by Joan Hohl
“She said to come anytime.” She took a quick sip—gulp—of her wine. “But dinner’s about six or so.”
“All right.” Krissy heaved a sigh as Laura took another deep swallow. “Laura, darling,” she said kindly, “I have a bar in my suite. You can get sloshed there in private if you want to. May we go now?”
Julia couldn’t hold it in any longer; she laughed out loud at the familiar sniping of her beloved best friends.
“You’re really ticking me off, kiddo,” Laura said in the most pleasant of tones, carefully setting down her now half-empty glass. “I don’t want to get sloshed.”
“Whatever,” Krissy airily retorted, sliding back her chair and rising to her five-foot-six-inch height…that is in her three-inch killer spiked heels.
“I never get sloshed,” Laura grumbled, trailing Julia and Krissy from the room and out the door.
“Then maybe it’s time you did,” Krissy shot back, leading the way across the street and into the hotel lobby. “You might as well go all the way in your obvious determination of making a complete slob of yourself.”
Julia gave a soft gasp and stared at her friend; the remark was way over the line.
“Krissy.” Laura’s soft cry revealed deep hurt. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, Laura, I’m sorry,” Krissy said contritely, drawing her friend into her arms. Glancing aside, she sent an agonized, apologetic look at Julia. “Oh, God. You know how much I love the two of you.” Now tears were running freely down her face. “But Laura, it breaks my heart to see you looking so tired and…well…” She paused, searching for the right, yet least hurtful word.
“Like a slob,” Laura supplied, sniffling, but laughing at the same time.
“I am so very sorry,” Krissy repeated, brushing her fingertips over her wet cheeks.
“I know.” Laura sniffed again. “But I also know it’s true. I have let myself go. Thanks, hon,” she said, taking the tissue Julia handed her. She stepped back, blew her nose, then laughed. “Krissy, you should never cry, because right now, you look exactly like a raccoon.”
“Oh, hell,” Krissy muttered, accepting the tissue Julia offered her. “Thanks, but it’s going to take more than this to repair the damage.” She dabbed at her eyes, groaning when the tissue came away smeared with blackened tears. “Let’s get into an elevator, for heaven’s sake.”
Once they were safely away from curious eyes, and inside the spacious suite, Krissy headed for the bathroom. “I’m going to clean myself up,” she announced. “You guys get comfortable, help yourself at the bar.” With a wave of her hand, she indicated a large credenza set against a wall, next to a plush settee.
“Wow,” Laura murmured in an awed tone. “This place is something else.” She opened the credenza to reveal an array of bottles. “When she said bar, I thought she meant one of those small sealed things stocked with tiny bottles of booze and snacks that cost an arm and a leg. But this…this is the real deal.”
“Yes,” Julia agreed, peering over Laura’s shoulder. “It certainly is. We could have a real party.”
“So what’s stopping us?” Krissy walked into the room, her face clean and shiny, free of any trace of makeup, and still beautiful as ever. “We’re together again.” Joining her friends at the cabinet, she curled her arms around their waists. “Let’s pop a cork and celebrate.”
“Look, you said get comfortable,” Julia said, looking at Laura. “Do you think your mother will expect us to be dressed to kill?”
“Of course not. Why?”
Julia indicated her suit and her heeled shoes. “I think I’ll go to my room and change into jeans or something.”
“Good idea,” Krissy said. “I’ll change, too.”
“Hey,” Laura protested. “What about me?”
“You can change when you get back to your mother’s,” Julia reminded her. “As you were probably planning to do anyway. Weren’t you?”
“Yes,” Laura admitted, her grin ruining her attempt to look sheepish.
“Uh-huh.” Julia nodded and made for the door. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
“And so will I.” Swinging around, Krissy headed for the bedroom.
“Meanwhile, what’ll I do?” Laura groused.
“Make yourself useful,” Krissy retorted. “Open the champagne and pour. There are flute glasses in the cabinet above the credenza.”
