Friends and Lovers by Tara Mills

abutting the Black Briar Country Club. Their unit was on a cul-de-sac overlooking the course, and the only people Lauren saw were driving after their golf balls on little carts. She had no trouble identifying their place because Wes’s car was parked in the driveway right in front of the garage. She parked along the curb. Tugging her purse off the passenger seat, she looked at the front door with trepidation.
    “You can do this,” Lauren told herself impatiently.
    She climbed out of the car and took a moment to simply stare into the deep azure sky and take several calming breaths.
    “Here we go,” she said, mentally prodding herself to the front door.
    Though she might be an emotional mess on the inside you couldn’t tell by the outside. She was wearing her favorite, most flattering jeans and one of her new tops with a scooped neckline and buttons running up the front. It hugged her close and looked as gorgeous as the sky overhead. She hoped it would give her a boost of confidence. If not, she’d have to fake it.
    Lauren pressed the doorbell and gasped when the door immediately opened. Apparently they were watching, or at least listening for her.
    “Lauren?” the unfamiliar man asked hopefully.
    “Ken?”
    They grinned at each other and he took a step back and waved her through. “Come in, come in. Sherry’s just checking lunch and I’m kicking Wes’s, pardon my French, ass at video golf. Have you ever played it?” He took her purse and hung it on a hook.
    “No, video games aren’t really my thing.”
    “Sherry’s either, but she’ll bowl once in a while just to please me.” He chuckled. “It’s harder for her now that her center of gravity’s shifted, and I have absolutely no qualms about exploiting it.”
    Lauren laughed and followed Ken around the front closet—and stopped short. Wes was kicked back on the couch, one foot resting on the coffee table. He was fiddling with the controller in his lap. He looked up and met her eyes and whatever he was doing must have fizzled because Ken leaped into the air with an ecstatic whoop.
    “I am a god!” Ken announced to the world.
    Wes laughed. “Lucky bastard is more like it.” His warm eyes swung back to Lauren and he smiled. “Hi. I’m glad you came over. Did you find the place okay?”
    Lauren felt her face flush with heat but she managed to nod. “Yes. Ken’s directions were perfect.”
    Wes rolled his eyes at his brother-in-law. “At least he can do something right.”
    “Hey, I kicked your ass.”
    “Only because I looked up. Good luck when I’m paying attention.”
    “Not my problem that your Achilles heel is beautiful women.” Then Ken swung around on Lauren and said, “You’re welcome in my home anytime.”
    “It’s the only way he can win,” Wes explained.
    Ken snorted. “In your dreams. You know—”
    Sherry waddled in shaking a big meat fork at the guys and cut her husband off. “Knock it off, you two. I’ve had about all I can stand of your video game pissing contest. It’s stupid. Honestly, you’d think I was living with a couple of ten year olds.”
    Lauren bit her lip, but she was shaking with the giggles when she followed Sherry into the kitchen.
    “Let me put this fork down then I’ll give you a tour. Wait—first things first.” Sherry opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne. “Hair of the dog, Sunday style. Care for a mimosa? The boys are already ahead of you there.”
    “Sure.”
    Sherry opened a cupboard and sighed in exasperation. “Would you mind getting down one of these glasses for yourself so I don’t have to call Ken? My stomach is in the way, and I’m not allowed on a stool anymore. My balance is off.”
    “No problem.” Lauren grabbed a stemmed glass and set it on the counter.
    “Thanks.” Sherry pulled a pitcher from the fridge and with champagne in one hand and orange juice in the other, poured both at the same time so they mixed automatically.
    Leery about the potency of the