Free I Love You Again by Kate Sweeney Page A

good mind to leave.”
    “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re staying right here. You started this mess—”
    As Helen laughed, her eyes widened as she looked past Roz. “Rosalind, there’s a very large young man taking up the entire doorway. I think he could blot out the sun.”
    Roz turned to see Stan standing in the dining room doorway. He waved at Roz, who beckoned to him.
    “I hate to intrude,” he said, taking off his dirty baseball cap.
    “You’re not,” Roz said. “This is…”
    “Roz’s mother-in-law.” Helen held out her hand. “But you may call me Helen.”
    Stan grinned, his dimples cutting deep lines in his cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you, Helen. Roz has talked about you. In a nice way,” he went on quickly. “I’m Stan.” He looked at Bess. “Hello, Miss Adams.”
    “Oh, you’ve met?” Helen looked at Roz, who grinned and nodded. Helen raised an eyebrow of approval. “Hmm. Then you must call her Bess.”
    “May I call you Bess?”
    “Sure,” she said nonchalantly.
    Helen raised the other eyebrow, watching them as she sipped her drink. “I think you should join us, Stan.”
    Bess gave Helen a warning glance, which Helen did not acknowledge, or she just flat-out ignored.
    “Oh, no. Thank you, though.” He turned to Roz. “Your part came in for the bush hog. Got it in the truck. If you want, I can fix it up right now.”
    “Bush hog?” Helen asked; she looked at Bess. “Is that an animal?”
    “And I should know that how?”
    Stan laughed. “It’s part of Roz’s tractor.”
    “Which you do not have to fix now,” Roz said.
    “It’s no problem. You’re gonna need that if you want to cut that thick pasture back. A cold front is coming in, and even though it’s not supposed to get below freezing, you don’t want to risk it.”
    “Well,” Roz said hesitantly. “Okay. On one condition. A free dinner here whenever you want.” When Stan hesitated, Roz went on. “Stella promised Helen a rack of lamb tonight for dinner…”
    Stan’s eyes lit up. “Well.”
    “It’s settled. And you shall be my guest,” Helen said. “I hate to eat alone, and Bess has a dinner date.”
    Roz was shocked at the crestfallen look on Stan’s face when he looked down at Bess. “Already?”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.
    Helen grinned evilly as she watched. What a weekend, Roz thought, wishing she had poured herself a cocktail and slipped a little Valium in Helen’s. Oh, not too much. Just enough to knock her out for the weekend and deposit her back on a plane.
    Beneath his two-day growth of beard, Stan blushed. “I meant nothing.” He laughed nervously and scratched at his chin.
    “Don’t say nothing. It sounded like something—”
    “But old man river…” Helen intervened quickly. “Well, young man, I insist you join me now. Any man that can irritate Bess so badly, so quickly that she might throw an embolism has my vote. Dinner’s at seven.”
    Stan chuckled and nodded. “I’d love to, Helen. Thank you. I’ll just go fix the bush hog.” He was still laughing as he walked away.
    “Who does he think he is? The Neanderthal.” Bess angrily sat back. “And will someone introduce him to a razor and a shower?”
    “I like him,” Helen announced. “Nothing wrong with a Neanderthal. Big hands…” She stared off into space.
    “There is something really wrong with you.”
    “What’s gotten into you all the sudden?” Helen let out a genuine laugh. “Elizabeth Adams, you don’t fool me for a second. This is turning out to be a wonderful start to the weekend.”
    “And you’re insane.” Roz leaned over and kissed her cheek. “But I do love you. And I have to get back to work. No more cocktails until you’ve eaten something.”
    “Speak of the devil,” Helen said.
    Stella came out of the kitchen carrying a platter.
    “Of course,” Roz said. “Silver platter, no doubt.”
    “No doubt,” Helen said, eyeing the platter.
    “I took the liberty,”