by Mary Maxwell
“I like that attitude,” she said. “Gracious and thoughtful and humble. I knew the minute we first met that you’d have a winning career with Splendora, Abby. And it’s really nice to see things are going so beautifully for you.”
After chatting with Kathleen about new products that had recently been introduced, I turned to find Emma and Bree. It took a few seconds, but I eventually spotted Emma standing near the entrance to the casino talking with two brawny guys dressed in skin-tight polo shirts, faded jeans and cowboy boots. From the look on her face, I could tell she was enjoying the attention. When she caught my eye, I waved and she motioned for me to join them. I had to wait while a surge of hotel guests came streaming from one of the elevators. The last few people were nearly past me when someone suddenly reached around and covered both of my eyes with their hands.
I instinctively screamed at the top of my lungs, causing the crowd in the lobby to momentarily stop what they were doing to look over.
“Abby!” a voice said in my ear. “I didn’t mean to frighten you!”
When I spun around and got my bearings, I saw Bree smiling with a look of shock and concern on her face.
“Why did you do that?” I demanded. “Don’t you know how jumpy I am after everything that’s happened today?”
She gave me a long hug, whispering an apology in my ear. When she loosened the embrace and stepped back, I was surprised to see tears in her eyes.
“I just want us to have fun,” she said quietly. “I want you to forget all about Robert and those stupid notes. Somebody’s just trying to get under your skin, Abby.”
“Get under my skin?” I said breathlessly. “Well, they succeeded quite handsomely, Bree. They’ve got me freaked out beyond belief.”
“I know,” she said, carefully taking one of my hands and guiding me into the mass of guests and revelers. “Let’s go find Em. Then we’ll see what we can do to get your mind off of the bad stuff and concentrate on having fun!”
“I suppose,” I said, following her across the packed lobby. “I’ll do my best.”
Chapter 10
It was a few minutes after midnight when we finally returned to our suite. We’d enjoyed an incredible gourmet dinner in the resort’s exclusive French bistro before playing a few games in the casino. As promised, Emma tried her hand at roulette for the first time, winning and losing until she finally announced that her curiosity had been fully satisfied when she garnered a sizeable amount on her final wager.
“I promised myself that I’d walk away a winner,” she said, doing a little dance on her impossibly high heels. “It’s like that old song, right? ‘Know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.’”
“That’s what my mama always used to say about the laundry,” Bree giggled. “Probably because I used to pitch a fit every time she’d make me help wash my older brother’s BVDs!”
With her winnings from roulette, Emma treated us to a bottle of champagne in one of the resort’s lounges. We sipped and talked and watched the jam-packed dance floor sway and bounce. When a tall, bearded guy asked Bree to dance, she accepted his offer, returning to our table twenty minutes later with a frown on her face.
“His name must be Mr. Hands,” she said. “I felt like I was getting searched by the cops or something!”
Emma snickered. “What did you expect, sweetie? He’d been watching you for the last half hour.”
Bree’s face shuddered with shock. “He had! Why didn’t you say anything?”
“And spoil the fun?” Emma answered.
“Fun for you, maybe,” scoffed Bree. “But it wasn’t for me.”
After the bottle of champagne was gone, Emma suggested we celebrate our first night with a decadent room service order of more bubbly along with chocolate-dipped strawberries, but I was exhausted.
“Can we do that tomorrow night?” I asked as we returned to our suite. “We’ve been on the go since before dawn. With the time difference, I think we’ve been up for almost twenty hours!”
Bree flopped onto one of the plush sofas. “You’re right, Abby. Now that we’re back upstairs, my whole body is screaming in agony. I think I’m going to soak in a hot bubble bath for a while before calling it a night.”
Emma conceded that we probably should get some rest. “I don’t want to fall asleep during the presentations tomorrow,” she said. “That would look really bad, especially since I’ll be sitting next to the Achiever of the Year!” She walked over and gave me a quick hug. “I just know you’re going to win, Abs! I can feel it in my bones.”
Even though Bree joined Emma in predicting that I would take home the top honor from the conference, there was something in her eyes that made me think she was less than enthusiastic. It was just a gut feeling. And I quickly dismissed it as a combination of fatigue and too much rich food at dinner. But when I finally said good night and went into my room, there was a lingering doubt about Bree’s sincerity.
“Could she be involved in whatever’s going on?” I asked my bleary-eyed reflection as I removed my makeup. “I’d hate to think it could be true, but there’s something odd about how she’s behaving tonight.”
After washing my face and applying Splendora’s Nourishing Nite Nectar, I changed into my favorite oversized T-shirt and climbed into bed. The sumptuous linens felt like a soft, safe feathery nest as I turned off the bedside lamp, closed my eyes and drifted into what I hoped would be hours of deep, soothing sleep.
Chapter 11
“Good morning, Splendora family!” boomed a perky female voice through the Grand Ballroom. “Our meeting will begin in exactly ten minutes.”
