situation.
âWe wait until the kids come home,â he said, turning around and looking at Annie, âand then we tellâ I tell themâthat I should never have claimed we were going to give things another try.â
âThe truth, you mean.â
âThe whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Yes.â
Annie nodded. She stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Chase followed her.
âI suppose that will clear your conscience.â
Chase eased onto a stool at the counter.
âLook, I know it wonât be that easy, butââ
He winced as Annie slammed a cupboard door shut.
âUnfortunately,â she said, âit wonât do a thing for mine.â
âIf youâre going to make another pot of coffee or teaââ
âThatâs exactly what Iâm going to do.â
âNot for me.â He put a hand against his flat belly. âThe last dozen cups are still gurgling around in my stomach.â
âMaybe youâd rather have something else. Hot chocolate?â
Chaseâs brows lifted. âWell, yeah, that might beââ
âHemlock, perhaps. A nice, big cup.â
âThereâs no need to behave like that, Annie.â
âNo?â
âNo.â He stood up, went to the refrigerator and opened it. âIsnât there any beer?â
âThere is not.â Annie slid under his arm and slammed the fridge door shut. âI,â she said self-righteously, âdo not drink beer.â
Chase looked at her. âIâll just bet the poetry pansy doesnât drink it, either.â
âThe...?â Annie flushed. âIf you mean Miltonââ
âHow about some diet Coke? Or is that beneath you, too?â
Annie shot him an angry glare. Then she stalked to the pantry door and pulled it open.
âHere,â she said, jamming the can of soda at him. âHave a Coke, even though itâs only six in the morning. Maybe itâll clear your head enough so you can come up with a plan thatâll work.â
âI already did.â Chase yanked the pull tab on the can and made a face as he downed a mouthful of warm soda. âI told you,â he said, as he took a tray of ice cubes from the freezer, dumped some into a glass and added the Coke. âWhen the kids come back from their honeymoon, Iâll tell them that we stretched the truth a little for their own good.â
âWe?â Annie said, in an ominously soft voice.
âOkay. Me. I did it. I stretched the truth.â
âYouâre stretching it now, Chase. Say it. You lied.â
Chase took a long drink, then put the cold glass against his forehead.
âI lied. All right? Does that make you feel better?â
âYes.â Annie frowned. âNo.â She looked at him for a long minute. Then she turned and stared at the coffee, dripping slowly from the filter basket into the carafe. âYou lied, and what did I do?â
âLook, I donât know what youâre trying to accomplish here, Annie, but we just went around with this, remember? I was the black-hearted horseâs whatever-you-called-me that started us on this path into the pits of hell.â He sighed, then laid the hand clutching the glass of Coke over his heart. âYou want me to swear Iâll come clean? I will. You want my word Iâll make it crystal clear you didnât do anything? Iâll do that, too.â
Annie folded her arms over her chest. âBut I did.â
âDid what? God, I have been up for more hours than there are in a day, and my brain is starting to whimper. Whatâs wrong now? I said Iâd tell Dawn it was all my idea. I canât do any more than that, babe, can I?â
Annie plunked herself onto a stool. âDonât call me that,â she said, but without her usual fire. She sighed deeply. âYou canât tell her Iâm not part of it because the truth is that I