag. “I need to put this back in the car and get a boot for Susie to wear.”

“That’s why God made therapists, so they can fix our kiddos.” January slid onto a barstool. “So, is anyone going to bring up the romantic comedy film star riding the elephant in the room?”

Susie glanced out the kitchen window that looked onto the front yard. Dane was chatting with the rental car man who’d brought him a whole new car. It was another Tesla Model X. She hoped this one had a spare tire.

“It’s just like I said. I found him on the side of the road. We walked over to my house for him to call the rental car company. I tripped over a rock and he helped me get home.” Susie couldn’t help the smile. Dane was a surprise, and she loved surprises.

This wasn’t going to end up being some epic love story, but she felt like it could be the start of a fun fling. Or, she dared to hope, maybe even a lasting friendship.

“He’s staying for Potato Cannon Wars?” January eyed up another orange roll. At this rate, she’d have the pan polished off and licked clean in the next five minutes.

“I know. I’d have thought he had better things to do, but he wants to stay. He also fed the animals for me this morning.” Susie shrugged. “He’s a nice guy. He’s going to be an honorary judge. Oh,” she sat up, “he doesn’t want for people to freak out in front of him, so today he’s my cousin Stewart.”

She knew she should tell them about the kisses, but her friends would read too much into them. Dane was famous. He wouldn’t want anything serious with a country girl from Texas, and her fellow Tough Ladies were way too protective for their own good.

“Stewart huh. Think people will buy that? He’s sort of … distinctive looking.” January popped another orange roll into her mouth.

“He’s an actor. I think he can sell it. Plus, I think he enjoys being just a regular guy.” Susie always did what she could to make people feel comfortable.

“Have you told your uncle that you’re related to Dane … um … cousin Stewart? Before he left to get into his clown costume, I could have sworn Milton made the cutthroat sign behind Dane’s back.” January popped in the last orange roll.

“Uncle Milton already knows about Dane. Things went sideways between them over the zombie apocalypse. Milton suggested that Dane learn a useful trade like bricklaying so Dane would be allowed inside our commune,” she threw up some air quotes, “‘Miltonville,’ and Dane agreed, but then Milton decided Dane would be better as a zombie-fighting gladiator in a zombie cage-fighting ring.” She shook her head. The whole idea sounded even sillier when she explained it out loud. “Apparently Miltonville needs entertainment or morale will suffer. His idea of entertainment is watching Dane throw down with some zombies in the octagon.”

January shook her head in sympathy. “I thought he’d agreed to stop watching The Walking Dead.” She used her fingernail to pry up some caramelized cinnamon sugar from the bottom of the pan. “Have you forgotten the last time he binged on it? He was barricaded for two whole days inside his house and it took your key lime pie to finally convince him to move the refrigerator blocking the front door.”

Susie threw her hands up in frustration. “I know. I canceled his cable, but they must have turned it back on. But don’t worry. This time he’s got a plan. He’s walling off the property, stealing some solar panels, and creating a whole town. He’s got it all figured out. He’s only letting in people with useful skills, like bricklaying and cage fighting.”

“Oh God, is he going to let me in?” January looked worried. “Think he remembers the time I helped you rig up his refrigerator light to turn off when he opened the door but to have his kitchen lights come on?”

Susie grimaced. “I wouldn’t mention it if I were you.”

“Why is Dane Bennett in the front yard?” Nina Muñoz, one of Susie’s good friends and a fellow triathlon teammate, set a large foil-covered dish on the kitchen island.

“He’s posing as cousin Stewart today and judging Potato Cannon Wars.” January wiped her mouth with a paper towel. “He had a flat on the side of the road and Susie picked him up. Now he won’t leave. Isn’t that the way with movie stars. You pick them up and then they move in.” January patted her flat stomach. “By the way, I’ve got another bun in the oven.” She picked up a corner of the foil and looked under it. “Could this be your abuela’s famous coconut flan?”

“You just ate an entire pan of orange rolls. How can you still be hungry?” Susie gave her the once-over. “And how come you never gain an ounce?”

“Genetics. I was blessed with a great metabolism. I have ugly feet, so it’s a trade-off.” January grabbed a knife from the drawer next to the stove and cut herself a huge square of flan and plopped it onto a plate. “I love flan.”

“How many babies are you eating for?” Susie couldn’t believe how much January could eat. It was still nothing compared to Laney, who should have retired from pediatric oncology and gone into competitive eating.

“There’s just the one baby and me.” She threw up an index finger. “I’m still breastfeeding, so I guess, technically, I’m eating for three.” Her eyes lit up. “That means more flan for me.”

Nina picked up the pan, smoothed down the foil, and walked out of the room. “I’m hiding it from you. You’ll thank me later.”

January rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re putting it in the refrigerator in the garage.”

Nina returned a minute later. “Cousin Stewart, is it?”

“What? He helped me when I hurt my foot. He wants to stay. I enjoy his company.” Susie looked at the floor.

“She’s into him,” January said. “Since she won’t make eye contact, that means she’s really into him.”

