Sex, Secrets and Happily Ever Afters

by Deb Julienne

  “This is better than a face-lift. I feel younger already.” Mona said.

  “It’s not only that, ladies. You’ll feel better about yourselves, and everyone around you will feel better, too. Think of it as a nice way to pay it forward and you get a benefit from it as well as those around you.”

  The bell tinkled and Delaney Prescott pranced in with Mr. and Mrs. Wellington at her heels.

  Angel froze. They were the last thing she’d expected to see today. She took a deep breath, waiting to see what they wanted.

  Gaping, Jill twisted her head toward Angel so fast she thought Jill would end up with whiplash. “Oh shit.” Jill pulled out her cell phone, but Angel stilled her hands.

  Feeling every eye in the room trained on her, Angel stood. She decided if Delaney was there to cause problems, she better treat her like she had horns and hope she didn’t get gored. She held out her hand to shake. “What a pleasure to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Wellington.”

  Mr. Wellington, looking dapper in a coal grey Armani suit, looked bewildered and gave her a slight nod.

  Lovely in a navy Donna Karan pantsuit with a matching Gucci tote, Mrs. Wellington was too busy surveying the store to notice Angel’s hand.

  Feeling like a leper, she dropped her hand. “Delaney, back so soon?” Every scenario came to mind as to why the woman would return. The fact she appeared with Travis’s parents in tow didn’t calm her in the least.

  Delaney stepped forward. “It’s time to clear the air about a few things.”

  Angel wanted to wipe the catty expression from Delaney’s face.

  “Need any help, Angel?” Jill asked.

  “No, I’m fine. Please continue, ladies.” Angel advanced on Delaney and crossed her arms. If it was going to be a fight, so be it. “I don’t believe we have anything to discuss.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. It’s time for you to bow out and leave Travis alone. You’re not his type. Honestly, if this affair continues, you’re only going to hurt him and embarrass his family.”

  “There is no affair. We’re friends. That’s all.” Angel shrugged.

  “I don’t believe you. I saw you the other night at Travis’s hotel—”

  “If you did then you also saw me leave.” Angel forced herself to breathe slowly and calmly. She stood tall, pride in her stiff spine.

  “Not good enough. Travis fancies he’s in love with you. A woman can tell these things. At least I’m a woman who knows her man well enough. We had a lover’s spat, nothing more. That’s no reason to break our engagement.” Delaney removed a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes.

  Angel doubted the gesture was real, only meant to draw sympathy from the Wellingtons.

  “Travis is a grown man. The ultimate decision is up to him. This is none of my business.”

  “Normally I’d say yes, but his feelings were hurt. Once he gets over it, he’ll see where his priorities lie. And that’s not with you.”

  “I never said it was. I’m also smart enough to butt out of someone’s business. Maybe you should learn that lesson, as well. Regardless, I’m in the middle of a book club meeting. I believe we’ve said all there is to say. Now, please excuse me.” She grabbed the handle of the door and opened it, gesturing for them to leave. “Mr. and Mrs. Wellington, again it was a pleasure to see you. I’m sorry you were dragged in here needlessly.”

  Delaney shoved past Jill to the book club circle, where she picked up one of Carina’s books and snorted. “Is this your book of the week?” She flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder. “How to Be a Sex Kitten. Seriously, it’s not even a real literary piece of work, but rather a manual for hookers.” Delaney lifted her sculptured brows, giving her a scornful scoff.

  Mitzi and Vera jumped up, but Jill held out a hand to keep them in place.

  Angel headed for the counter and picked up the phone. “That’s it. I’ve had enough. You will leave these premises this instant or I’ll call the police.”

  Delaney laughed in earnest. “Travis will love you calling the police on his parents. Face it. You just don’t fit in. Travis doesn’t need you. He needs me. We’re kindred spirits. You, you’re a tumor that needs to be removed.”

  Horrified gasps came from the ladies. All but Mona stood. Mona remained seated, her head bowed.

  “That’s all, brother.” Mitzi pushed her sleeves up her arms.

