3 Lies Read Online Free

ceiling no longer seemed to offer a full measure of headroom. The air grew thick and stale. He opened the skylight to let in some relief.
    Clint motioned for her to sit at the U-shaped booth. With a slight crinkle to her upturned nose, she shoved a pile of laundry further down the seat to make room. Louie hopped on the seat opposite her and chewed on his toy gorilla. Clint sat on the other side of the bench, locking his arms across his chest.
    “I spoke with your mother the other day.” Paige curbed her hair behind an ear. “I told her I was coming here. She seemed pleased.”
    Pleased. Mother wanted custody of Paige in the divorce settlement. Clint’s parents divorced twenty years ago, so his mother’s logic deemed all men evil. She was the kind of woman that didn’t let facts taint her opinion.
    “And is Mother well?” Clint sunk back on the blue cushion and suspended his feet on the counter at the other end. Invoking his mother so quickly—whatever Paige wanted, it was going to be entertaining.
    She leaned in toward him, closing the gap he created. “She’s competing in a tennis tournament next week at the club. She has some rather early matches, so she’s a bit unhappy about that.”
    Of course she’s unhappy. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother was happy about anything. Unhappiness was her pastime. His dating Beth plunged her unhappiness to submarine depths.
    “So what do you want Paige? Did we leave some pricey bauble off the list for the lawyers? Whatever it is, you can have it.”
    “I’d like something to drink.”
    He glared at her a moment and rose. “Where are my manners? I have scotch, vodka, strychnine. What’s your pleasure?”
    “Water, please.”
    “Water it is. I’ve got an ocean full of the stuff.”
    “Todd stopped by for lunch the other day. We went to Ponder, off the Commons, but I’d wait until the menu settles before trying it. He wants you to call him.” Her eyebrows formed a stiff arch. “You are still using telephones, aren’t you?”
    “I occasionally deign to use the phone here at the marina even I don’t want one on my person. I’ve worn a leash long enough.” He returned with her water and a smile. “And how is Mr. Westerfield? Still pissed?”
    “Probably, but he also wants you to call him. The new division launches this week. He was off to Vegas after we met.” She took a sip. “He’s hoping you’ll come back full-time.”
    Clint shrugged. “The world rotates on without my technical expertise. He only needs me for the CatSat transmissions. The rest of it, he can find a replacement. Plenty of brilliant guys would give anything for a shot at the job, including a left testicle.”
    “Nice.”
    “I do need to call him though to find out what happened to that Russian ballerina he was dating. Valeska. I think. Not a beauty but certainly exotic.” Clint grew a grin. “One of the gossip rags put him on the cover with some TV actress last week. That boy certainly gets around.”
    Paige sniffed. “It’s mostly to keep his name in the news.”
    “Yeah. Sure. That’s why men date gorgeous women.”
    “What about you?”
    “What about me?”
    “I heard you were dating. Is it serious?”
    Serious?
    He finally felt like he could breathe. Not breathe again. Not breathe better. Simply breathe. For the first time. As if he’d been born under water. In the pressure of the depths, his meager lungs couldn’t expand until Beth buoyed him to the surface.
    Serious.
    Heat kindled in his chest. He thought it might be. Until this morning.
    A sneer streaked his face. “Why do you care? It’s none of your damn business if I’m dating. Or did Mother send you here for a report?”
    “No, I—”
    “You weren’t concerned about my love life when I begged you to see a marriage counselor with me. No, you ran straight to one of your damned lawyers.” He strode to the galley and leaned up against the counter, finger-combing his hair.
    She took her time before