by B R Snow
“Yeah, they were in vet school together,” I said, stroking the dog’s back. “She’s always talking about the people she went to school with, but Josie never talks about Joshua.”
“They were probably sleeping together, and it must have ended badly,” Roxanne said, frowning.
“No, I seriously doubt that. She would have said something about it, even as a cautionary tale,” I said, then caught the look Roxanne was giving me. “Sorry. No offense.”
“He’s really not that bad,” Roxanne said, looking off into the distance. Then she caught my stare. “What?”
“I’m not sure if you were trying to convince me or yourself,” I said, topping off both our glasses.
“You must be wondering how I ended up with Josh.”
“The thought did cross my mind,” I said, chuckling. “The last time I saw you was at the reading of the Winters’ family will. And soon after that, I heard you and Brock were getting a divorce.”
“I had to get away from him,” she said, taking a big gulp of champagne. “That family…now, there’s a cautionary tale.”
“Can’t argue with that,” I said, draping one leg over the other. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Do you actively seek out rich men, or do they just sort of fall into your lap?”
“Oh, I seek them out,” she said, nodding. “I found Joshua online, and then things sort of took off from there. You know, the falling into each other’s lap part.”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“I sense judgment,” she said, peering over the top of her glass at me.
“Maybe a little,” I said, shrugging. “But, hey, it’s your life. Whatever works, right?”
“I guess. But this one’s not working,” she said, reaching for the champagne bottle. “Actually, I’m looking for a way out.”
“You’re not married yet,” I said. “How hard can it be to get out of it? Just give him back that golf ball you’re wearing and be done with it.”
“And then what?” she said, staring at me as she fiddled with the huge engagement ring.
“I don’t know. Maybe be by yourself for a while and try to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
“Nah, I hate being alone,” she said, taking another gulp of bubbly. “It’s bound to get better at some point. But he’s such a…”
“Narcissist?”
“Well, there is that,” she said, nodding. “But I was thinking more along the lines of control freak.”
“Yeah, I saw how he deals with Jack,” I said, rubbing the dog’s head. “Is he the same way with you?”
“Pretty much. Apart from the leash,” she said, shrugging. “But give him time, right?”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Roxanne. But if you aren’t happy, I doubt tying the knot is going to help much.”
“It’s not,” she said, shaking her head. “But I need the security. What on earth are they doing in there?”
“They won’t be long. Josie’s very good at what she does.”
“Well, I know she’s good with a knife,” Roxanne said, staring down at the small scar on her hand.
“That was an accident,” I said, lying through my teeth. “And you were hitting on her boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I guess I was,” she said, then brightened. “Say, is she still seeing Summerman?”
“Not really. They’re kind of in a holding pattern at the moment.”
“Interesting. Now there’s somebody I’d like to get my hands on,” Roxanne said. “Is he hanging around Clay Bay at the moment?”
“I haven’t seen him, but I imagine he pops in from time to time,” I said, casually.
“Well, the next time you see him, tell him I said hi.”
The bathroom door opened, and Josie came into the living room shaking her head. She tossed her medical bag back into her suitcase and sat down next to me on the couch. Joshua entered examining the thick bandage wrapped around his hand and wrist.
“Seventeen stitches?” he said, sitting down next to Roxanne. “I could referee a dog fight and not end up needing seventeen stitches.
“Now that’s a great idea. Let’s test it out,” Josie said.
“What’s that dog doing on the couch?” Joshua snapped.
“Resting comfortably,” I said.
“Unbelievable,” he said, shaking his head. “Okay, Roxanne. We should go. I’d like to get some rest before my book signing.”
“Sure, Josh,” Roxanne said, getting to her feet.
“C’mon, Jack,” Middleton snapped as he reached for the leash. “Jack! Get down from there. C’mon, let’s go.”
“Lighten up, Joshua,” Josie snapped. “And don’t yell at him. All he’s doing is sitting on a couch.”
“Say, why don’t you leave Jack here for the rest of the afternoon?” I said, glancing at Josie who immediately calmed down and nodded her agreement. “You two look like you could use some alone time.”
“That’s fine with me,” Middleton said, glaring at the dog. “Right about now, I’d be happy to sell him to you. The ungrateful little-”
“Josh,” Roxanne said, her voice rising, then she softened. “Try to take it easy. Let’s go back to the room and relax for a while.”
“We’ll bring Jack with us to the reception tonight,” I said.
“Fine,” Middleton said, then nodded at Roxanne. “Let’s go.”
They headed for the door but stopped when Josie called after them.
“Joshua?” Josie said.
“What?”
“You’re welcome.”
He frowned at her, then pulled the door open and ushered Roxanne out with a gentle shove in the back.
“What a delightful couple,” Josie said, staring after them. Then she focused all her attention on the dog. “Your daddy is an idiot, isn’t he?”
“Roxanne’s already looking for a way out.”
“Interesting. But she doesn’t have the guts to do it, right?”
“Nothing gets past you,” I said, laughing. “Seventeen stitches? That’s a lot.”
“Yeah, I needed all of them,” she said, grinning.
