Family Affair Read Online Free

his offhand invitation, but she wished briefly that she’d accepted. Then she decided she was right to refuse. There were probably any number of other women who struck his fancy. Then, too, there was always Sarah. Ever loyal, ever faithful.
    “Hello again,” Jack said, with his electric smile.
    “Hello.” Her voice sounded awkward. Stilted.
    “How’s it going?”
    “Fine.” She didn’t ask about him. The answer was obvious. He looked wonderful. Bank executives shouldn’t be this good-looking or this friendly.
    “Here, let me help.” He took the plastic garbage can out of her hand.
    “I can do that.” Nevertheless, she was pleased he offered.
    “I’m sure you can, but let me play the role of gentleman. It’d make my mama proud.” The smile was back in place, potent enough to melt away the strongest of resolves. Hers, unfortunately, dissolved faster than most.
    They went down the hallway together. Lacey took pains to avoid brushing shoulders with him. “Thanks for the help,” she said, when they neared her apartment door.
    “No problem. I was happy to do it.”
    She reached for the doorknob, intent on escaping. “Have a good time,” she said, turning her back to him.
    “I probably won’t,” he said softly, “especially since I won’t be spending the evening with you. I’m destined to sit through a boring dinner meeting. I wish you could have seen your way clear to go with me.”
    “I—” She was so flustered by his sweet talk she could barely speak. “I’m sure you’ll have an enjoyable evening. Will you be seeing Sarah?” she added, not knowing where the courage came to ask the question. Sarah was the one he should have invited, not her.
    “Not tonight,” he said. “I’m afraid I’m stuck with my assistant.”
    First he’d invited her, and when she refused he’d asked his assistant. Suddenly Lacey was furious. That was exactly what she expected of someone like Jack. Someone like Peter.
    Poor Sarah was destined for a broken heart.

Three
    “C leo’s pregnant,” Lacey moaned as she slumped into the BART seat next to Jeanne two weeks later. “I took her to the vet yesterday afternoon and he confirmed her condition.” Lacey was deeply dismayed that her purebred Abyssinian had mated with Jack’s tomcat. And her dissatisfaction with her neighbor didn’t stop there.
    Sarah had stopped by over the past weekend, and the sounds of their argument had come through the walls again. Both had been furious. This time, however, they kept the intensity of their disagreement to a lower pitch, and their fight didn’t last long. No more than ten minutes had elapsed before Lacey heard Jack’s apartment door slam and Sarah’s footsteps hurrying down the hall. Jack had stuck his head out and called after her, but to no avail.
    “What are you going to do about Cleo?” Jeanne wanted to know.
    “I . . . I haven’t decided yet.” Several options were open to her, but one thing was certain: she was determined that Jack accept some responsibility.
    That evening, after work, with her heart in her throat, Lacey approached Jack’s door and knocked three times in hard, timed beats.
    “Lacey, hello! This is a pleasant surprise.”
    “Hello,” she said stiffly. “Would you mind if I came in for a moment?”
    “Not at all. I’d be honored.” He stepped aside and let her into the living room, which was more than double the size of her own. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked.
    “Nothing, thanks.” She sat down on a white leather sofa and took a small notebook from her purse. “I’m afraid this isn’t a social call.”
    Jack sank into a recliner opposite her. He perched close to the edge of the seat cushion and braced his elbows against his knees. “Is there a problem?”
    “As a matter of fact, there is,” Lacey answered. “Dog got Cleo pregnant.”
    “I see.”
    “I thought you should know.”
    “Yes, of course.” He looked as if he were entirely in the dark as to what