  Vera shoved her back. “She’s mine.” She cracked knuckles and popped her neck then stood beside Angel.

  Mrs. Wellington took a step toward Delaney, but Mr. Wellington pulled her back. Apparently, their allegiance was with Delaney because neither bothered to speak up.

  So be it. It was one thing to have witnessed firsthand how the other half lived, but if this was Travis’s world, she wanted no part of it. It was clearly time to rid the room of this court of fools. They reminded her of her father and his condescending ways. “I know all about women like you. You just take, and take, and take, with no regard to those you hurt.”

  “You don’t know anything about me.” Delaney sucked in a breath, making her breasts more pronounced then took slow, deliberate steps around the room, turning her nose up.

  “I know more than I want to about you and your kind, with your surgically enhanced nose in the air, thinking you’re better than everyone because you’re wealthy.” Bile rose in Angel’s throat. She swallowed it, hell-bent on finishing what Delaney started.

  “Travis needs me. I fit into his lifestyle, and I’m already family. We’re cut from the same cloth.” Delaney held her head regally.

  “You’re delusional. Travis is nothing like you.” Angel clenched her fists at her side.

  “Can you imagine his parents having to introduce you to their friends as the woman who teaches sex to little old ladies?”

  Vera pushed forward.

  Angel raised an arm to hold her back. She didn’t want the women to be involved, much less hurt. “I’d watch my tongue if I were you. Your future mother-in-law is near their age. She might not appreciate being called old.”

  Delaney dropped her malevolent smirk.

  Angel itched to take a swing at her. To rip into her and point out that all the surgeries didn’t make her better. She already felt bad calling her on the nose job. Leave it to Delaney to bring out her anger and bury her normally gentle spirit. “You can call me every name in the book, but if you make one more disparaging remark about my friends, I’m liable to forget I’m a lady.”

  “You tell the bitch,” Jill hollered.

  Delaney snuffed. “Did you hear her?”

  “That’s it!” Mona shoved her way in front of Jill and Angel.

  Delaney gasped.

  “Delaney Alexandra Prescott, you should be ashamed of yourself.” Mona shook her finger at Delaney then put her hands on her hips and glared at the Wellingtons. “How dare you two stand there like a couple of highbrow snobs and allow her to speak that way to anyone. This is a place of business.” Mona thumbed toward Angel. “If you must have words with Angel, it should be after hours. Camille and Martin, I can’t believe you’d allow this kind of blatant misbehavior. Then again, you’ve always been pushy when it came to the boys. This is rude and just plain uncalled for.”

  Delaney stood still, mouth opened and eyes wide, until she finally found her voice. “Mrs. Henderson, is that you?”

  “Yes, and I’m not the least bit impressed with your behavior. In fact, I’m appalled. You owe this young woman an apology. This minute—do you hear me?” Hands flattened to her hips, she drummed her fingers, flashing her impressive rings.

  “I—” Delaney’s mouth puckered into a disapproving pout.

  “Cat got your tongue now? Too bad you didn’t stop to consider things sooner, young lady.” Mona’s frown and her voice put the fear of God in everyone. Even her friends stepped back. Mona was impressive, but this wasn’t her fight.

  “I appreciate your concern, Mona, but I think we’re done.” Angel put her arm around Mona and tried to get
her to go back to her seat.

  “Not until Delaney apologizes.” Mona stood tapping her foot, a complete opposite to the petite elderly maven who’d bustled into the shop earlier.

  “Yeah, who does she think she is, attacking us because she’s a pretentious witch?” Mitzi’s scowl matched the others.

  Vera said, “If this young upstart thinks she’s half the woman you are, Angel, she has another think coming. Not only is she no match for you, but she’s also not even in the ballpark when it comes to that handsome stud who wants you, body and soul.”

  “Thank you, ladies. Please go back to your reading.” Angel gestured toward the chairs.

  “No way. I haven’t had my say yet.” Hazel stepped forward.

  “Please, Hazel. Let me handle it.”

  Hazel brushed her aside. “I don’t know where you come from, but for someone of your stature it appears your manners are sadly lacking. If you think it’s acceptable to waltz into someone’s business and start something, you’re mistaken.”

