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Sniper nodded. Okay, but you also wanted a piece of my
ass, didn t you? Is that still to tick off your to-do list?
Recognizing the invitation for what it was, Grace decided
the family meeting could wait. She pushed the hot stranger
roughly back onto the sand and kissed the generous lips.
Yeah, she moaned into Sniper s mouth, her hand moving for
the photographer s zipper, let s tick all the boxes.
Frantically they began to peel each other s clothes off.
I m glad you like lying round in the sand, cos by the
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time I ve finished with you, we ll have sifted half this beach
through our panties, Grace murmured before falling into
another kiss.
Solley found Janie slamming round the laundry room,
trying to break as many white appliances as humanly possible.
She knew her sister was upset. This was classic Janie behavior.
If in doubt, wash your best cashmere sweater in boiling water,
then cry into the suds.
Can I talk to you? she queried apprehensively. She
needed a friend, she needed support. She needed her sister.
Janie paused in her strangulation of a fabric softener
bottle. Yes. I think it s about time you did. What s going on,
Sol?
It s about Gin, but you already know that.
Janie sighed. I know you re hurting and I know Gin was
very upset when she left. You can tell me anything. I promise
not to preach.
Solley took a deep breath and plunged in, summarizing
the latest crisis in her sorry life. Dan s trying to sue Gin for
all the kids injuries. At least, she s making threatening noises
about it. She thinks she can make Gin cough up enough cash
to pull off a deal with a local studio.
Gin won t fall for that, Janie scoffed. She ll get a shit-
hot attorney and blow Dan out of the water.
I m not so sure.
Dan had seemed pretty pleased with herself that day when
Solley finally got back to the house. At first, Solly had assumed
the satisfaction was at Gin s departure. Now she suspected
there was more to it. She d tried pumping Dan about exactly
what was said in her conversation with Gin, to no avail. All
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she could conclude was that her manipulative ex thought she d
scored some kind of victory.
Well, Dan can t sue without your help, Janie pointed
out. She wasn t even here when the accidents happened and
knows diddly about what went on. If you stick by Gin, Dan
won t have a leg to stand on and she knows it.
That s what she s banking on, that I stick by Gin. Then
she ll have a good chance of winning custody because of all
the hands-in-knickers publicity.
God, she s such a snake.
Solley groaned. Her guilt at causing Gin s predicament
rolled off her in waves. She felt so stupid for playing into Dan s
oily hands. I don t know what I m going to say to Gin.
It s not your fault Dan decided to pull this stunt, Janie
said.
I knew the risks. I knew Dan would play dirty if she
found out what was going on here, Solley said miserably.
Being sued would be terrible for Gin s career and the movie,
on top of all the paparazzi stuff, so Dan thinks she ll simply
pay to make it go away.
She wondered what Gin made of Dan s blackmail. Did she
blame Solley, too? She must have left that voicemail message
before the fateful conversation with Dan.
I hear you saying what Dan s doing is wrong, Janie said.
So have you spoken to Gin?
No, not yet. Solley had almost returned Gin s phone call
numerous times over the past five days, but she was paralyzed.
I ve been putting it off. What if she thinks I m involved with
the blackmail?
Gin s no fool. That scheme has Dan written all over it.
Janie paused. She seemed to be measuring her words carefully.
Have you made a decision yet?
Solley knew what Jane was referring to. We re through.
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GILL MCKNIGHT
I talked to Dan earlier. Told her she can fight me all the way in
court for the kids.
Janie let out a sigh. You re doing the right thing. Then
she giggled.
Solley frowned at the odd reaction. Thanks for the
sympathy.
Janie looked aghast. I m not laughing about the breakup.
I was just thinking about her with the kids. I wonder how she s
coping.
It s been five days. She s probably in the fetal position
by now.
They both laughed.
Janie shook her head. Full-time parenting. That s a long
overdue learning curve for her.
I thought it might wake her up. Let her find out firsthand
what she s really asking for if she wants to share custody for
half the time.
It s about time you kicked butt back. I take it Gin was
the catalyst?
She made me take a chance, Solley answered quietly.
She gave me confidence to change.
It was true. If she came away with just one thing from
her summer fling, it was a new sense of possibility. Gin had
showed her the way a connection between lovers should be.
She d shown her what she could have, what she deserved. In a
few days, she had given Solley back what Dan had spent years
stripping away. And though she was gone, she had left Solley
with a renewed feeling of self-worth.
It s obvious she was more than a life coach, Janie said
dryly. The entire country has seen the photos. What about
sucking tit with Gin?
Yeah, I sucked tit with Gin. Tit and a whole lot more.
Solley met her sister s gaze squarely. I m sorry I didn t tell
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you all the details but it was rocky, right from the start. We
were just helping each other through a hard time, and I wasn t
sure it would be a good move.
She didn t want to reveal herself anymore, she already felt
so raw and violated over the photos and Gin s abrupt departure.
Solley felt herself well up. Terrified that if she started to cry
she d never stop, she grabbed an armful of towels and stuffed
them into the washing machine. She was such a stupid woman
to fall for someone like Gin. And the damage she d done to
both of them. Letting Dan creep into what little time they d
had together was like welcoming a serpent into Eden.
Janie softened, like her hand-washed woolens, and
dragged her into a hug. I m sorry, Sol. I had the wrong idea.
I thought you were fooling around with that little bitch in the
dunes, and then when I saw those photos of you and Gin I
was worried you were going to smash her to bits. She s such
a good friend to me and Marsha, I guess I love her, too. She s
the sister I always wanted.
Bitch. Solley pushed her away. Trying to salvage some
slivers of self-respect, she insisted, Gin and I weren t serious,
you know. It just happened. I don t regret it and I hope she
doesn t, either. But we ve both moved on.
Except that Gin was returning and Solley would soon
have to tell her these things herself, and sound convincing.
But at what cost?
You know what I don t understand? Why would Dan
think Gin is emotionally invested enough to pay out that kind
of money for you and the kids? Janie frowned. I don t mean
to be cruel, Sol, but if it wasn t serious, there s no leverage, so
I don t know why you re worried.
Dan understands the business. The publicity problem
is
Bullshit, Janie completed firmly. Gin s a noble person.
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She left because she thought she was in the way of your custody
battle. And if she allows herself to be blackmailed, I guarantee
publicity is not a factor. She s never denied being lesbian, and
who cares if there s gossip about a stuntwoman?
Solley was silent, unwilling to explore the sticky subject
of Gin s feelings, let alone her own. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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