“Robin, what?” I demanded.

“Had lunch with Helena,” she stated quickly. “She told me her hubs went to a conference. At that conference were some neuros who worked with Conrad in Kentucky. They got to talking and Helena’s Ron mentioned Conrad and Martine and you and that Conrad and Martine moved to Maine. Since these guys worked with Conrad, at this news, they shared that his practice had been warned because Conrad was fucking every nurse in the hospital, leaving them high and dry. One got pissed and filed a sexual harassment suit and that’s why you guys got your asses back to La Jolla.”

I sat on my stool, wineglass in my hand, elbow to the counter, unmoving.

He’d said it was a better opportunity.

He’d said it was more money (and it was).

He’d said not one thing about a sexual harassment suit.

“Worse,” she continued quietly. “They said that happened in Boston too and that’s why you guys went to Kentucky.”

I remained immobile and stared unseeing at the wine bottle.

“I know this seems bad but let’s look at the bright side,” Robin suggested. “If you want to get your kids back, you can dig these bitches up and—”

“Oh, I’ll be digging these bitches up,” I declared.

“What? Really?” she asked.

I had not fought for my kids. I thought I did. I had a good attorney. He cost a fortune. He was a shark, like my brother. My brother was sweet to me. He loved his kids. He loved my kids. But in a courtroom, he was a ferocious lion that showed no mercy.

In fact, Lawr had recommended my attorney.

But I had not let him loose. I didn’t want it to get ugly. I didn’t want my kids to go through that.

But really, I didn’t want me to go through it. I was too mired in pettiness that got me nowhere to involve myself in the real fight that would have been a far better use of my energy.

“I’m making headway with the kids. If that continues, I’ll want them more. If they want the same and Conrad doesn’t agree with that, then I’m going to parade these women in front of a judge and in front of Martine and obliterate him,” I decreed.

“You go, girl,” she returned gleefully.

I was going to go.

God, he’d not cheated on me.

He’d screwed everything in three states while married to me!

How had I been so wrong about him?

Before I could ask that of Robin, my head snapped around because a loud knock sounded at the door.

The outside light was on and Mickey’s frame was shadowed in the stained glass.

He was here.

My belly flipped.

“Oh God, Mickey’s here,” I breathed to Robin.

“Fabulous,” she didn’t breathe back.

The knock sounded again. Actually, it was banging.