They could hear Elizabeth yelling. “Just ask one of the boys to help you. That thing is full of ice. Erik can do it.”

“I got it,” Robert insisted as he balanced the large cooler precariously on the trunk of the car.

“Throw out your back and you’re sleeping on the couch, tough guy,” Elizabeth warned, and then took off toward the house. “Or, if you have a heart attack and die, I’m going to kill you. Erik, go help your father-in-law before he’s sprawled out in your lawn and we have to call the squad.”

With a chuckle and a wave of her hand, Anna ushered Erik outside to help Robert maneuver the cooler to the back porch. When the men finally made it into the house, Anna and Elizabeth were huddled together in the kitchen. “What did Vincent want?”

“Oh.” Anna clapped her hands together and bounced in place. “I almost forgot. He’s coming over.”

“He sent Jade to Denver on her own? Thank God!” Sean smiled widely walking through the door.

“No, he’s bringing her.” Her upper lip rose in a snarl.

A chorus of “Ugh”s rang out through the room.

“So much for your plans of Lexi having a nice time,” Erik said.

“Why can’t Jade just go away? I told Vincent we can find the mole without her.” Anna began violently chopping a pile of carrots.

“Is he even any closer to finding this jerkoff—I mean jerk?” Sean asked as he snagged one of Anna’s carrot slices. “Doesn’t seem like she’s helping all that much.”

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Elizabeth sighed. “She claims to know someone at Reid who is watching things on that end. Vincent, I think, feels like this is his mess to clean up, that he should have figured it out before Jade of all people.”

“Well, I have a feeling his big plan is going to backfire. There are too many things up in the air and a long list of suspects.” Sean took a long drink

from his beer. “I still think we should slam people into chairs, put a spotlight on them, and use a good old lie detector. Works in the movies.”

“And it’s not admissible in court. Not to mention it goes against their civil rights, dear.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes and slapped his hand as he tried to steal some of Madison’s strawberries, then she left the room in search of her granddaughter. Robert followed after her.

Erik grabbed a beer and sat down on a stool between Sean and Anna. “What are we going to do about Vincent?”

Sean chuckled. “You mean how do we get Jade to get her claws out of him?”

“Exactly.” He looked over at his wife, who was being extremely tight lipped. “Anna, do you have an opinion on this one?”

“You know I hate that woman with every cell in my body. She is a soulsucking leech who is dating Vincent for her own gain and sponging off his notoriety in the community. I told you on their first date that she was trouble.” Anna pointed an accusing finger at Sean. “But no, you said, and i quote, ‘She’s a hot. Let him have his fun,’ end quote.”

“In my defense,” Sean held up his hands innocently, “I hadn’t heard her speak when I made that comment. I was basing it solely on the hotness of her rack. Had I known the screeching bansheelike tone of her voice, I would have suggested he throw holy water on her.”

They all turned when a car screeched into the driveway. Erik went over to the window and laughed. “Um, what did you do to piss off Hope now?”

Sean sprang to his feet. Anna elbowed Erik out of the way so she could watch the show. Hope was at Sean’s Jeep, dumping things out of a paper bag and onto the hood of his car. She stepped back, assessed her work, then picked up something black and gently dangled it from the antenna.

She headed for the house with a proud swagger in her step.

“Is that your …” Erik stared, open mouthed.

“… underwear?” Anna finished, giggling.

“Yeah, she kinda hates it when I leave my clothes on the floor.”

Hope strolled in and greeted Erik and Anna, but ignored Sean completely.

“Hi, Hope.”

“Hello, swine.” She grabbed the beer Erik offered, popped the top, and took a swig, still refusing to look at Sean.

“I forgot,” he pleaded.

“Bull. You remembered to bring the beer here. You remembered to TiVo that soccer game. But the laundry—that you had to step over to get to the bathroom—you forgot, right? Please.”

“Baby.”

“Don’t baby me or there will be more than your underwear hanging from that antenna out there. Capisce? I know people.”

Sean grinned and wrapped his arms around Hope. “You know I love it when you go all Sopranos on me, right? You’re so sexy when you’re mad.”

Hope elbowed him in the gut. “So that’s why you piss me off all the time?”

“Yep.”

“Swine.”

“Oink, oink.” He nuzzled her neck and gave her behind a hard smack.

“I have no idea why I hang around you.” She went over and sat down. “Thanks for inviting me, Anna.”

“Thanks for the entertainment. So, when is Lexi getting here? I thought you two would ride over together.”

“We were going to, but she went into the office this morning and never came back. She called and said she’d meet me here. I can’t wait until they finish this cosmetics ad. She’s driving me nuts!”

“Yeah, Vincent’s been a real joy too. They have good ideas, but they don’t have a spectacular one that will blow the roof off of it, and that’s what’s driving him crazy. He’s such a perfectionist.” Sean rolled his eyes.

“Poor Lexi spent her Saturday at the office and now she has to come here and deal with the she-viper.”

“Wait, Jade’s coming? I thought they were out of town.” Hope quirked an eyebrow at Sean, but his somber expression told the tale. “Awesome!” a wide grin spread on her face.

Erik choked. “You’re excited about seeing Jade? I think he might have driven you mad.”

“Oh, I have been dying to meet this witch. If she steps out of line with my girl, I might just have to take her out.”

Sean turned to Erik and grabbed his arm. “Man, please tell me you have Maddie’s baby pool and a boatload of Jell-O,” he pleaded with Erik, earning a dirty look from both Hope and Anna. “Jeez, it was just a suggestion.”

“So, what do I need to know about her before she gets here?”




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