Come Fly With Me (30 page)

Allison
looked
at
Sara
Belle's
rounded
stomach
and
raised
her
eyebrows.
"It
looks
like
they
got
back
together
a
few
months
ago."

"Well,
Beau
went
on
a
drunken
rampage
and
broke
into
the
house
after
Sara
changed
the
locks.
He
confessed
his
undying
devotion
to
her
and
promised
to
join
AA.
They
had
makeup
sex,
and
hence
a
little
bundle
of
joy
is
on
its
way—number
three."

Wade
continued,
"Bella
Sue
got
caught
fooling
around
with
Brett's
best
friend
the
night
before
their
wedding.
They've
been
trying
to
make
it
work
ever
since."

"How
long
have
they
been
married?"
Ally
asked.

"Four
years,"
he
said.

"I
see,
and
Mirabelle?"

"Oh,
we're
perfect.
And
we
have
three
kids,"
Wade
said.

"Glad
to
hear
that!"
she
said
with
relief
in
her
voice.

Wade
laughed
heartily,
"You
see,
we're
all
perfect.
Ask
any
of
them,
and
they
would
each
say
they
have
model
marriages.
No
one
would
change
a
thing—its
dysfunction
elevated
to
an
art
form.
We're
a
passionate
group
and
even
though
we're
ready
to
tear
each
other's
eyes
out
at
a
moment's
notice,
we
protect
our
own.
Alex
is
very
bright
and
very
talented,
flaws
and
all."

Allison
looked
nervously
at
Wade,
afraid
he
might
have
a
screw
loose.
But
his
laughter
was
so
infectious,
she
found
herself
joining
in.
"The
children
seem
to
adore
Alex.
Is
it
always
like
this
with
him?"

"Yes.
We
stick
around
day
to
day,
slogging
through
it
all,
and
then
he
shows
up
and
the
kids
flock
around
him
like
the
pied
piper.
But
it's
fine;
he'll
get
his
one
day
when
he
becomes
a
parent."

Allison
nodded,
"I
think
I'd
best
join
the
ladies
over
there,"
she
pointed,
"And
help
set
up
dinner.
I
enjoyed
our
talk;
it
isn't
often
that
I
get
a
ringside
view
into
other
people's
lives.
It's
a
good
reminder
never
to
judge."

Wade
stood
up,
got
a
couple
of
icy
beers
and
made
his
way
over
to
where
Alex
was
sprawled
on
the
grass.
She
smiled
as
she
saw
Alex
take
a
long
swig,
and
hold
up
his
bottle
in
a
mock
salute,
waving
her
over
to
where
they
were
parked.

"I
was
just
telling
Alex
I
think
you're
terrific,"
Wade
said."And
gorgeous."

"I
figured
you'd
notice,"
Alex
said.

"The
thing
I
like
most
about
you,
Allison,
is
that
you
come
right
out
and
say
what's
on
your
mind
rather
than
wrapping
it
up
in
a
honey-spun
bow,"
said
Wade.
"I've
felt
more
than
one
of
those
choke
me
around
the
throat
the
minute
I
turned
my
back—"

"You
should
have
moved
to
the
east
coast
while
you
still
had
the
chance,"
Alex
chuckled.

"Well,
fellas,
much
as
I
like
being
praised,
I'm
not
the
one
under
scrutiny,"
she
said
as
she
smiled
sweetly
at
Alex.
"I'm
heading
over
to
the
ladies
to
see
if
they
can
use
a
hand
with
dinner."

She
heard
the
last
fragments
of
their
conversation
as
the
wind
carried
it
her
way.

"She's
says
you
guys
are
business
associates.
But
you
want
more,"
Wade
said.

"Wouldn't
have
a
pulse
if
I
didn't
want
more."

They
had
a
good
laugh
and
sobered
as
they
saw
her
confident
stride
as
she
headed
toward
the
table.
"She
sure
is
brave,"
they
said
in
unison
as
they
jumped
up
to
rescue
her.

****

Alex
sat
close
to
Allison,
his
arm
resting
casually
on
the
back
of
her
chair.
She
had
to
take
deep
calming
breaths
every
time
he
reached
past
her
to
get
the
potato
salad
or
more
wings.

"Alex,
I'm
going
inside,
I
need
to
freshen
up."
She
had
to
get
away
and
breathe
some
Alex-free
air.

"Sure,
just
don't
take
too
long—you
don't
want
to
miss
dessert."

"Oh
right,
birthday
cake
of
course.
I'm
hoping
for
chocolate."

"I'm
fairly
certain
it's
a
vodka-laced
special
recipe
called
Harvey
W—Mother's
favorite.
If
you
don't
like
that
you
can
have
the
Bourbon
Apple
Pie,
or
Rum
Pecan
Pie,
or
my
personal
favorite,
Kahlua
Fudge
Brownies.
The
kids
love
those."