The Ex-Girlfriends' Club. Rhonda Nelson

Grady Wilder,” Eva shot back, her thin lips pursed into nonexistence. “It’s a miracle no one had a bad reaction to that alcohol.”

      Grady chuckled softly, a hint of Wilder wickedness evident in that small laugh. “Oh, I think they reacted to it the way they were supposed to.”

      Bennett smothered a long-suffering sigh and arched an eyebrow at his grandfather. “Alcohol?”

      “Harmless,” Grady pshawed.

      Eva’s nostrils flared with disapproval. “Reckless,” she countered darkly. “Minnie Winston is lucky she only dislocated her hip when she fell, and didn’t break it.”

      “Minnie hadn’t had anything to drink,” Grady said. His dark brown eyes twinkled and he shot Bennett a wink. “It was the weed that knocked her for a loop.”

      Eva gasped, her eyes widening in horror.

      “Oh, for pity’s sake, woman,” Grady said with put-upon exasperation. “I was only kidding.”

      Wearing a look of determined consternation, Eva shoved a clipboard at Bennett. “Sign these and he’s all yours.”

      “Yeah, sign those and get me out of this hellhole. The Queen of Darkness here can have it,” Grady mouthed off, eyeing Eva with beady distain.

      “Behave,” Bennett warned Grady in a low voice, signing where she’d indicated.

      Eva snorted under her breath. “Good luck making that happen.”

      Bennett gestured toward the single suitcase at Grady’s feet and arched a confused brow. “Is this it? Where’s the rest of your stuff?” Bennett knew for a fact that Grady’s room had been outfitted with a TV, a DVD player and a laptop computer—he’d bought them himself—not to mention the movies, games and books.

      “He held an auction last night,” Eva announced with smug chagrin before Grady could respond.

      Bennett passed a hand over his face, torn between exasperation and irritation, both of which were commonplace to anyone who dealt with his grandfather on a regular basis. “You sold your stuff?” he asked in a carefully neutral voice.

      “Less for you to lug in,” Grady told him, blushing slightly, his gaze darting away. “I was doing you a favor.”

      “Oh, well. So long as you were thinking of me,” Bennett replied, tongue planted firmly in cheek. He easily loaded the suitcase into the trunk, then waited until Grady had settled himself into the front seat before closing the door for him.

      Bennett looked at Eva and smiled sheepishly. “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but…”

      “Oh, no,” Eva said, her voice ringing with belated joy. “The pleasure has been all mine. Good luck,” she said grimly. “You’re gonna need it.”

      “Bennett!” Looking tired but relieved, Kate Manning hurried through the front doors toward him. “Can I have a minute?”

      Eva darted a curious look at Kate but merely raised an eyebrow and turned and walked away. If it hadn’t been unseemly, Bennett imagined she would have skipped.

      Intrigued but uneasy, Bennett nodded. He and Kate had never had what one could call a friendly relationship. She’d tolerated him for Eden’s sake when they were dating, but he knew, given how he and Eden had parted ways, those days were over. Not that he blamed her, of course. He’d been a cowardly ass.

      Bennett had picked up the phone half a dozen times to call Eden and apologize, but to his unending shame and self-loathing, he’d never been able to muster the courage. She’d want an explanation, Bennett knew, and that was where things were going to get sticky. He’d never told her about her mother’s threat—dreaded making the cowardly admission—and he’d ended things between them the last time before she could ask him about it. She’d probed a little, of course, but it had always been too easy to distract her with more feel-good pursuits—as in, making love to her.

      He’d planned on tendering the ridiculously too-late-in-coming apology, but honestly, he hadn’t planned on her being the very first person he’d see the minute he rolled back into town. Did he intend to man up and make it? Yes. He just needed to find the right moment to do so.

      Grady rapped impatiently on the window. “What’s the holdup?”

      “Give me a minute, would you?”

      “At least turn on the air,” Grady snapped, scowling. “I’m roasting in here.”

      Oh, for the love of— Bennett opened the door and handed his grandfather the keys. “Crank it up. I’ll only be a minute.”

      His grandfather smiled pleasantly at Kate, transformed, as usual, at the sight of a pretty girl. “Ms. Manning.”

      “We’ll miss you, Grady,” Kate told him. Unlike Eva, who’d been relieved, thrilled and otherwise beside herself to see Grady leave the retirement home, Kate seemed sincere. Evidently she appreciated his grandfather’s particular brand of charm. The idea made him smile.

      “What can I do for you?” Bennett asked Kate.

      “Nothing,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I just wanted to give you a friendly warning.”

      Bennett looked away and inwardly swore. Pulled over and now a “friendly warning.” So far he’d been back in town less than thirty minutes and already he could feel his hair-trigger temper itching. He deserved this, he knew. He’d hurt her friend. Naturally she was concerned that he would do it again and now she was going to warn him away. Though it chafed, Bennett couldn’t blame her. This was all part and parcel of owning his past mistakes, so rather than tell her to go to hell, Bennett steeled himself against the impulse and stood there, determined to do the right thing.

      “Look,” he said, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “If this is about Eden, I—”

      “It is and it isn’t,” Kate interrupted. “Here’s the thing. After you left, Eden and a few of your other ex-girlfriends got together and formed a club of sorts.”

      What the hell—an ex-girlfriends’ club? Bennett thought, stunned. He cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. “My ex-girlfriends formed…a club?”

      “Yes,” she confirmed. “With a Web site. You should check it out,” she said sweetly. “It’s www.BennettWilderSucks.com.”

      BennettWilderSucks.com. How…nice, Bennett thought, absorbing this little bomb and congratulating himself for keeping his cool. He could do this, Bennett thought. He could be nice. Though there was nothing to smile about, Bennett felt his lips slide into a pained grin.