Nina put her arm around Susie. “Just watch it. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Susie shook her head. “I like hanging out with him, but that’s all. He’s a movie star and I’m an eighth-grade teacher. I know we’re not going to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after, but he’s fun. Let’s face it. By this time tomorrow, he’ll be gone and probably won’t remember my name.” The thought made her sad.

“Let’s just hope that between now and then there’s some pretty incredible movie star sex.” January held up her glass of ice water. “To crazy-good movie star sex.”

How good was movie star sex? He’d probably been with tons of women. No doubt, she would pale in comparison.

Nina grabbed a glass, filled it with ice from the fridge door, and then water. She clinked glasses with January.

Susie picked up her Hydro Flask and clinked with them both.

They all took a drink.

Sex might have been wishful thinking, but just a few hours ago Susie’s sexual prospects had been nonexistent, so wishful thinking was progress. “Here’s to me remembering how to have sex. It’s been a while.”

“It’s like riding a bicycle, but without the chafing and sore leg muscles.” Nina waggled her eyebrows.

“Not if you do it right.” January clinked again and took a sip.

“What did we miss?” Giles walked back into the room holding Amelia and an ugly navy-blue surgical boot like the one Susie had worn for weeks after her injury. There was nothing sexier than a surgical boot.

“We’re talking about Susie’s sex life.” Nina smiled at Giles.

His face turned an ashy gray. “Please wait until I’m done putting this boot on Susie.” He handed the baby to January and then knelt down in front of Susie and slipped the boot over her foot. It went to just below her knee. He tightened the Velcro straps until the boot was snug but not too tight. He stood and headed to the living room. “Carry on.”

“Susie should definitely have crazy movie star sex with cousin—wait, calling him cousin Stewart sounds creepy—with Dane Bennett before he leaves here and forgets all about her.” January held the baby out in front of her. “What do you think?”

Amelia’s eyes teared up and she started wailing.

“I’m going to take that as a no.” Nina took the barstool next to January.

“She’s just hungry.” January unbuttoned the front of her shirt and began breastfeeding Amelia.

Nina sipped her water. “I think Amelia’s right.” She pointed to Susie. “No sex on the first date.”

“Who said anything about dating?” Susie wasn’t reading anything into Dane’s staying today—or the kisses. “He’s just bored.”

“Honey, nobody’s that bored.” Sweet Louise Harding swept into the room in a blaze of red lace pantsuit. She was Laney’s mother-in-law and had cooked most of the food for today. She and her son were about to open their second barbecue restaurant.

“How do you already know about Dane?” Susie was halfway convinced that Sweet Louise had superhuman powers. God knew, she could sweet-talk any man, and most women, into doing whatever she wanted.

“I have eyeballs and I’ve been eavesdropping in the other room.” The older woman put her arm around January and kissed baby Amelia on the forehead. “I like to eavesdrop before I walk into a room so no one has to catch me up.”

“That’s a fantastic idea. I’m doing that from now on.” Nina saluted Sweet Louise with her glass.

“Me too.” Susie also saluted Sweet Louise.

“I vote for movie star sex. Then again, I vote for all sex. I don’t discriminate.” Sweet Louise smiled to herself and a faraway look came into her eyes. “I’ve had more than my fair share of lovers, but I’ve only had sex with two movie stars—not at the same time. Decades apart.” She fanned herself. “Both times were amazing.”

The room went silent with the possibilities.

Susie waited as long as she could. “Come on, dish. Who were they?”

Sweet Louise grinned. “I don’t kiss and tell, but let’s just say that I’m a huge James Bond fan.”

“Oh my God. Did you sleep with Daniel Craig?” Susie’s mouth fell open. He was one hundred percent yummy.

Sweet Louise just kept smiling. “Maybe.” She winked at Susie. “Bet you can’t guess the other James Bond.”

“I can’t see you with Pierce Brosnan or Roger Moore.” Nina looked like she was riffling through a mental list of James Bonds. “I know you didn’t sleep with that James Bond between Brosnan and Moore. Heck, no one remembers him. There is the very first James Bond, but no one remembers him either.” Her brown eyes went huge. “Oh my God. You slept with Sean Connery.”

Sweet Louise’s smile brightened by several degrees.

If it were any other woman, Susie would have said she was lying. But this was Sweet Louise. When it came to men, she didn’t need to lie. Men of all ages were attracted to her va-va-voom 1940s sexpot look. Well, it was more than a look. Sweet Louise just exuded sexual confidence like no other woman Susie had ever met.

“Who was better?” January detached Amelia’s mouth and switched the baby to her other breast.

“Let me think.” Sweet Louise’s ruby-red-painted lips pursed. “They were both great in their own ways. Sean’s attention to detail was fantastic, but Daniel was so eager to please.”

“When I’m your age, the only good sex I’ll be able to tell people about is the kind that involves Pierre, my vibrator. I gave him a French name so he sounds exotic.” Nina sat back and crossed her arms.

Sweet Louise patted her arm. “I have a feeling that your love story is coming. Your problem is that you’re trying to force it. Stop looking so hard and just sit back and enjoy the ride. Love only strikes when you least expect it.”

“That’s good advice.” Susie hadn’t been expecting love for a long time. She was ripe for it to fall out of the sky and bite her in the butt.