couldn’t have changed anything, not with six kids.
“You sound pretty young. If your husband did step out on you, he’ll probably do it again and again. If you don’t have kids yet, then I say leave him if you haven’t already, and find a job that will take care of you. Good luck, honey.” The older woman sounded totally sincere.
“Thank you, Nancy,” Lacey murmured quietly.
“All right,” Max interjected. “Let’s go to one of our local lines. Hello, Stan. You’re on Heart Talk. Have you got something you want to say to Lorraine?”
“That’s right. Lorraine? Your voice is sexy as hell and you’re probably in your early twenties. I bet you’re a real looker and single. What’s your take on that, Max?”
Max flicked her a probing glance that made her heart turn over. “As my producer said earlier, if this were a television show, Lorraine would have no problem in the looks department. That’s as much as I can legally reveal.”
“Okay, Lorraine. Then let’s face it, there are a lot of married men out there who would like to get to know you, but the huge majority will never act on that desire.
“If you’re single, it’s a given that a small percentage of married men will lie to get what they want. But don’t blame all of us.
“If you’re married, then it sounds to me like your husband is a fool for straying so far from home, unless you’ve got something going on behind the scenes while he’s out there earning money to support both of you.”
“Single or married, I would never do that to a man with whom I was having a relationship. I’d break up with him first!” she countered indignantly.
“Unfortunately, statistics don’t lie and there are husbands who go home to their wives, only to find them involved with someone else,” Max inserted so swiftly, Lacey wondered if his remarks were rooted in personal experience.
“It happened to my brother,” Stan muttered.
“Thanks for the input, Stan. I’m sorry we don’t have more time to talk, but the phone lines are jammed with callers and I have to go to commercial. We’ll be right back.”
For the rest of the hour, people continued to call in with all kinds of advice for her, and the time was gone before she knew it. The talk show host for the six-to-nine segment had already come into the booth to get ready.
Lacey removed her earphones and rose to her feet, picking up her briefcase to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going in such a big hurry?” Max stood in the corridor outside the booth door, larger than life, blocking her exit. “After winning the poll on every issue hands down, the least you can do is have a drink with me on the way home so I’ll feel a little better.”
“You don’t fool me,” she murmured. “You loved every minute of your defeat.”
“You’re right,” he grunted. He folded his arms across his chest. “You saw the note Rob stuck on the window. We had a dozen first-time callers. The owner of the station will probably give me a raise. He wants you to come on the show again. So do L How about next week? The listening audience loved you. You’re one of them.”
Her pulse was racing too fast. “Thank you, but I’d like to stay a listener. I appreciate you giving me time on your program however. With your sense of fair play, I can see why you were brought to Salt Lake.”
Something flickered in the depths of his eyes. “You have my permission to call in any time and tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. That is—” his sensuous mouth quirked “—if you’ll give me equal time. I’m off for the night. Will you go out with me?”
A long time ago Perry had asked her the same question and she’d said yes. A month later she found out about his wife and children. Max Jarvis was tempting. She was tempted. But...
“I make it a policy not to go out with a man who can’t reveal his marital status over the air.” She glanced at her Mickey Mouse watch. After all these years it still worked perfectly, while two other expensive Swiss watches sat broken in her jewelry box. “I’m also a half hour late for home already.”
“Another time then,” he declared as if it were a statement of fact, then walked her to the front door. “We didn’t explore the football versus romance angle enough. I’d like to hear the rest of that argument sometime soon. I’ll call you.”
She started to say, “don’t bother,” when she was interrupted by his producer.
“Lorraine—don’t forget your lotion. Lon Freeman heard about what you said. He called in to tell me to give you a free sample. It’s really good stuff. Try it on your legs. Not that they need improvement or anything.”
Max Jarvis’s all-encompassing gaze did a swift inventory of her legs, which suddenly felt as shaky as rubber. This time her face went hot.
“Thank you very much. If it works those purported miracles, I’ll call in with my own testimonial, but don’t hold your breath.”
She turned to Max. “Thank you, Mr. Jarvis. I didn’t expect to enjoy this evening so much.”
A mysterious gleam entered his eyes. “The surprise was all mine, Lorraine. Good night.”
Shaken by their meeting, Lacey hurried out to the car and sped all the way to the supermarket located a few blocks from the condo. Every time she thought of Max Jarvis, which was pretty constantly, a spurt of adrenaline shot through her system.
She’d given him a chance to tell her the truth, but he hadn’t taken it. No man that attractive was still single. He had to be married, or living with a woman, she groaned inwardly. To waste her time fantasizing about him would be absurd. The only way to get over him was to stop listening to the radio during his show.
Later, when she stood in line at the counter, a voice she’d know anywhere murmured, “I’m glad I found out you’re a vegetarian. I was going to ask you out for a steak dinner next week.”
Shocked, Lacey turned around and discovered Max Jarvis standing behind her, staring at her groceries; lettuce, sunflower seeds, greens, and yogurt. Her heart was being given the greatest workout of its life.
Her fear that he might have a wife at home prompted her to put an end to this right now. “Did you follow me here?”
His features hardened perceptibly. “I hate to disappoint you, but the answer is no. This is where I shop.”
That was funny. She always bought her groceries here, but this was the first time she’d ever seen him on the premises.
“Interestingly enough,” he drawled, “the thought did occur to me that you had followed me. Have you changed your mind about going out for a drink?”
“No!” she defended hotly, then had to force herself to calm down. “I shop here, too. I—I’m sorry if I jumped to conclusions.”
Embarrassed and out of sorts, she avoided his narrowed gaze and waited nervously in line to pay for her groceries.
“Hello.” The cashier grinned at her. “You’re looking mighty
