Free HAPPILY EVER BEFORE by Aimee Pitta, Melissa Peterman

discussed this very thing last night. We should definitely get a lawyer and we’re paying you.”
    George threw Grace the outfit they wanted her wear. As Grace changed into it, she sighed, “come on, that’s ridiculous.” Grace stood before them in her Lerario Beatriz jersey dress over her Marc Jacobs black tights. “Does this say breakfast?” George smiled approvingly.
    Clair grinned, “ it’s the perfect two in the morning breakfast date outfit.”
     “Oh, shit, what about my hair? I haven’t gotten it cut in months.”
    “No problem. I made an appointment for you with Cherie; wash and blow dry, my treat, for
four o’clock
,” smiled George.
    Grace gave George a hug. She turned to Clair. “There is no way you’re paying me if I have your baby.”
    “Then there’s no way you’re having my baby.”
    George high- fived Clair, “that’s my girl.”
     

Chapter 8
     
    Grace walked into The Palace Grill a bit uncertain about how she expected to find Jack. She hadn’t even asked him what he looked like--better to keep the dream of the hot fireman who looked like George Clooney alive. At least she knew she’d be safe here. The place was big with cops from the 911 Center, which was right across the street. Grace smiled at Betty, who was working behind the counter tonight, and grabbed a booth in a more secluded area of the diner. She realized that beside Betty, Shari the other waitress, two policewomen, and a prostitute, she was the only woman in the place who wasn’t in uniform, so she’d leave the finding up to Jack.
    “Coffee?” asked Shari .
    “Nah, I’d love some orange juice though,” said Grace.
    “Juice? Sure, anything else?”
    “Nope, I’m waiting for someone.”
    As Shari left to get Grace’s juice, a tall Greek God scooted into the booth. “Hey.”
    Grace smiled. This was too good to be true. “Hey.”
    “Been waiting long?” The guy asked.
    “No.”
    “Good, good. You hungry? I’m starved,” the guy said.
    When the sound of his voice finally caught up with the warm honey resonance Grace associated with Jack she was confused. “Uh, who are you?”
    “Jack,” he said.
    Grace studied him. “No, you’re not. Who are you?” Grace had seen too many episodes of “Law and Order” not to know this could be some type of set up.
    The guy smiled. “You’re good.” He looked around the diner, zeroed in on a cute, clean-cut man who appeared to be Italian and said, “she’s good,” gesturing to Grace. The man smiled and made his way over to their booth with a bouquet of flowers.
    “I hope you like lilies,” he said, as the guy got out of the booth.
    “I’m Rich. This is Jack. If he turns out to be a big disappointment, which he will, give me a call.” He pulled his card from his wallet and handed it to Grace.
    “You’re a cop?”
    “Detective,” he smiled, slapped Jack on the back, and left.
    As Jack sat down, an annoyed Grace snapped, “ what was that ?”
    Jack, feeling a bit sheepish, sighed. “Well, Rich is my go-to guy.”
    Grace was incredulous. “You have him check your dates before you meet them?”
    “No.” Jack looked at Grace’s big green eyes and suddenly couldn’t lie. “Well, just the blind dates. You see it’s like this, most blind dates seem too good to be true.  You get the set-up from your friends that she’s great, she’s this, she’s that, and she pulls small children out of life threatening situations on the weekends and then you meet her, and this--is the lazy eye they forgot to tell you about; that--is the baggage from the ex of five years ago; and she doesn’t pull small children out of life threatening situations on the weekends because she’s going to garage sales hunting for the limited editions of Beanie Babies she’s missing. So, when I decided I was looking for a keeper I came up with this little system. You would not believe how many women I haven’t met because of that guy.”
    Grace stared at him as Shari delivered her