“Really? To sew up a dog bite?”
“No, I only needed four for that. I used the others to finish the needlepoint.”
“What did you do?” I said, staring at her.
“I just wrote him a little note. Sort of a reminder,” she said, beaming at me as she reached down to scratch the dog’s ears. “He’ll see it when he changes the bandage.”
“What’s it say?” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“Jerk,” she said, gently rolling the dog over onto its back. “You know, it’s been a long time since I did any cursive writing.”
“You have terrible handwriting.”
“Yeah, but I made sure I took my time. I had a heck of a time getting the K right.”
I laughed long and hard, then a question came to mind.
“Is he going to have a scar?”
“We can only hope.”
Chapter 4
After making several stops to sample various appetizers the servers were carrying on trays, we finally made our way to the bar, turning enough heads in the process to make the hour and a half we’d spent getting ready worth the effort. I’d opted for slacks and a blouse, highlighted with a silk scarf my mother had given me for Christmas last year. Josie had decided on a backless black cocktail number that I’m sure was the cause for the vast majority of head turns and second looks. But we both felt and looked great and were eagerly anticipating a relaxing evening with nothing on our to-do list except have a good time.
I shifted the leash I was holding to my other hand and glanced around the crowded ballroom for signs of Joshua Middleton. My search came up empty, and I glanced down at the floor at Jack. He was surrounded by dozens of partygoers, many of whom were beginning to lose their focus. I bent down and picked him up, and he gently licked my hand as I nestled him in the crook of my arm.
“We don’t want you getting stepped on, do we?”
“Good call. The natives are getting restless. These mushrooms are fantastic,” Josie said, polishing off the last of her snack and wiping her hands on a napkin as she searched the room for servers. Then she rubbed Jack’s head.
“It’s like his spirit has been broken,” she said. “The poor little guy.”
“Yeah, he needs to get away from Middleton,” I said, still searching the ballroom for him. “All work and no play, huh?”
“Yet another victim of the soulless corporate engine. Society is definitely in trouble when even our dogs start suffering from burnout.”
I laughed and took a sip of my club soda. “There he is.”
“Where? I don’t see him,” Josie said, trying to follow my eyes. “Oh, got him. What on earth is he doing?”
“It looks like he’s arguing with a couple of guys,” I said, then flinched when I saw one of the men Middleton was talking with throw a punch that landed hard. “Okay, it’s official. It’s an argument.”
“Down goes Frazier,” Josie said, doing her best Cosell imitation.
“Wow. Middleton’s out. Good punch.”
“Who do you think hit him? Another satisfied franchise owner?” Josie said, sliding a few steps away from the bar for a better look.
“That would be my guess. He looks familiar,” I said, glancing over Josie’s shoulder. “Middleton is famous for not living up to his promises. Or he could be sleeping with the guy’s wife.”
“Or both,” Josie said, laughing. “Oh, there’s Roxanne. How do you think she’s gonna play it? The outraged litigant or concerned fiancée?”
We watched closely as Roxanne approached the commotion. She paused long enough to glance down at the dazed Middleton then resumed her casual stroll toward the bar.
“Well, what do you know? Disinterested observer,” I said. “Interesting choice.”
Roxanne spotted us and waved, grabbed two glasses of champagne from a long line the bartender had pre-poured, downed one in a single gulp, then set the empty glass down on the bar. She elbowed her way through the crowd until she was standing next to us.
“What’s going on?” I said.
“What’s going on?” Roxanne said, glaring at Middleton who was slowly getting to his feet. “He called it off this afternoon. That’s what’s going on.”
“He broke off the engagement?” I said, surprised.
“Yes. And he even took the ring back,” she said, glancing down at her left hand. “I was going to sell it and buy a condo.”
“I probably would have gone with a small country,” Josie whispered.
“What?”
“Nothing. Why did he call it off?”
“He said I wasn’t worth the effort,” Roxanne said, tearing up.
“That’s cruel,” I said. “But, hey, it’s not all bad, right? You said this afternoon that you were looking for a way to get out.”
“On my terms,” Roxanne snapped. Then she downed half of her champagne.
“Who hit him?” Josie said, nodding in the general direction of Middleton who was on his feet, but wobbly.
“I’m not sure. I didn’t see it happen. But it’s probably one of his franchisees. One of them has been hassling Josh for weeks. His story is that he was never reimbursed for some construction costs that Josh promised to pay for.”
“Well, if his franchise goes belly up, he has a promising career as a boxer. That was quite a punch,” Josie said.
“It’s too bad he didn’t kill him,” Roxanne said, glaring at her ex-fiancé.
The hairs on the back of my neck tingled when I realized she wasn’t joking. Her eyes were dark beneath the red of her most recent crying jag, and she was clenching and unclenching her fists. Then she nodded to herself and began to walk away.
“Roxanne,” I said.
“What?” she said, stopping and turning around.
“Where are you going?”
“To mingle. What else?”
Then she adjusted her dress that hung off her shoulders, checked her cleavage, and slowly worked her way through the crowd, her eyes scanning the room as if she were searching for prey.
