311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber Page A

fabulous news as far as Grace was concerned. “Jack? You heard from Jack?” She sat down on the sofa.
    Olivia nodded. “The man is a weasel, that’s what he is.”
    “Jack?” Grace asked, puzzled. “What did he do this time?”
    Olivia flopped down next to Grace. “He had flowers delivered to the house. They’re gorgeous and the colors are incredible. It must’ve cost him a fortune, but that’s not the half of it.”
    “Jack sent you flowers?” Grace cried as though outraged. “Why, that low-down, dirty rat.”
    “I called to thank him.”
    “A mistake for sure,” Grace said. She enjoyed seeing her friend so obviously in love with Jack—and so confused by him—although she wished Olivia could sort out her feelings. Naturally Stan was eager to distract her, eager to have her back, and feeling as unsettled as she did, Olivia might weaken and return to him.
    Grace would say one thing for Olivia’s ex-husband: his timing was impeccable. The minute Olivia got involved in another relationship—up popped a repentant Stan, hoping to lure her back.
    “You won’t believe what he said to me.”
    “Jack or Stan?” Grace was losing track.
    “Both of them,” Olivia cried.
    “Start with Stan.” If Olivia was ready to have Jack arrested for sending her flowers, Grace could only imagine what her ex-husband had done.
    “Stan phoned and wanted to take me to dinner.”
    “He didn’t,” Grace said, feigning a gasp. “Lock him up and throw away the key!”
    Olivia glared at her, eyes glittering with irritation. “You’re making fun of me, Grace Sherman.”
    Grace laughed. She couldn’t help herself. “No one’s sending me flowers and asking me to dinner these days. There’s got to be some other reason you’re so annoyed. Are they trying to outdo each other?” That made sense—but on theother hand, it seemed to be what Olivia wanted, judging by her earlier complaints.
    Olivia unfolded her arms and stroked Buttercup’s silky head. “Actually, Stan started it. He wants me to have dinner with him in Seattle on Friday night.”
    Grace arched her eyebrows. “Why Seattle?”
    “He’s got a corporate dinner he’s required to attend and he didn’t want to go alone. He has a hotel room and—”
    “One room?”
    Olivia rolled her eyes. “He seems to think I’m too naive to know what he’s got in mind. Oh, sure, the room will have two beds, but I wasn’t born yesterday and I know Stanley Lockhart. He has plans.”
    “What about Jack?”
    “The flowers arrived,” she said dreamily. “Grace, after all these weeks, I have to tell you I was so pleased to get them.”
    Grace was equally thrilled. Although it had taken Jack long enough…. “What did the card say?”
    Olivia dropped her gaze. “He signed his name. That’s all.”
    Smart man. “In other words, he made the first move and the rest is up to you?”
    “Exactly.”
    “You phoned him?”
    She nodded. “I did, and he answered on the first ring—almost as if he’d been sitting there waiting for me to call. It felt wonderful to talk to him again. We were getting along famously until—” Her eyes narrowed and she heaved a deep sigh.
    “Until what?”
    “He asked me to dinner on Friday night, and I made the mistake of saying there must be something in the air because I was getting dinner invitations right and left.”
    Not the most brilliant comment, Grace agreed, but Olivia already knew that.
    “It took Jack about two seconds to realize the other invitation came from Stan. Then he got all weird on me and said he was busy on Friday, after all. He wished me a lovely evening with Stan, and before I could say another word, he made some excuse and was off the phone.”
    Grace wanted to groan out loud.
    Olivia’s shoulders sank. “Now you know why I’m upset.”
    “You aren’t going to dinner with Stan, are you?” Grace asked, just to be sure.
    “Not hardly,” Olivia muttered.
    “I’m free Friday night. Want to go to the