  Angel put her hand on Hazel’s shoulder.

  Hazel patted her hand. “We love Angel. If it weren’t for her, we’d be the pathetic old ladies you seem to think we are. It takes a hell of a strong woman to give a damn about people like us. She’s someone who wants to see us happy, no matter our age. She’s not teaching us about sex. She’s teaching us how to be happy, to feel useful when our own children ignore us. From the looks of things, you’ll probably do the same thing to your parents. I’d advise you to leave before we all help you out.”

  Delaney swayed. “I-I won’t apologize. It’s thanks to her my marriage has been called off. I won’t walk away. Not now.” There was a look of defiance in Delaney’s eyes, but she paled, even as she attempted to stand her ground.

  Mona stepped forward. “Fine. That’s how you want it. Never let it be said a Henderson remained silent.” She aimed her menacing glower toward Travis’s parents and moved closer to Delaney. “Your marriage is off because of you and your folks, nothing more. Your parents are money-grubbing, obnoxious new money, so anxious to mix with old money that they can’t see everyone is laughing behind their backs.”

  Mona pivoted toward the Wellingtons. “As for you two, you’re no better than she is. You should be ashamed of yourselves. How could you participate in her cruel scheme? How dare you push your son to be with a raging bitch? Hell, her own parents don’t even care about their only child, except to further their own financial good. It’s beyond me. Travis is lucky to be well rid of her.”

  Mona spun back to Delaney, who still stood rooted in place. “It’s because of people like your parents that my husband and I left Boston.” Turning to the Wellingtons, Mona said, “It’s because of people with your attitude that we’ll never go back.”

  Vera moved to Delaney’s right. “You call yourself a woman. Don’t you know a real man can’t be stolen? If Travis left you, it was to get away from you and your deplorable behavior.”

  Mitzi moved to Delaney’s left. “Too bad you’re not woman enough for him. But your loss is Angel’s gain.”

  Delaney took a step back and bumped into Hazel.

  Hazel stood her ground. “My mother always said if you can’t say something nice, shut the hell up. I’d feel sorry for you, but you don’t deserve my pity.”

  Mitzi made her way to the Wellingtons, Vera right beside her.

  Phyllis snickered and crossed her arms.

  Mitzi glowered at Travis’s father. “Do you love your wife?”

  “A-ah-of course, I do.” Mr. Wellington tucked his chin.

  “Do you show her?” Mitzi pointed at his wife.

  Martin said, “Excuse me?”

  “What she means is do you still do the horizontal hokey pokey?” Vera asked.

  Mr. Wellington’s eyes went wide.

  Vera chuckled. “Thought so.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I still find her a handsome woman.”

  “Good for you. If you’re smart you’ll never let her wonder,” Vera said.

  Mr. Wellington blushed. He scanned the store and flushed even more.

  Angel didn’t know what she’d done to deserve these women in her life, but she was certainly grateful they were on her side.

  Delaney pointed a final glare at Angel before running out of the store sobbing.

  Mona dusted her hands. “Good riddance to bad rubbish.” Eyeing the Wellingtons, she advanced on them again.

  “Thank you, Mona. Please go back to your friends. I’ll take it from here.” Angel put her hand on Mona’s arm then leaned over and kissed her cheek before giving her a gentle shove back to the circle.

  The Wellingtons moved further into the store, showing no intention of leaving. Angel stood there, her back to the door. “Mr. and Mrs. Wellington, I apologize for this…situation.” How else could she classify the fiasco at hand? The bell above the door tinkled, and she figured Delaney came to hurry the Wellingtons along, but Angel ignored her. She had a few things to say to Travis’s parents.

  “I care about your son. Really, I do. I have no wish to come between you and him, but if you think this sort of thing is acceptable, you don’t know anything about Travis.” Angel pitied them and what they’d done to their sons. “You don’t even know who he is or what he’s suffered to be the perfect son for you. To some degree, Delaney is right. What I didn’t tell her, couldn’t bear to admit, is that I am in love with Travis, but that doesn’t mean I’ll act on my emotions. He deserves better. Better from you, better from me, and most definitely better than Delaney.” Her thumb aimed at the woman behind her. “She doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Travis. I know that now. Consider this your notice. I’ll leave Travis alone. I just hope you care enough about your son to want to see him happy. Delaney won’t do that.”

