I debated how to proceed. I could wait until her next kitchen visitor left and then tap on the window, but if I did that she would know I had been peeping; not to mention that she would realize I had just let her do god knows what without intervening.
Maybe I should go back to my car, bring it home, then walk in the front door explaining that I got the problem solved much more quickly than I had expected. Nancy would buy that, but the guys would never forgive me. I tried to imagine how I would have felt if Bob had walked into the house last week and caught Cindy and me french kissing. I probably would have killed the guy the next chance I got.
No, a phone call seemed to be the only way out. And since we have Caller ID, it was going to have to be a call from my office. So much for saving her quickly.
I certainly did act quickly, though; letting myself out through the gate on that side of the house and sprinting back to the car. I'm glad no cops saw me as I roared to the office. It only took me ten minutes to get there, a new record that is unlikely to ever be broken.
The phone rang ... and rang ... and rang. Pick it up, Nancy! this may be the most important phone call in your life!
"Hello?" Her voice sounded breathless, and she obviously hadn't taken time to look at the Caller ID information.
"Hi, Nancy, I am buried here, but I keep thinking about you, and worrying. Are the guys still there?"
"Oh, hi, Dick! I picked it up without seeing who it was."
She paused at that point, but I waited to see if she would answer my question. She finally did.
"What were you asking? Oh, right, if the guys were still here. Yes, they are. They're still ... playing poker."
"Look, hon, I know those guys. They can be kind of wild sometimes. I wish I had told them ... or at least suggested strongly ... that they should have gone home when I had to leave."
"Oh, well, actually, when you left I told them they were welcome to stay. It seemed like the only polite thing to do."
"Yeah, I don't blame you, but I don't really trust them. There are three of them, and only one of you. What if they tried to force you to ... do something?"
"You're sweet, Dick, but please don't worry. You've been gone, what, nearly two hours, and they haven't ... well ... I haven't been forced to do anything. I'm sure they wouldn't do that. I mean, they know they couldn't get away with it, because I'd tell you."
"True. Thanks, hon, I feel a lot better. I guess I was being silly. I know I can trust you, even if I don't trust them."
"OK, love, get back to work. But I am very glad you called."
"I will. I think I can concentrate a lot better on this problem now. Oh, can I ask one thing? Don't tell the guys I called. They would razz me no end about it, calling me jealous and accusing me of not trusting you. OK?
"Sure. I love you."
"I love you."
Hopefully that would do the trick. Obviously my goal was to interrupt the sexy cycle the guys had set up and remind Nancy that she loved me. I was going to have to come home very late, as planned, so I probably wouldn't know until tomorrow whether my scheme had succeeded.