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But that was the intellectual response. Deep inside, she felt only panic and the need to run. Trust didn’t come easily to her. Taking things to the next level romantically wasn’t her strong suit.
“Knock, knock!”
She glanced up from her computer to see Crystal, Terry and Whitney pushing into her small office. They all looked relaxed and happy, which was great, but why were they here?
Even as she asked the question, she got the answer. Today must have been their spa day. She held in a sigh, thinking she really needed to pay more attention to that sort of thing. If only she’d been at one of her other spas.
“What an amazing day,” Whitney, a curvy redhead, said with a cheerful laugh. “My masseuse had magic hands.”
“I loved the facial,” Terry added. “My skin is glowing. And the lunch. Seriously, Erica, we can’t thank you enough for setting up the experience. It was fantastic.”
“I agree.” Crystal smiled at her. “All right, stop whatever you’re doing. The four of us are heading over to the Woodmark Hotel and we’re buying you a drink. Come on. I’m not kidding.”
Erica stared at them. The Woodmark was the boutique hotel next door, so that part made sense, but getting a drink?
“It’s three thirty in the afternoon.”
“Uh-huh, and you work too much.” Crystal pointed to the door. “We’re not taking no for an answer.” Her expression softened. “It’s the least we can do.”
Erica accepted defeat and pulled her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. Together the four of them made the short walk to the Woodmark hotel bar. Once seated, everyone ordered. Erica chose a glass of rosé. It was her least favorite kind of wine and she wouldn’t drink much—after all, she was planning on going back to work.
“I’m counting the days until the season is over,” Terry said when the server had left. “There are too many games, too close together. We’re always going or planning or something.”
“You know the team is going to make the finals,” Crystal pointed out. “So plan on at least three beyond the schedule.”
“I know. It happens every year. Then it’s nearly summer. Thank goodness they’re all old enough to drive. At least I’m not spending as much time driving kids around. We just have to decide about buying her a car.” Terry turned to Erica. “Summer has her own car. How’s that working out?”
“It’s been good. We have rules and she’s following them. She’s a careful driver.”
Whitney groaned. “Essie’s begging for a car, but I don’t know. She’s so flaky. All she cares about is fashion, guys and celebrities. You’re lucky Summer’s so grounded. She couldn’t be less interested in clothes or looks. It’s refreshing.”
Crystal nodded in agreement. “She’s the steady friend. That’s for sure. Even when she was dating that guy last year, there wasn’t any drama, no hysterics when it ended. She was sad, but her grades didn’t suffer, at least not that I know about.”
All three of them looked at Erica for confirmation, but she was too stunned to speak. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “Summer had a boyfriend?”
The three other women exchanged a look. Crystal shrank back in her seat.
“I’m sorry. I thought you knew. It was just for a few weeks. It was—” She cleared her throat. “I mean it wasn’t that big a deal.”
Humiliation merged with pain. Summer had been dating and hadn’t said anything? But these women knew, had been a part of it? When had this happened and who was the guy? No—the more pressing point was her own daughter hadn’t told her about an incredibly significant event in her life.
Erica remembered telling her daughter fifteen was too young to date. Groups were okay, but one-on-one with a guy? Not until she was sixteen. Summer had said she was old-fashioned and didn’t understand. Erica had refused to change her mind. She’d thought that was the end of it.
She pressed a hand to her flushed cheek and wished she could simply run away. The three women were watching her with various degrees of pity, which made things worse.
Her stomach roiled, and her body tensed. How could she not have known? How could her own child not have trusted her enough to tell her the truth? What else was Summer keeping a secret? All this time she’d thought they were getting closer, but she was wrong. She didn’t know anything.
“I can’t,” she said, coming to her feet. “I’m sorry, but I need to go.”
She walked away without looking back. None of them came after her, which wasn’t a surprise. But they would be talking about her as soon as she was out of earshot. Of that she was sure.
Allison stood in the large walk-in closet in her bedroom. Her clothes hung on one side and Peter’s were on the other. As she did most nights, she stood next to his shirts and lightly touched the sleeves, as if the clothing could make her feel her husband was with her.
Normally the ritual comforted her, quieted her worry and eased her mind. But not tonight. In fact not since she’d seen him last and he’d exploded about the amount of money Cappy had given her. Money he hadn’t trusted her with.
Yes, she could rationalize that he’d been worried about the police raiding the house—a point she could almost accept. But not leaving it there was one thing, not telling her about it was another.
Peter had kept secrets. That was both obvious and painful, but there was no avoiding the truth. He’d had an entire secret life, most of it illegal. Which two months ago she would have said was impossible. She knew him, trusted him, loved him. They were married. They’d promised to love each other forever. But had she ever known him at all?
