“Oh, I think that’s obvious,” Lilly said lightly.

He studied her for a moment, his expression difficult to read. Then he shook his head. “Of course. Our national obsession with emaciation. Aren’t you a little old to be still buying into that?”

Lilly planted a perfect smile on her face as she got up from her chair. “Of course. Thank you for breakfast, Molly. Good-bye, Mr. Jenner.”

His gaze followed her as she swept from the kitchen. Molly wondered if he noticed the tension she was carrying in her shoulders.

She left him to his own thoughts while he finished his coffee. Finally he picked up the plates from the table and carried them over to the sink. “Those were the best pancakes I’ve had in years. Tell me what I owe you.”

“Owe me?”

“This is a commercial establishment,” he reminded her.

“Oh, yeah. But there’s absolutely no charge. It was my pleasure.”

“I appreciate it.” He turned to leave.

“Mr. Jenner.”

“Just Liam.”

She smiled. “Come for breakfast anytime you want. You can slip in through the kitchen.”

He nodded slowly. “Thanks. I just might do that.”

Chapter 14

14

“Come closer to the water, Daphne,” Benny said. “I won’t get you wet.”

—Daphne Makes a Mess

Any ideas for a new book?” Phoebe asked early the next afternoon over the phone.

An unwelcome subject, but since Molly had spent the first ten minutes of their conversation dodging Celia the Hen’s nosy questions about Kevin, anything was an improvement. “A few. But remember that Daphne Takes a Tumble is the first book on a three-book contract. Birdcage won’t accept another manuscript until I finish making the changes they want.” No need to tell her sister she still hadn’t started on those changes, although she’d borrowed Kevin’s car after breakfast and gone into town to buy some art supplies.

“SKIFSA is a joke.”

“Not a very funny one. I don’t have a TV in the cottage. Have they popped up lately?”

“Last night. The new gay rights legislation in Congress has bought them a lot of local airtime.” Phoebe’s hesitation wasn’t a good sign. “Moll, they mentioned Daphne again.”

“I can’t believe it! Why are they doing this? It’s not like I’m a big-time children’s author.”

“This is Chicago, and you’re the wife of the city’s most famous quarterback. They’re using that connection to get airtime. You are still Kevin’s wife, aren’t you?”

Molly didn’t want to get into that discussion again. “Temporarily. Next time remind me to find a publisher with a little backbone.” She wished she hadn’t said that, since her publisher wasn’t the only one who needed some backbone. Once again she reminded herself that she didn’t have any choice, not if she wanted to pay her bills.