Free The Man She Married by Ann DeFee Page A

her with a dish towel. “Trina Carruthers had other ideas.”
    Liza hooted. “Don’t tell me you bought something from Trina! You know better than that. She can’t stand you. This I’ve got to see.” Liza strolled over to peer out the window.
    “You mean that red-and-black eyesore is supposed to be a present?” Her cackle was distinctly unlady-like.
    “Stuff a sock in it.” Maizie’s demand resulted in another bout of laughter.
    Liza finally managed to get herself under control—sort of. “Girl, we need to talk,” she said, still shaking.
    “That’s why we called you, sister dearest,” Maizie tried for sarcasm but failed miserably. “I need some help. I haven’t dated anyone but Clay since the eighth grade. And yes, I know the whole jealousy thing was really, really stupid.”
    Liza didn’t say a word. Her hug said it all. “We’ll fix it. When we put our heads together we’re damned formidable, aren’t we Mama?”
    Eleanor Westerfield gave her youngest daughter a high five. “We certainly are. We’re Iron Magnolias.”
    “That’s steel.” Maizie winked at her twin.
    “What?”
    “Steel, we’re Steel Magnolias.
    “Whatever.” Mama shrugged. “Steel, iron, it’s all metal. The only thing that matters is that Maizie has stumbled onto something. Their marriage is based on humor.” She looked from one daughter to the other. “Am I right?”
    Maizie nodded. “You are.”
    “So, let’s take advantage of that. If Clay doesn’t find that beer basket funny, I’ll be very surprised. So, in a couple of days I think you should send him something even more over the top.”
    “Hmm.” Liza rested her head on her fists. “That could work. What do you think, Maze?”
    Maizie thought she should step in front of a bus and put herself out of her misery.
    “I’ve got it!” Liza exclaimed. Her legal professionfooled a lot of people, but Maizie knew better. Liza was the ultimate instigator.
    “What?” Eleanor seemed as eager as her lawyer daughter.
    Liza snapped her finger. “Brenda Lee. What do you think?” Her grin couldn’t possibly bode well.
    “What about Brenda Lee?” Maizie couldn’t help being suspicious.
    “We’ll hire someone to serenade him with Brenda’s ‘I’m Sorry’ song. Every good country boy knows that tune. He won’t be able to resist.”
    Swell. “This making-up thing is getting expensive.”
    “We’ll all chip in, won’t we, Mama?”
    “Are you kidding? I want my garage apartment back,” Eleanor agreed. “I’m on board.”
    “I’ll take care of all the details,” Liza said. “We’ll do something every day until he gives in.” She was getting way too enthusiastic. “Tonight we’ll let him enjoy the basket. Tomorrow we’ll see if we can round up an ersatz Brenda Lee. How does that sound?”
    It sounded insane, but what did Maizie have to lose? “Okay, let’s go for it.” She wasn’t convinced it would work, but things were so mucked up she’d take help from any source, even her crazy mother and her equally nutty sister.
     
    C HAOTIC WAS ABOUT THE only way Clay could describe his life. There wasn’t much he could do about the disaster at the office, but he could work on his marriage. And since talking to Kenni and Liza hadn’t got him anywhere, he decided to get a male perspective fromZack and Win. When Clay sent out an SOS they’d agreed to meet him at the Dixie Draught.
    Zack shot him a look of sympathy once they were all seated and had beers in hand. “I hear you’re living in Eleanor’s garage apartment. That’s too bad.”
    “I’d heard the rumors but I wasn’t sure they were true.” Win smiled broadly. “Why don’t you fill us in?”
    “It all started when the tennis pro started touching Maizie in front of me and I got all pissed off. It went downhill from there. I said things I shouldn’t have said, and Maizie got even. She told me she didn’t want to live with me anymore.”
    “That’s cold.” Win gave a mock shiver.