Page 67 of The Bad Husband

I break my eyes away from him and smile at her.

“The man is nothing like my father.”

“He’s nothing like anyone I know. I didn’t know he was that hot.”

“I didn’t know either.”

She loops her arm through mine as we turn our backs to the house and inch closer to the food table.

“Why was he staring at you like that?”

“I have no idea. He probably wants to piss off his wife.”

“That’s it?”

“What else? Look at her,” I suggest as we move closer to where she speaks.

“She doesn’t seem preoccupied with him. What’s their deal?” Keira asks.

“I wish I knew. Something is off about these two. Not off as in how it was with my father and her.”

A tinge of sadness slides through my voice.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I truly am.”

I shrug.

“It was what it was. He was an adult. And he was obsessed with her.”

“I can see why.”

Keira studies Henrietta.

“I wish I were more like her, just not a snake like her.”

“She’s a woman with clout. And she has no problem using her looks to achieve what she wants. You can’t blame her.”

“You can’t. I can. How come her new husband isn’t mesmerized with her?”

“I wish I knew that, too. Maybe he’s not the type who gets easily obsessed with a woman.”

“What does he do for a living?”

“He owns a club. I don’t know much else about him.”

Keira glances around when I hear her speak again.

She squeezes my hand gently.

“There he is.”

I follow the direction of her stare and watch Damon West join a group of men and women.

This time he doesn’t look at me, and I brace myself for more of the same happening this evening.

LILA

The party wraps up after eleven.