Fifteen or so minutes later, the three of them—two in soft faded jeans and pullovers, the other in her “do lunch” ensemble—sat curled in chairs and the settee. They sipped champagne and caught up on the events of one another’s lives since they had last been together.
While Julia readily related to her friends the good events of her life—Jon’s professional and financial success; her youngest daughter’s outstanding scholastic achievements; her eldest daughter’s award-winning performances at local horse shows—she kept to herself the hurt and anger caused by the gnawing uncertainty of Jon’s fidelity.
In turn happy and sad, Laura regaled her friends with information about her four children, the oldest just turned nineteen, the youngest not yet nine.
“I swear,” she laughingly explained the last child, “I must have been out of my mind…or drunk.”
“Drunk.” Having made the pronouncement simultaneously, laughing, Julia and Krissy leaned toward each other, hooked pinkie fingers, and said, “Wish” at the same time.
After downing over half of her second glass of champagne, which had obviously loosened her tongue, Laura sadly admitted certain knowledge of her husband’s unfaithfulness on several occasions. She then confessed to being aware of Drew’s rakish reputation before ever becoming involved with him, but being too infatuated with him at the time to care.
“But now I care…too damn much.” She swallowed the last of her champagne, and rapidly blinked against a rush of tears. “I care so much I could clobber the jerk.”
“Oh, Laura.” Julia knew the feeling, only too well, although she wasn’t ready to join in on true confessions. Instead, she set her glass aside and went to hug her misty-eyed friend.
“Men are all jerks,” Krissy said with world-weary wryness. “Every one of my husbands cheated on me. I know, because every one of my so-called, so-sweet Hollywood friends couldn’t get to me fast enough to tell me all about it.” She laughed, sort of. “Boy, when you have friends like that, you sure as hell don’t need any enemies.”
“Did…er…you fool around on them?” Laura timidly asked, quickly adding, “You don’t have to answer if you’d rather not. Just tell me to mind my own business.”
Krissy raised her brows at Julia before aiming a dry look at Laura. “When we were growing up, did I ever lie or cheat…about anything?”
“No.” Laura and Julia answered in unison.
“You were always straightforward and honest,” Julia went on. “Even when it hurt…you or anybody else.”
“Well, I wasn’t about to change out there, either. So, no, I didn’t cheat on those bastards. I also wasn’t about to join in on the lifestyle of sexual fun and games and drugs of that particular Hollywood crowd.”
“Any big star names we’d recognize?” Laura asked with exaggerated avid interest.
Krissy laughed. “Oh, I doubt it…not that I’d tell you if there were.”
“So, in effect, you got the shaft for being decent.” Julia’s voice held bitter disgust.
Seated next to her on the settee, Krissy grasped Julia’s hand. “Oh, love, don’t suffer on my account.” Her eyes glittered. “I was compensated…richly compensated. Their stupid self-indulgences gave me two valuable properties, three vehicles, and financial settlements that made me a millionaire several times over.”
“Hurrah for our side,” Laura cheered, punching the air in celebration for her friend.
“Is anything real out there?” Julia wondered aloud. “I always think of it as never-never land.”
Krissy shrugged. “There are, of course, some people who are groun
ded, real. But I didn’t know many of that type.” She grimaced. “God, I seriously hate it out there.”
“So, why don’t you come back east?” Laura said, impatiently swiping the residual traces of tears from her face.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” Krissy’s perfectly arched eyebrows arched higher.
“To stay?” Julia couldn’t believe it, and it showed in her voice. “For good?”
“I’m thinking about it. I don’t know if I’ll stay around here, in the Philadelphia area. I’ve been considering New York City. I just don’t know yet, but I have put my Malibu house up for sale.”
“You own a house in Malibu?” Laura looked genuinely impressed.
“Yes.” Krissy nodded. “And also a horse farm in Virginia. I haven’t put that on the market. I don’t know yet if I will, since it’s here on the east coast. What I do know is that I’m done with the whole, phony Hollywood scene.”
