The Ex-Girlfriends' Club Part 3

"Eight o'clock tonight at my house sound okay to you?"

"Sure."

"Come early," Eden told her. "And bring booze. Lots Lots of booze." of booze."

Knowing what was to come-the draining buzz and hoopla surrounding the return of Bennett Wilder-she was going to need some sort of alcoholic a.s.sistance.

5.

"IT' S ABOUT d.a.m.nED TIME," Grady snapped predictably as Bennett rolled to a stop beneath the portico. "I could have died waiting on you to get here."

"And yet you're well enough to complain," Bennett replied with a droll sigh.

Eva Kilgore, every steely gray hair pinned into submission, stood with stoic resolve next to Grady and seemed particularly relieved that Bennett had finally made an appearance. He nodded a greeting at her. "Eva."

"Bennett," she returned with cordial chill. "He's ready."

And so am I hung unspoken in the air. hung unspoken in the air.

Grady glared at Eva, his dark eyebrows furrowed in deep contrast with his snowy hair. "It was only a little going-away party, you old stick-in-the-mud. You just had had to ruin my fun right up until the very last minute, didn't you?" to ruin my fun right up until the very last minute, didn't you?"

Bennett hit the remote to open the trunk and paused, a finger of unease tightening his gut. He slid a cautious look at the pair of them.

"Your fun fun is precisely why you don't have a home here anymore, Grady Wilder," Eva shot back, her thin lips pursed into nonexistence. "It's a miracle no one had a bad reaction to that alcohol." is precisely why you don't have a home here anymore, 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 h.e.l.lhole. 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 pa.s.sed 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, blus.h.i.+ng 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 relations.h.i.+p. 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 a.s.s.

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." 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 h.e.l.l, 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 h.e.l.l-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. 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.

"Anyway," Kate continued. "It should come as no surprise that the women who visit the Web site aren't exactly fans fans of yours-" of yours-"

No, that definitely wasn't a surprise, Bennett thought darkly.

"And there's one woman who's been posting for the past couple of weeks that we thought we might need to give you a little heads-up on." Kate winced, though Bennett could tell that she was ultimately enjoying herself. "Her remarks are a bit...disturbing."

Bennett wasn't quite sure where to start. "Disturbing?"

"Yes. Eden's concerned. We suspect that it's a local girl and so long as you weren't here we didn't feel like you were in any danger." She pulled a shrug. "Now that you're returning to h.e.l.l permanently, we thought that we should let you know."

"We?"

"Eden and I. We founded the club and the Web site, though I have to admit it was Eden's idea. BennettWilderSucks.com," she reminded him unnecessarily with another patently false smile.

"Right," Bennett said, shooting her a grim look. "I got that part." He'd just seen Eden, though. Why hadn't she told him? Bennett wondered. No wonder she'd panicked when he'd told her that he was moving back to town permanently. Aside from the obvious reason, of course. Furthermore, no doubt she didn't want to tell him that her little joke had resulted in him being the object of a threat.

"I don't know what you've done to Artemis525, but she's not posting any of the typical Bennett's-a-womanizing-b.a.s.t.a.r.d stuff. She's more interested in doing you physical injury."

Excellent, Bennett thought with a humorless laugh. Bennett thought with a humorless laugh. Just excellent. Just excellent. Life in h.e.l.l wasn't going to be h.e.l.lish enough. Now he had a hate club, a hate Web site and a crazy unknown woman wanting to do him physical injury. Life in h.e.l.l wasn't going to be h.e.l.lish enough. Now he had a hate club, a hate Web site and a crazy unknown woman wanting to do him physical injury.

This was the h.e.l.l he remembered. was the h.e.l.l he remembered.

His grandfather chose that moment to lay on the horn, startling both of them. Bennett's grim gaze swung to Grady.

And he'd be living with the devil incarnate.

Seemingly finished with her civic duty, Kate let go a happy breath. "Anyway, just wanted to let you know, bring you up to speed. Probably you should watch your back. And if anything bizarre happens, then definitely report it."

Right. And who would he tell? Eden? He snorted.

Wouldn't that be ironic?

Because he knew she wouldn't expect it and because he was grimly determined to keep a cool head, Bennett summoned a smile and thanked Kate for the information.

She paused-predictably startled-and considered him for a lingering moment. "Take care of Grady," she finally said, albeit suspiciously. "He's a sweetheart."

Not what he would call his grandfather-who, evidently in boredom, had decided to start rifling through his glove compartment-but Bennett didn't argue.

"What was that all about?" Grady wanted to know when Bennett finally joined him in the car.

"The usual h.e.l.l welcoming committee," Bennett said grimly as he pulled out from under the shady portico. He sighed and darted a look at his grandfather.

