by Josie Brown
Ally’s heart sank. Before turning around, she forced a smile onto her lips. “Oh—hi, yourself.” So that she didn’t have to look Jade in the eye, she took her time straightening Zoe’s sun hat. “We were just leaving—”
“No, you weren’t. You just got here,” Jade countered. “Oliver’s been on the lookout for Zoe. He misses her terribly.”
Ally could already see that—and hear it. The moment Oliver realized who his mother was speaking to, he wrestled to get out of Jade’s arms, screaming Zoe’s name at the top of his lungs.
Realizing she’d lost the battle, she let Zoe go, only to watch her run into Oliver’s arms. Their hug elicited laughs and adoring sighs from the other mothers around them.
Ally couldn’t help but tear up.
Jade pulled her down onto the bench. “Why are you avoiding my calls?”
Ally couldn’t believe her ears. “Haven’t you heard? Brady and I…we broke up.” She wiped the dampness from her cheeks. “Jillian and I aren’t speaking either.”
“I can’t believe it!” Jade shook her head, awed. “I’m so sorry, Ally. I guess the wedding planning has put me in a bubble.” She stared at her friend. “Granted, every time I asked after you, Brady changed the topic—to Oliver, or the wedding, or Reggie. Heck, I just thought he was being polite. I never dreamed it meant that you’d split up. Why? What happened?”
Ally fixed her gaze on a jet slicing through the sapphire blue sky. “Neither of them liked the terms that were offered to us by the VC who is financing Life of Pie. When they both refused to go along with it, I offered to buy them out.”
“But it was Jillian’s dream! And Brady and you are always in lockstep about your businesses. Even if you had a disagreement…” Jade paused when she noticed the flush crawling up Ally’s neck. “It isn’t about business, is it? Someone came between you.”
The knot in Ally’s throat made it hard for her to speak. Instead, she nodded.
“Will that son of a bitch ever learn to keep his pants zipped up? Why he’s—”
“No, Jade! It’s not what you think!” Ally found herself laughing and crying at the same time. Suddenly, remembering Bettina’s remarks at their final club meeting, she shrugged helplessly. How could she answer that?
Jade’s eyes narrowed. “You mean, it’s you who—?”
“No! Nothing like that!” Ally insisted. “Brady is jealous, yes—of the man offering the financing: Garrett Hartley. You see, he’s my—”
“Garrett Hartley?” Jade’s shock came out in a shout. Shuddering, she added, “No wonder! What a sleazeball!”
Ally frowned. “You know him?”
“I’ll say.” Jade looked skyward. “When I worked at the Condor, he was one of the regulars. A real whale—a big tipper. He’d always have a private room—with triplets.”
Noting Ally’s puzzled look, she explained, “Three girls at a time.”
Ally shook her head in dismay. “Even so, by law, the men aren’t supposed to touch—”
“Not at the club, anyway. But the girls looking for sugar daddies always found an excuse to call his private number. And because he refused to wear rubbers, he made them swear they were on the pill. If they lied and got knocked up, he’d have one of his people take them for an abortion. Of course, he paid for it. I’m sure he had an obstetrician on speed dial.”
“What if they refused?” Ally asked.
“He’d assume it was because they were after his money. They knew he’d never marry them, but I guess they hoped he’d pay child support.” She shook her head. “They were so wrong! He’d invite them over to his city penthouse apartment to talk about it. Somehow, they always woke up drugged—and no longer pregnant. Worse than that, they were sterile! If they threatened to say anything to the police, he’d wave a fat check under their noses, along with a consent agreement.”
Flabbergasted, Ally whispered, “Jade, do you think Brady knew about this too?”
“You bet he did—when I told him. It was the night we met at the Condor. He’d come in with Garrett. No matter how much he tipped, I wouldn’t have anything to do with either of them. Finally, he cornered me after my routine to find out why.” For a moment, the memory clouded her eyes. “His reaction was the same as yours: disbelief, then disgust. And like you, he wondered if I’d ever fallen for Garrett’s ploys.” She laughed sadly. “That earned him a month of radio silence from me. By the time I agreed to see him, he was already regretting getting into business with Garrett, but it was already too late.” She shrugged. “I’m glad I can never say the same.”
So, I was nothing more than one of his mistakes—
One he couldn’t get rid of.
Suddenly, Ally felt dirty.
And alone.
As if reading her mind, Jade gave her a hug. “I love you, sweet Ally. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d have been clinging to the wrong man, and I’d never have seen the right one when he came along. And while Brady is no longer my husband or the love of my life, he’s as dear to me as a brother.” She pulled back in order to look Ally in the eye. “Let me return the favor, here and now. Garrett is your wrong man. The sooner you realize this, the quicker you’ll be back in the arms of the man who deserves you.”
She scooped up Oliver. As she belted him into his stroller, she added. “I’ll see you, Barry, and Christian at the wedding.”
Ally knew better than to argue with Jade.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Saturday, 23 May
6:00 p.m.