I was sandwiched between Bree and Emma as we inched our way toward the middle of the crowded room. Between the chattering voices, loud music blaring from the speakers and the press of smartly dressed women, I felt like a sardine in a very large, very glamorous tin can. Attendance at the meeting was predicted to be nearly six hundred image consultants along with another fifty executive and administrative associates from the company headquarters in Dallas.
“How about this one?” Emma asked.
I nodded without even glancing at the table she was talking about. After a restless night cleaved by eerie dreams about strangers in my room and menacing words written on the mirror, I was really looking forward to something normal: the opening session of the conference; the special guest speakers talking about business plans and new Splendora products; and a lighthearted presentation about independent women pursing their dreams.
“Abby?” Bree’s voice filtered through the foggy thoughts in my mind.
I blinked and turned toward her. “Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
“Sure,” I said, pulling out a chair and sitting between my two friends. “Just a little tired.”
Emma reached for the silver carafe in the middle of the table. She poured coffee in our cups and offered the decanter to the woman beside her.
“I’m exhausted, too,” Bree agreed. “I never sleep very well when I’m away from home.”
“Amen to that,” Emma chimed in. “The bed’s too hard, the sheets are too starchy and there’s nobody to cuddle with.”
Bree laughed lightly. “Well, that guy in the casino would’ve been happy to help you out with that last part.”
Emma’s face flushed a pale pink. “Which one—the short guy with the beard?”
Bree shook her head. “Nope, I’m talking about the tall drink of water with the huge pecs and the Semper Fi tattoo on his arm.”
The pale pink on Emma’s face brightened to cherry red. “Oh, him!” she gushed. “Now there’s a flawless specimen of manliness! If I wasn’t married, I would’ve climbed that tree all night!”
As I sipped my coffee and listened to my friends banter about the previous evening, I thought about Robert. Since the day we met at one of Emma’s Super Bowl parties, he’d been my best friend, my knight in shining armor, my sounding board for decisions both big and small. The shock of seeing him the day before
with a stranger dressed in slinky lingerie had rocked my foundation. But the more I thought about the startling images, the more I also reflected on his voice during our brief phone call the night before. He’d sounded like the man I loved, the man I trusted, the man I believed with all my heart. The jarring conflict between the inexplicable scene I’d witnessed in our living room and the loving man I’d heard on the phone made my head spin even more.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Bree said, leaning in and lowering her voice. “Are you thinking about what I think you’re thinking about?”
I turned and smiled. “What else?”
She put one hand on my arm. “It’s going to be okay, Abby. Your heart will guide you in the right direction.”
“I hope so,” I said hesitantly. “It’s the first time in our marriage that I’ve had any doubts about Robert.”
Her face brightened with a wide smile. “That’s a good sign,” she said.
I shook my head. “A good sign?”
“At least I think it is,” she said. “I mean, you guys have been married for six years, right?”
I nodded silently.
“And you were engaged for a year before that?”
I answered with another nod.
“Well, if whatever happened yesterday was the first time Robert…” Her face froze for a brief moment as she tried to think of what should follow. “Uh, the first time he did anything like that,” she continued, “then maybe you can forgive him.”
“Forgive him?”
Bree squeezed my arm. “Yeah, forgive and forget, right?”
“But it was such a shock,” I protested. “And the look on that woman’s face was cold and calculating.”
Bree sampled her coffee and dabbed her lips with a napkin. “Well, whatever they were planning to do,” she said, “you put an end to it.”
“I suppose so.”
“Have you talked to him since then?”
I smiled. “He called yesterday before we went to dinner.”
She raised one eyebrow. “And? What did he have to say for himself?”
“He told me that he’d never seen the blonde before. He claimed she just showed up unannounced, rang the bell and pushed her way into the house after he answered the door.”
“Do you believe him?”
I thought about the question. I’d been asking myself the same thing for hours. How could my loving husband cheat on me? Who was the blonde stranger in the scanty outfit? And why did she glare at me as if she had a vendetta to settle?
“Abby?”
Bree’s voice cut into my muddled thoughts. I pressed my lips into a smile and locked my eyes on her. “Sorry about that,” I offered.
She gave my arm another squeeze. “You’re not going to enjoy the weekend if you keep drifting in and out of worrying about Robert.”
“I know. But it’s hard not to.”
“They’re going to start in a couple of minutes,” Emma said, leaning in. “What are you two whispering about?”
“What else?” I said, rolling my eyes. “My cheating husband and the blonde strumpet.”
“Forgot about those two losers!” Emma chimed in a silly voice. “You’re here with us now, baby! And we’re not going to let anything bad happen to you!”
I smirked. “Don’t you mean anything else bad? Did you forget about the threats I received yesterday?”
The cheerful expression on her face quivered and she blinked away the gaffe. “Of course, Abs. I didn’t forget. I’m just trying to help.”
The sudden flash of anger and disappointment that I’d felt melted away when I saw the look of remorse on her face. Even though my heart was now skittering in my chest again, I forced a smile and apologized to Emma for the outburst.
“It’s okay,” she murmured. “You’re under a lot of unexpected stress after the thing with Robert and the creepy threats.”