Deep lines marred a face that had once held a stronger jaw and a slight slump rounded wide shoulders Bennett had often admired and relied upon. His hands were still just as large, but age and arthritis had withered away some of the strength. The scene was eerily familiar, but seventeen years ago it had been in reverse. He'd been the smaller, needier one. And Grady Wilder had come through. Bennett swallowed. "Let's go home," he told Grady.

And that, as it had been for him-hate club and crazy chick or not-was that.

6.

"WELL, I JUST CAN JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT," Marcy Duncan said. "I never thought he'd move back here."

"I know," Sheila Weaver chimed in. She shook her head, then drained the rest of her margarita. "It's...surreal."

That was one word for it, Eden thought, surveying the crowd of women a.s.sembled in her living room. However, were anyone to ask her, nerve-racking nerve-racking would be the description she'd use. would be the description she'd use.

Kate-bless her wonderful, accommodating heart-had arrived early, the booze Eden had asked for in hand, and had relayed the scene to Eden without sparing any details.

According to Kate, Bennett had been shocked but apparently not angry. Frankly, Eden was surprised. She'd expected Bennett to be livid. He'd always had a notoriously short fuse and a temper worthy of his Wilder namesake and heritage. Even more baffling, he'd actually thanked thanked Kate for letting him know about Artemis525. Kate for letting him know about Artemis525.

It boggled the mind.

It had boggled Kate's, too. And though Eden knew her friend would never admit it, Bennett's character had just jumped a bit in her estimation. She hadn't said as much, of course-Kate was a notoriously fierce friend and had been crushed and outraged on Eden's behalf when Bennett had broken her heart-but Eden knew it all the same.

Rather than sit here all night and marvel over the disturbingly thrilling news that Bennett Wilder was back in town, Eden decided it was time to officially call the meeting to order. They had business to discuss, after all. She and Kate had talked it over and, in light of Bennett moving back to help his grandfather, they'd decided that renaming the site was the right thing to do. In fact, Kate had actually suggested it, which had made Eden feel better all the way around. If it had been simply her idea, she would have been second-guessing her motives. At any rate, now it was simply a matter of getting everyone else on board.

She cleared her throat. "Ladies?"

The buzz of conversation slowly fizzled out and expectant eyes turned her way.

"I think we've pretty much exhausted the Bennett's-back-in-town topic," she said, smiling when a couple of women protested. "Now what we have to decide...is what to do about the Web site," she finished, preparing for the backlash she knew was imminent.

Marcy arched a perfectly waxed blond brow. "What to do about the Web site? What do you mean?"

"You're not suggesting that we shut it down?" Sheila asked, clearly horrified. Though she was now happily married, Sheila was still an active member in the club. Once a Bennett casualty, always a Bennett casualty, Eden thought, though she knew Sheila was here more for the camaraderie than for the Bennett-bas.h.i.+ng. As a new mother who ran a home-based marketing company, Sheila didn't have a lot of time for friends other than the online sort. She loved being a part of the club, though Eden had to wonder how it made her husband feel.

A chorus of disgruntled nos and gasps of outrage swiftly ensued.

"No," Eden quickly rea.s.sured them. "I, uh...I don't want to shut down the Web site." She paused. "But I do think we need to rename it."

She also thought at some point they'd need to restructure the content so that it no longer maligned Bennett's character, but she didn't think now was the time to address that particular tidbit. Not that it would be much of a change. Though Bennett had gotten them all together and the Web site had been initially about him, it wasn't anymore.

"I don't think we need to change a thing," Kelly Briscoe said, joining the conversation. She pulled an unconcerned shrug. "Just because he's back doesn't change anything." Her green gaze hardened. "He's still a womanizing, heartbreaking b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

And you're still a wee bit bitter, Eden thought with a mental whistle as she and Kate shared a significant look. They had expected resistance from Kelly. Unlike all of the other members of the club, who had for the most part forgiven Bennett or at the very least moved on, Kelly had not. Frankly, forgiveness of any sort didn't appear to be in Kelly's character. Eden thought with a mental whistle as she and Kate shared a significant look. They had expected resistance from Kelly. Unlike all of the other members of the club, who had for the most part forgiven Bennett or at the very least moved on, Kelly had not. Frankly, forgiveness of any sort didn't appear to be in Kelly's character.

Eden and Kate had even discussed the possibility of Kelly being Artemis525, but considering that Kelly had always been very vocal about her uncharitable feelings for Bennett, it seemed unlikely that she would a.s.sume another name just to post the disturbing messages. Generally if Kelly had something to say, she said it. Eden felt her lips twitch. Holding back didn't appear to have ever been an issue for her.

Eden scanned the room, gauging everyone's response to Kelly's remarks. A couple of people seemed to agree, a couple clearly opposed and a couple appeared to be on the fence. Hopefully she'd be able to sway them in her direction.