“And jerks?” Laura teased.
“Get real.” Krissy’s laughter held an earthy note. “I like sex…I would even admit to loving it.”
“Who doesn’t?” Laura said. “How do you think I got in this position in the first place?”
Yes, who doesn’t? Julia thought, suppressing a sigh of longing for the way things used to be between her and Jon, who just happened to be a wonderful lover. “Yes, who doesn’t,” she repeated aloud for the benefit of her two closest friends watching her in expectation.
Obviously pleased with their response, Krissy slanted a sly smile at the other two. “At present, I’m crazily in lust with a sexy hunk named Rand Cravington…probably a stage name.” She grinned. “But, who cares?”
“An actor?” Julia asked.
“Yes.”
“A good one?” Laura probed.
“Actually, yes, a surprisingly good one. He’s got the second male lead role in this movie, in which I have a very small part. That’s why I agreed to do it. He’ll be joining me here in a day or so.” Her sly smile turned blatantly satisfied. “And he is not only handsome as sin, but positively, absolutely fantastic in bed.”
“Inventive, huh?” Laura said.
“Oh, my, yes,” Krissy murmured. “With the stamina of a young bull.” She moved like a contented feline. “He is ten years younger than I am.”
Silence for a moment. An instant really. Then.
“Here’s to men,” Julia toasted, concealing her true feelings of shock and envy behind a smile.
“And lovers,” Krissy purred.
“The jerks.”
CHAPTER 4
The dinner with Laura’s family was a rousing success. The food, as expected, was utterly delicious. Laura’s mother’s specialty, death-by-suicide-chocolate cake, had been a decadent dessert. Julia, Laura and Krissy mutually agreed they had eaten too much, and didn’t feel a tinge of guilt.
Everyone was in high spirits. The three friends had a head start in that department, considering the spirits imbibed in Krissy’s suite. Laughter and camaraderie filled the familiar, comfortable house.
Julia became reacquainted with Drew and found him both funny and charming, and very attentive—almost loverlike—to Laura.
Although Julia exchanged a look of bafflement with Krissy she was glad for Laura; she seemed to bloom, blush like a young girl in response to Drew’s attention.
His spirit appeared to be soaring, apparently in anticipation of acquiring this new job, for which he had now had two interviews.
Yet, “I’m hopeful,” was all he would answer to questions from family members concerning the job, as if afraid he’d jinx his chances if he said too much.
“But, when will you know?” Laura demanded, a touch of desperation in her voice.
“I have one more interview on Friday…this one with the CEO of the company. I’ll know then.”
When Julia and Krissy said their goodbyes and headed back to the hotel, they kissed Laura farewell and promised to get together again soon.
The following two days seemed to fly by for Julia.
Jonathan hadn’t called the hotel again. Not wanting to think about the disturbing possibilities why he hadn’t found the time to call her back, Julia kept herself distracted by resuming her shopping whirl. Although she hadn’t planned on spending any more money, she dedicated many hours to adding to the already healthy fortunes of several high-profile designers.
But the new summer clothes she purchased hadn’t helped her to decide how to handle the situation with Jon. She knew she would finally have to resolve within herself the resentment she still harbored against Jon for not personally handling their daughter’s surgery.
She realized her resentment was misguided. She understood Jon’s reluctance. But, genuinely believing he was the best in his field in the area, she couldn’t seem to get past the emotional impact of his refusal. Understanding his position, she still couldn’t get around her own, even though she realized that she would have to, and soon.
As to his relationship with his nurse practitioner, whether it was still professional or had advanced into the personal, Julia finally decided there would have to be a showdown. She had to know the truth. Continuing to hide from it was taking too much of a toll on her mental state. She still loved Jon. His smile could still make her tingle. His dark gaze could still cause that melting feeling. But could she stay with him if he admitted to having been unfaithful?