Bree echoed the sentiment. “Lots of stress,” she said quietly. “And we both get it, Abs. We know what it’s like to have a lot on the line and feel that the whole world is caving in.”
The comment seemed misplaced. Unless they’d both been hiding something, I’d never heard Emma or Bree confess that their husbands had been unfaithful—or even come as close to it as Robert did in our living room the previous morning.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Bree frowned. “We’re on your side, Abby. Don’t get so defensive.”
“I’m not,” I said. “I just don’t know how you two can pretend you’ve been through anything like this before. I mean, your marriages are perfect, right? Aren’t both of your husbands truthful and loyal?”
Emma leaned forward and nodded at Bree. Then she put one arm around my shoulders.
“Take a deep breath, Abs,” she said softly. “We’re not the enemy. We’re your friends.”
Between the warm hug and the kind words, I suddenly realized how ridiculous I sounded. We’d been closer than sisters for years, and I felt silly to be lashing out at the very moment they were offering support and encouragement.
“I’m sorry you guys,” I said in a shaky voice. “I guess this whole thing has got me more rattled than I knew.”
Emma tightened her hug and Bree took my hand.
“Remember what I always say,” Bree whispered in my ear. “Together forever—through thick and thin!”
Chapter 12
The morning session flew by in a flash of dazzling videos, inspiring speeches and boisterous cheers from the audience. When a thirty-minute break was announced so that everyone could move to the educational sessions that would include lunch, I told Emma and Bree that I wanted to go back up to our suite so I could call Robert.
“Are you sure?” Emma asked warily.
“Yeah, Abby,” Bree said. “Maybe a little time and distance will help you sort through things.”
I thanked them for their concern, but held to my decision. I wanted to hear my husband’s voice. I wanted to continue the dialogue about what had happened. And I wanted to get away from the mad crush of conference attendees for a few minutes of peace and quiet. I made my way out of the meeting room and up to our suite in no time at all.
“Hi, honey,” Robert said after answering my call.
“Morning,” I said quietly.
“How are you?” He sounded tentative and restrained, not the same easygoing man I’d known for so many years. “Is the meeting going well?”
“It’s okay,” I answered. “I’m a little distracted, so I’m not sure I’m soaking up all the great information they’re sharing.”
We were both silent for a moment, letting the muted quiet buffer the unfamiliar tension between us.
“I love you,” Robert said finally.
My heart trembled in my chest and the habitual waves of warmth and tenderness swept through my body.
“And I’m sorry about what happened,” he added. “Everything I told you yesterday is true, babe. I’ve never seen that woman before in my life.” He paused to see if I’d respond, but I was pressing the phone against my ear to listen. “And I would never do anything like that, sweetie. I love you too much to hurt you, Abs.”
I swallowed hard and caught my breath. “I know that, babe. And I know there must be some explanation for…” Images from the previous morning flashed in my mind: the sexy blonde in the skimpy lingerie; her red lacquered nails reaching for my husband’s hand; and the icy glower on her face as she ran from the room.
“Abby?”
“I’m still here,” I said. “I just wanted to hear your voice, honey. I’m on a break from the conference. I need to get back downstairs in a second.”
“I’m glad you called. I’ve been thinking about you nonstop.” He laughed softly and the warm sound brought a smile to my face. “Hell, I don’t think I slept a wink last night. And we’ve got a big meeting with a new client this afternoon.”
“Better keep the coffee flowing,” I suggested.
“I will,” he said. “Oh, remember
that I told you I called Barney with the license number from the convertible that woman was driving?”
“Oh, right,” I answered. “Did he find out who she is?”
“Well, not who she is exactly,” my husband said. “But the car’s registered to Kimberly Woodworth. Does that name meaning anything to you?”
I thought for a second. I didn’t remember anyone by that name, but my mind was fairly frazzled so I couldn’t be certain.
“I don’t think so,” I told my husband. “Did Barney have anything else to say about her?”
“Not really. He offered to dig into her background, but I told him to hold off until I’d talked with you.”
“What do you think?” I asked.
“I’ll do whatever will make you feel better, Abby. I really don’t have a stinking clue who she is or why she pulled that stunt. But if you want Barney to snoop around, just say the word.”
“Let’s drop it for now,” I said after a moment. “Unless she shows up on our doorstep again, maybe it was just a random prank or she got the wrong address.”
Robert laughed warmly. “Maybe some poor bachelor somewhere was supposed to get an early morning strip-o-gram,” he said. “And his buddies screwed up the instructions.”
“Anything’s possible, but at this point we should—”
Someone knocked on the door to the suite.
“Housekeeping,” a cheery voice called from the corridor.
“Oh, sweetie,” I said into the phone. “I should go. They’re here to clean the room, and I should get back downstairs before the next session starts.”
“You got it,” my husband said. “I love you, Abby. Thanks for calling so we could talk.”
“I love you right back,” I said. “Call you tonight when we finish dinner.”
After dropping the phone into my bag, I hurried across the living room just as the door clicked open. A tall woman wearing a crisp green uniform was in the entry way with a cart of cleaning supplies and fresh linen.