  The Wellingtons smiled at her.

  “Bravo,” Travis said.

  Angel spun around and her whole body vibrated. Her heart leapt.

  Travis stood before her and clapped, his chocolate brown eyes gleaming at her, a teasing smile on his lips.

  “Wh—” She choked. “What are you doing here?” She wanted to hug him and hide all at the same time.

  Travis beckoned her with the crook of a finger. When she didn’t move, he stepped forward until he was standing before her. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.” He put his arms around her. “That was the nicest thing anybody ever did for me. You stood up to my parents.”

  “Travis, it’s not what you think.” Damn.

  “Oh really?” He hugged her close. He looked good enough to smear chocolate on and smelled sexy as hell.

  Her arms went around his waist. She gave him a squeeze, and some of the tension slipped from him.

  “God I’ve missed you. Don’t ever push me away again. I can’t stand to be away from you.” He kissed her hair.

  His warmth made her lose her train of thought. “What I said was true. We don’t belong together. You deserve better than me.”

  “That’s ludicrous,” he said.

  Mitzi said, “Poppycock.”

  “Balderdash,” Hazel said.

  Vera added, “Hooey.”

  “Hogwash.” Phyllis cackled and snorted.

  “What dribble.” The sternness Mona had used on Delaney had vanished from her voice.

  “My thanks to each of you. I’ll take it from here.” Travis winked.

  Jill ushered the ladies back to their seats.

  Angel pulled away from him and he kissed her forehead before glaring at his parents.

  “This is your doing.” Travis ran a hand through his hair and swore. “I’m appalled that you’d come here with Delaney. I hope you realize this is it. I’m done with the two of you.”

  Angel stepped forward and placed a hand on Travis’s arm. “Your parents are here because they love you and don’t want to lose you because of me. You need to fix things with them and be on your way.” She couldn’t bear to look at Travis any longer. When he left today, he’d be
leaving her life for good.

  Hand on his hips, Travis took a step then faltered. “Mom, Dad, if you ever had any respect for me or genuinely loved me, you’ll take Delaney and go home. Go back to Boston and leave me be.”

  Stunned by Travis’s words, thinking about her life without her family, she spun back around and clutched his forearm. “No, Travis. I won’t let you do this. I will not come between you and your parents. You don’t know what you’re asking. You don’t want to do that to them or to yourself.”

  Mrs. Wellington stepped forward. “Son, we’re not out to hurt you. That was never our intention. Delaney called and said if we loved you we’d better come because you were about to ruin your life. That is the only reason we came. I’m shocked by what Delaney did and I for one do not condone her behavior.”

  “But, Mom, you didn’t stop her. I can tell by the shock on your faces. You stood by and didn’t say a word. Not in my defense, and certainly not in Angel’s. That’s just as good as agreeing with her or saying it yourselves.”

  “Now see here, son, your mother’s telling you the truth. Delaney didn’t tell us a thing. We’re as shocked as you that she’d stoop to that level.” Mr. Wellington kept his voice low.

  “It’s worse than that, Dad. I found out a few things about you and the Prescotts. Trent and I talked to Uncle Jack. We know all about what Delaney’s dad did to Wellington Aeronautics. How could you keep that from us?”

  Sadness crossed Mr. Wellington’s face. “You don’t understand, son. He led us to believe it was our fault Kat’s folks died. How could we admit it until we had all the facts?”

  “Clarissa was my sister. And regardless of what you think of me, I loved her.” Mrs. Wellington dabbed tears from her eyes.

  “Why didn’t you tell Trent and me, or even Kat for that matter? We know you’d never hurt them. But your silence is far worse. By keeping it from us, it gives the appearance that there was some validity to the matter. If you’d only told us, we could’ve helped you.”