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IT HAD BEEN one of the hardest weeks of Lacey’s life To finally find someone who really valued her above anyone, and then have him be in the trance of someone else It was too cruel even for her paranoia to conjure up

But her most acute pain wasn’t even for herself It was for Jeentle th, physically as well as emotionally, than anyone she’d evergood about him

Some days she didn’t ever want him to coe hi by Tressa had put hi it

Other days, she prayed for his release Not for herself, but because he deserved to be honored and respected, not abused To be loved and cared for, notused up

Thank God for Kacey Her sister had spent the night in Lacey’s bed with her one night, sitting up and watching old ht after work, she’d dragged Lacey around to choose furniture for her new room To dinner at the new Mexican place by the water

They walked on the beach and stopped at an outdoor pub to have drinks and talk about the good old days Lacey had been surprised to find out how many of theht They’d stayed to listen to the first set played by the band that had shown up at nine, too And still, Je with Tressa when he’d called and found Lacey already in bed

They’d been preparing for the e that had been set for that

It was after noon and she still hadn’t heard how it had gone It ay too early for anything to be on public record The judge wouldn’t even have had ti

And knowing that she and Sydney couldn’t discuss the case, knowing, too, that Sydney kne that Lacey’s personal involvement was ue by taking herself out of the office to make well-check visits

She was al the salad Kacey had packed her for lunch before an afternoon hearing, when her car’s speaker bleeped announcing an inco at her radio dash, she saw Je wheel to answer

“Thank God you answered” She could hear the adrenaline in his voice “I was afraid I was going to have to settle for voice mail”

“I’ve been watching the clock,” she said “Waiting to hear” She hoped to God she didn’t sound peevish She didn’t feel it; she justmissed him

“I’ve got full custody” He told her the most important fact first

“I knew you would, but what a relief to hear that it’s done,?

? she told hi her eardless of how the world was changing, courts still oftentimes tended to rule in favor of theTressa could be Hell, she’d found herself thinking she and the woman could almost be friends the first time they’d met