Perfecting the Odds by Brenna St. Clare Read Free Book Online

Karis laughed at her snarky response and ruffled Grace’s hair.
    “I’ve got a word for you, Grace. Intrusive. That’s what you are. All the time.” Robby whipped his head for his mother’s reaction.
    Karis nodded in approval of his usage. “Be kind, Robby.”
    Grace celebrated her victory with a golf clap above her head and skipped to the back door. Robby cowered at his mother’s response. “I forgive you, honey. And, yes, you’ll do so much more than make it. You’ll kick high school’s ass,” she whispered, pulling him into her side. He grinned and wrapped his arm around her as they headed outside for their daily time in the back yard.
    ***
    By 6:30 that evening, Karis was running back and forth between the table to help her children with their homework and the stove to stir the simmering pot of spaghetti sauce. Hall and Oates’ “Maneater” blared from her purse, interrupting the finely-tuned evening routine. She chose to ignore the first two bars until sister-guilt niggled.
    “ House of Eternal Widows, Karis speaking,” she answered nasally into the phone.
    “ Clever. Bad time?”
    “If y ou call homework slash making dinner a bad time, then yes, it is.”
    “ Rhetorical question,” she deadpanned. “I have an idea .” The crass woman crooned idea like it was the juiciest gossip in town. Eve’s ideas never boded well for Karis. In fact in high school, those lovely ideas most often led to smoking weed in the wooded area behind the school with a group of horny boys, which inevitably led to less than savory rites of passage.
    “ Hmm, let’s see. You’re pregnant, and the guy you’re prosecuting fathered the bastard child,” Karis asked, ending with a loud snort.
    “Very funny . Except I don’t sleep with criminals…maybe the judge, though…definitely the baliff. I bet that studly bar of chocolate carries around his dick like a third leg. He’d be a fun ride for a night.”
    Karis chuckled as she walked into the living room and flopped down on her cushy brown sofa, eyeing the rug in dire need of a shampoo. “You have heard my ringtone for you, right?”
    “Yeah, ‘Maneater’. Your comedic brilliance rivals Ellen,” she said wryly, and Karis snorted another laugh, but cut off quickly.
    “ Wait, idea doesn’t mean you’ve found the perfect guy for me. For the millionth time, I’m not ready for that sh-crap.” In fact, Karis had declined all ten of Eve’s attempts at matchmaker. The last year and a half, the bitch-cupid dangled attorneys, police officers, and doctors in front of Karis’s face. And by the last prospect, a retired male stripper, Karis had had enough. Nope, not ready to date, and no where near ready for a romp with anything that dangled.
    “ I’m not calling about a date. Although a good screw would help that shitty mood of yours.”
    “I’m not in a shitty mood ,” Karis shot back.
    “Whatever. Back to my original idea. It’s...er...a Halloween party.” The line went dead. Karis could almost hear Eve holding her breath, awaiting the rejection.
    “ Like the get-dressed-up-and-bob-for-apples kind of Halloween party? What are you, fifteen?” Karis shut her eyes and chanted a silent prayer —a standard when interacting with Eve.
    “ Well call me jailbait and smack my ass because we’re going to a Halloween party! It’s at a bar, and I hear it’s a blast every year. And you haven’t heard the best part yet. We get to wear costumes.”
    Get to wear. “Costumes. That’s your most persuasive argument? It’s a wonder you win cases.”
    “ Come on, Karis. Dancing, drinking games, and prizes. I know you’re not, but I’m hoping to bob for more than apples.”
    “ That’s because you’re a slut-for-life.” Karis was getting too old for Eve’s partying and wished she would just find a good man and get married already. But that “good” man was nearly impossible considering Eve’s one-night stand rule. According to Eve, being a prominent prosecuting