“Well, you gotta admire her powers of recovery,” Josie said, taking Jack from me and holding him in both arms. “Who’s the good boy?”
“Why don’t we grab a drink and have a seat?” I said.
“Good call. I’ll find a table next to the route the appetizer trays are using,” Josie said.
“Okay, Magellan, you do that,” I said, shaking my head.
I grabbed two glasses of champagne and sat down next to her at the otherwise empty table. Josie set Jack on the chair next to her, and he was more than comfortable sitting there taking in the party. Middleton was now sitting at a table nearby holding a napkin stuffed with ice to his jaw. Marjorie and her son approached him, seemed to offer their condolences, then she jerked back, obviously surprised by what she’d just been told. Then her son leaned in close to Middleton who listened briefly, then shoved the young man away. Before the situation escalated any further, the others at the table intervened, and Marjorie and her son walked away from the table. Josie waved and caught her eye, and soon both of them were sitting at our table.
“What was that all about?” Josie said.
“He’s threatening to sue,” Marjorie said, shaking her head.
“Who’s he planning to sue?” Josie said.
“Everyone. The guy who hit him. The hotel. Me.”
“You?” I said.
“Yes. He says, as the conference organizer, I’m responsible for providing a safe environment for all the attendees.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Josie said.
“Joshua lives to sue people,” Marjorie said. “And he’s got a small army of lawyers he loves turning loose. I can’t afford to deal with that.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. He’s not going to sue you.”
I glanced at the young man and couldn’t miss the fire in his eyes as he glared at Middleton.
“I hope you’re right, Thomas,” Marjorie said, then got up from her chair. “Now what?”
I craned my neck and noticed Middleton, now standing, doing his best to mollify a woman who was haranguing him. The woman continued unabated, and several people within earshot stopped what they were doing to listen in.
“What’s she saying?” Josie said, cocking her head toward the conversation.
“Shhh. I can’t quite get it,” I said, concentrating hard. “Okay…scum-sucking pig. I got that one…swore your undying love.” I glanced at Josie. “I’m starting to pick up a theme…whoa.”
“What did she say?”
“I can’t repeat it,” I said, shaking my head.
“He’s making friends all over the place tonight, isn’t he?” Josie said.
“I need to get over there,” Marjorie said. “This is turning into a total disaster. Remind me never to organize one of these things again. I’ll see you later.”
Marjorie and her son approached Middleton’s table and were soon engaged in the debate. We eventually lost interest and sat back in our chairs to play with Jack. Then Josie spotted a young woman carrying a fresh tray of appetizers and waved her over.
“What do you have there?” Josie said, scanning the contents of the tray.
“Stuffed mushrooms, potato puffs with an amazing salmon and scallion mix, and bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers filled with cream cheese. And those are the chef’s famous corn fritters. But if you don’t like spicy food, you probably want to stay away from them. They pack quite a kick.”
“Perfect,” Josie said, sliding a chair back. “That tray looks heavy. Why don’t you sit down and take a load off for a few minutes?”
The woman glanced around the room, then shrugged.
“Why not?” she said, sitting down. “It’s going to be a while before things settle down.” Then she nodded in Middleton’s direction. “Does he even have a clue about how big a jerk he i
s?”
“Don’t worry, he’s about to be reminded of it on a regular basis,” Josie said, grinning to herself as she selected a handful of items from the tray.
“What?”
“Nothing. These potato puffs are amazing,” Josie said, sitting back to give me enough room to reach in front of her. “Try one of those.”
“Salmon? Not a chance. But several of those fritters have my name on them,” I said, glancing down at the dog who’d gone on point when he picked up his first whiff of bacon. “Sorry, Jack. There’s nothing for you here.”
“How do you like working at the hotel?” Josie said.
“I really don’t work here,” she said. “By the way, my name’s Bobbie.”
“I’m Josie. That’s Suzy.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m just picking up a few extra hours anywhere I can find them these days. And my brother got me this conference gig.”
“Your brother?” Josie said, scarfing down a mushroom.
“He’s the head chef here,” Bobbie said. “I hate doing this sort of thing, but I’m in desperate need of money.”
“Your brother is a friend of our other business partner,” Josie said.
“Really? Who’s that?” Bobbie said.
“Her name is Claire, but she goes by-”
“Chef Claire?” Bobbie said, her eyes lighting up.
“Yeah, do you know her?” Josie said, taking a bite of one of the poppers.
“Of course. She was the love of my brother’s life. Actually, I think she still is, at least as far as he’s concerned.”
Josie and I stared at each other then focused on the young woman who continued to glance over at the turmoil surrounding Middleton’s table.
“Details, please,” I said, leaning forward in my chair.
“Yeah, we’re gonna need a bit more,” Josie said. “Do tell.”
“They were in culinary school together in L.A. and lived together for a while. Then my brother decided he couldn’t hack it out there and left, but she stayed behind to open…a restaurant? No, that wasn’t it.”
“It was a high-end food truck,” I said.
“That was it,” Bobbie said. “After things went south, they drifted apart.”
