Playing For Keeps
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: “Ted, hello.” Bryce offered him her hand, and he pulled her in for a quick, friendly kiss on the cheek. She stiffened up. Damn it, is that moldy cheese smell me? No. It’s Ted. It must be Ted. After he let her go, Ted spoke to the woman next to him, “Ree, this is my ex-wife, Bryce. Bryce, this is Rita, my girlfriend.” We lah-dee-frickin’ da, Ted went and got himself a girlfriend. But I have beaver slippers. Bryce bit her lip to keep from laughing or crying, she wasn’t sure which. Rita offered her hand to Bryce. “It’s nice to meet you. Ted has told me so much about you.” “Yeah, nice to meet you, too.” Bryce greeted her ex’s new girlfriend with a perfunctory handshake as she took the opportunity to give Rita the once-over. She was the kind of effortless beauty Bryce, with her hair dye and multi-session workouts and (previously) gluten free, vegan diet, had only ever dreamed of being. Rita, whose luminous face apparently had no need for makeup, wore her long, dark hair in a cascade over her shoulders. Her white pants and nautical-striped shirt were right out of a J. Crew catalog. Bryce folded her arms across her dingy, dirty t-shirt. “What are you doing in town?” Ted asked. He was definitely staring at her pants—or, well, his pants. She crossed her legs, trying to hide the big, gold “Michigan.” “I’m…I live here.” Ted laughed. “You live in Wackernagel?” Bryce frowned. “Well, I have the house here.” “Yeah, you do, but I…I figured you’d sell it the first chance you got.” Ted laughed. “What about work?” He hadn’t heard. Somehow news of her great professional demise had not reached Ted. Bryce said a quick prayer of thanksgiving for loyal friends, Ted’s aversion to social media, and the fact that their work circles didn’t overlap. His high school teachers’ crowd didn’t have much contact with Big Law beyond Bryce. “I’m taking some time off.” Bryce crossed her arms. “Like, a sabbatical?” Rita asked. Bryce nodded. Sure, let’s call it that. “Good for you.” Tim smiled softly. “I’m glad you’re finally taking some time for yourself.” Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. Bryce shot him a relaxed, self-assured smile. Might as well let him keep thinking things are wonderful. No harm in that. “Things are going really well for me here, in fact. I’m fixing up the house”—or, technically, redecorating it with old chip bags, empty wine bottles, and assorted other garbage—“and I’m really finding myself”—by binge watching TV shows, eating ice cream, and sleeping all day. “That’s great,” Ted said. And his eyes were back on Bryce’s pants. These stupid pants. They were blowing her cover. Her current outfit screamed everything but “I’m thriving!” Bryce chuckled, trying to make light of her oddball clothing. “I see you’ve noticed what I’m wearing.” Ted’s eyes widened. “I have. Have you?” She tamped down any annoyance at his semi-snide tone.
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