Since Drew’s next appointment was scheduled for Friday, Laura was hoping they could spend Thursday together. Feeling free and unencumbered, with no kids figuratively hanging on her, she had anticipated just the two of them going off somewhere.
They had made love Wednesday night, after everybody had left and her mother’s house was again quiet. It had been very satisfying, Drew proving exactly how revved he was about his prospects of getting this new job.
Even so, when Laura had suggested a day of sightseeing, Drew had shaken his head.
“I’d like to but I can’t. Sorry,” he said, at least sounding like he meant it. “I have some things to do before this interview tomorrow.”
He didn’t elaborate what those “things” were, but then, Drew rarely ever explained himself, or his actions.
Disappointed but determined not to mope around the house, squander this rare free time, Laura went out on her own to explore her old haunts.
She visited quite a few museums and art galleries, soaking up current and ancient cultures. Despite the beautiful sites surrounding her, Laura couldn’t help but think of the trials and tribulations inherent in loving a man who, while claiming to love her, appeared incapable of being sexually satisfied with one woman.
For all she knew, Drew could be with another woman at that very minute. The rat. What to do? What to do? Laura repeatedly asked herself, while admiring a Rembrandt or staring down a one-eyed Picasso.
Dammit, she was not a stupid woman—except when it came to Drew. She had been pulling straight As, been on the Dean’s list through her sophomore year of college. Her future was looking rosy, with the possibility she might even fulfill her dream to shatter that glass ceiling.
Then she had met Drew. They hadn’t been dating long before she agreed to go to bed with him. She had been a virgin; he had been very gentle with her. She fell deeply, irrevocably in love with him. By the time of final exams, she was three months pregnant.
Now almost twenty years and four kids later, Laura knew she was approaching more than her fortieth birthday; she was reaching a turning point in her life.
She cried a lot when she was alone. She felt awful. She looked a sad-sack mess. A slob, as Krissy had so correctly phrased it.
On the spot, Laura decided to accept Krissy’s offer of a diet plan and workout video. She was going to pull herself back into shape, or kill herself trying. It was time, long past time to cease obsessing about Drew and take care of her own needs and desires.
That left her marriage. Should she at last boot Drew out of her life…or continue to play let’s pretend by ignoring the problem?
One step at a time, Laura told herself, coming to a dead stop in a small, avant-garde (too avant-garde for Laura’s taste) art gallery before an exhibition that appeared to be—and she feared it was—a very large dead rat affixed to an otherwise bare canvas.
Her first step was to head for the exit.
Krissy had a pleasant surprise Thursday morning. Just like a fabled princess, she was awakened by a kiss, not from some fictional Prince Charming, but from the real and exciting Rand Cravington.
Krissy had decided upon first meeting Rand that he epitomized just about every woman’s idea of the handsome hero. His features were classically defined. His nose straight, narrow. His jaw firm and slightly squared. His lips were sculpted; the upper thin, the lower fuller, sensuous, denoting a passionate nature…which Krissy could attest to from firsthand experience.
“Good morning.” His deep, smooth voice murmuring against her lips gave her shivers.
“Good morning.” Krissy curled her arms around his neck, drawing him down on top of her. “Kiss me again.”
His lips brushed her ear, tickling her libido. “Is that all you want, a kiss?”
“Are you serious? I haven’t seen you in almost a week.” Krissy laughed, soft and seductive. She raised her hands to push at his chest and slid from the bed. “While I run to the bathroom to brush my teeth, you get undressed, then into this bed, and I’ll show you what I want.”
Rand was happy and quick to oblige.
They spent most of the day in bed. And while resting between lusty romps with her energetic young lover, Krissy considered the other men who had paraded in and out of her life. There had been her three husbands, men she had married in good faith and with good intentions. There had been two other men she’d been involved with between her first and second marriages. They had been more friends than lovers; sympathetic listeners, willing shoulders to cry on.