I’ve never seen Reggie look so handsome, Ally thought.
He stood at the bottom of Pauley Hall’s winding staircase, his best man—Brady—at his side.
So far, she and he had successfully avoided looking at each other.
Had he bothered to glance over, he would have seen the longing in her eyes.
The other groomsmen and bridesmaids fanned out behind them: Matt and Caleb behind Brady, and Lorna and Jillian on the other side.
Jillian also avoided Ally’s covert glances, or any attempt at conversation.
Of course, she’s right, Ally reasoned. This is not the time and place for airing our problems. This night belongs to Jade.
As if she’d manifested her, Jade appeared at the top of the staircase.
The finger waves in her blonde hair were the perfect complement to her form-fitting vintage silk sheath: formal in length, and champagne in hue, its high neck paid off its deep plunging back. The tiny, jeweled pins in her hair seemed to sparkle under light shed by the long chandeliers.
Despite her four-inch heels, Jade seemed to glide down each step.
The crowd—at least two hundred, what with Reggie’s adoring students and their mutual academic colleagues—were entranced by the sight of her.
Samantha officiated the ceremony, intercutting the required vows with funny asides about each of them, followed by tender insights on their shared love: so obvious to anyone who knew them “—except for me,” she told the crowd, who laughed along with her.
By the time they gave their “I do’s,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
During the long, loving kiss that celebrated their union, she ventured a glance at Brady.
His eyes seemed to look right through her.
At that moment, she realized:
Garrett won.
The crowd was large enough that she never ran into Bettina. In fact, Ally wondered if she’d shown up at all.
The question was answered when she left a bathroom stall only to find Bettina by the mirror, freshening her lipstick.
Ally nodded but said nothing.
“I guess I should be used to a cold shoulder,” Bettina declared. “But come on, already—give it a break! My God, we’re at a wedding!”
Ignoring her, Ally moved to a sink at the other end of the counter.
Bettina sighed. “Listen…I just want to say we’re in the same boat—so we might as well be civil to each other.”
Ally’s heart skipped a beat. She
caught Bettina’s eye in the mirror. “What do you mean?” Did he dump you too?
“You know—about the financing.”
Ally frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Didn’t Brady tell you? We lost the financing for my app the same day your VC fell out of your little pie shop.” Bettina shrugged. “But Brady has great connections. Something else will come through.” She laughed. “Ha! I never thought I’d be praising Brady Pierce!”
Ally shook her head in disbelief. “You mean…you’re not sleeping with him?”
Bettina laughed so hard that she almost choked. Finally, she gasped, “What the hell would ever give you that idea?”
“You did—at that final club meeting!” Ally exclaimed. “You yelled something about the fact he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, and then you threw it in my face how the two of you made a great team!”
“What?” Bettina rolled her eyes. “Oh, that! I’d thought he told you about my financing deal. Of course, I didn’t want anyone in the club to know about it—at least not until the app was a big success and I could throw it in all their faces.” She went back to touching up her makeup. “My God, Ally. Are you blind? Anyone can see that he’s crazy about you!” She held out her hand. “Hey, hand me a Kleenex.”
When she turned, she realized she was alone.
Ally searched everywhere: in the ballroom, where a jazz trio belted out a tune for jubilant dancing couples; and in the reception area, where groups of well-wishers surrounded the newlyweds in order to express their sincere congratulations.
Taking Jade aside, she asked, “Have you seen Brady?”
Jade thought for a moment. “No, frankly, not since he made his toast to us.” She shrugged. “Our babysitter called to let us know that Oliver still has a fever, so maybe he’s calling her.”
After circling the room again, Ally came to the conclusion that he may have gone home to take care of Oliver. Not that she could blame him.
Our children’s love is unconditional, she reasoned.
I have to prove that mine, for him, is also absolute.
To do it, she’d have to rectify the mess she’d made of her friendship with Jillian.
It’s the only way to get Brady to trust me again.
Suddenly, she missed Zoe.
She gave Jade a hug and headed out.
Brady stood on the top of the Berkeley Campanile, looking up at the stars.
He could easily understand Reggie’s draw to the campus. When he was a student here, life seemed so much simpler.
When, finally, he looked down again, he saw her: Ally.
She was getting into her car.
Why would she leave so soon, he wondered.
The party was at its peak. The bride and groom hadn’t even cut the cake yet.
He wanted to shout out to her, but what would he say? That he was angry with her? That he missed her?
That he loved her with all his heart?
Hell, no. It may be the truth, but it was time to get over Ally Thornton. He’d let her break his heart twice.
Garrett Hartley was right: she was a chip off the old block. She’d proven that when she allowed Garrett to cut Jillian out of the company.
I shouldn’t be alone, he reasoned. Otherwise, all I’ll think about is her.
By the time he reached the bottom stair, he had forced a smile on his face again.
Bettina was leaving as well when she saw Brady walking toward her.
“Where are you going?” he teased her. “The night is still young.”
“So is this crowd.” She shuddered. “I forgot what it was like to be around a bunch of uncouth students spouting their pompous liberal rhetoric—in iambic pentameter, no less!”
“Use it to your advantage. Talk up the app.”
“Ha! With degrees in English Lit, they’ll soon be the ones being tracked.” She winked. “Speaking of tracking, have you run into Ally?”
“I told you—we’re not talking. Besides, she just took off.”
“You didn’t even try to stop her?” Bettina rolled her eyes. “And I thought Reggie’s students were fools.”
Brady shook his head. “I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t go to Ally. She has to come to you.”
As she watched him walk off, it occurred to her that the same thing applied to her.
To get Daniel back, she would have to prove to him that she was the woman worth loving for a lifetime.
She knew just how she’d do it.
* * *
—To Be Continued—
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The Totlandia Series
DOWNLOAD THE FIRST BOOK FOR FREE
TOTLANDIA: Book 1 (The Onesies/Fall)
In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina Connaught Cross, leader of the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle. But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club. Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?
TOTLANDIA: Book 2 (The Onesies/Winter)
In this second book of the Totlandia series, five mommies are just one misstep away from entry into the elite Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club. Everyone has a scandalous secret to hide, but who will be the next to fall? With just four spots remaining, will the five remaining ladies turn cutthroat? Or will their newfound friendships be strong enough to help them band together?
TOTLANDIA: Book 3 (The Onesies/Spring)
The surviving moms are ready to reap the rewards of membership, but none of them counted on club founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, needing a pick-me-up from a bitter betrayal, whereas the new Onesies moms are trying to stay out of her sightlines long enough to deal with their own issues: Lorna wants to tell her family about Dante’s autism, but keeping it on her own terms could be difficult when her hippie mom and socialite mother-in-law meet for the first time. Jillian fights to regain her financial footing and confront her own insecurities, finding comfort in an unexpected place. And Ally can’t bear the thought of hurting Jade, so she continues to bury her feelings for Brady. But when another desperate housewife stirs the mix, Jade could become a pawn in an even more devious game.
TOTLANDIA: Book 4 (The Onesies/Summer)
Summer sizzles in Totlandia, emotions boil over. When Jillian's vindictive joke backfires, she learns the true meaning of forgiveness. Jade’s betrayal puts her in a dangerous downward spiral with no bottom in sight—until she finds friendship and redemption where she least expects it. Lorna faces the biggest trial in her marriage, and makes an important decision that may end it for good. While Ally may regret the choices made she to get accepted in the club, her exile puts new opportunities in her path, thanks to Brady and his ceaseless desire to win her over—with Barry's help, who is playing his own little game with the Top Moms Committee. But it's Bettina who suffers the ultimate punishment—one that changes her life, and the livelihood of the club, forever.
TOTLANDIA: Book 5 (The Twosies/Fall)
When Bettina Cr
oss is faced with having to share the leadership of her beloved Pacific Heights Moms and Tots Club with her sister-in-law, Lorna Connaught, she plays dirty—only to discover that her actions have aligned her two true enemies: Kimberley Savitch, and Kelly Overton. Bettina’s problems are compounded when Daniel Warwick, a Department of Justice prosecutor, wants to use her as bait to trap her soon-to-be ex, Art, into coming home and answering to long list of fraud charges. The fact that Art has scammed most of San Francisco’s wealthiest families has Bettina fighting desperately to preserve her most priceless possession: her social standing. When Brady lines up venture capital funding for Life of Pie, Ally must tamp down his gung-ho power ranger tendencies, while at the same time shore up Jillian’s insecurities that her pies won’t live up to Brady’s promises. And now that the once homeless Reggie is teaching the complete works of Shakespeare to UC Berkeley undergrads, Jade struggles with her fear that she’s competing for his affections with his younger, more beautiful students. Finally, an unexpected tragedy puts Jillian in the middle of her ex's life again—with consequences that will affect her future and those of her twins—forever.
TOTLANDIA: Book 6 (The Twosies/Winter)
Winter’s chill isn’t just in the air. It also runs through the veins of all the women in the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club. Besides dealing with the politics of the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club, Lorna discovers a secret that will scandalize the members—and perhaps have one one them leaving in disgrace; As for Jade, her new part-time job on the UC Berkeley campus allows Reggie to see her in a whole new light—one that will either make, or break, their relationship; Jillian is juggling too much—not just the twins, the growth of Life of Pie, and the details of her wedding, but the guardianship of the infant, Scotty. Will her fiancé, Caleb man up to fatherhood—or will he be scared off by threats of a lawsuit from Rona, the mother her deceased ex-husband, Scott? And Brady’s frustration over Ally’s refusal to commit to marrying him leads him down a slippery slope–into her past. And finally, Bettina's idea for a new mobile may get her out of hock—but will it keep her in the good graces of Daniel Warwick— the Federal agent chasing down, Art?
