Felicity pointed. “Second door on the left.”
“I’ll try and leave you some hot water. But I have a lot of sand and grit in unmentionable places.”
“Don’t worry about that. Take as long as you like. I’m not going tonight.”
Maddie froze. “You’re not?”
“No. It’s part of a few promises I’ve made to myself. No attending events just because she’ll be there. I’m only going to the essential ones in the future.”
“Oh.” Maddie couldn’t even imagine Elena at a function without Felicity at her side.
“Besides,” Felicity added, heat rising in her cheeks. She squirmed. “I have a date.”
“A date? Anyone I know?”
“No. He’s a lawyer I met at the Duchamp afterparty. You’re actually in his terrace house, and he’s kindly allowed you to get fixed up here tonight.”
“He? Oh. Huh.” Maddie paused.
“What?”
“I just thought maybe you liked women. Or Elena specifically. You know. Romantically.”
“What?” Felicity’s mouth fell open. “Why would you think that? And you do know she’s straight, right? Oh, there’ve been a few assistants who’ve fallen for her now and then, but I’ve worked with that woman for years, and she’s never shown even the slightest hint of—”
“Hey,” Maddie cut her off urgently, “I’m sorry to have assumed, okay? I’m just really glad you’ve found someone.”
Felicity huffed out a breath. “Yes, well.” She folded her arms. “Phillip is a good man. He doesn’t mind that I’m late for everything or work ridiculous hours, or…” Felicity lowered her voice to a dramatic, pained whisper, “that I’m from the Midwest.”
Biting back a grin, Maddie said, “Great. I’d love to meet him sometime.”
“Absolutely not! Do you think I’d let him anywhere near Miss Lucky Streak? No! Now go…make yourself presentable. The car will be back before you know it.”
CHAPTER 34
The Last Dance
Elena had always assumed the unravelling of her second marriage would be as problematic as the first was easy. With Spencer, he’d just packed up and left. Not even an argument, let alone a whimper. With Richard, Elena had done some careful planning, preparing for any eventuality with her team of lawyers, from the moment she’d kicked him out.
It had therefore been astonishing to read how “much in love” he was with her in the gossip columns. Positioning himself to be the good guy when the word of their impending divorce leaked, no doubt. That was funny, given she’d since learned that he was now ensconced with Janice from the marketing department at his work—a woman with a reputation for appreciating men with money.
A week ago, Elena had called her acquaintance, Annalise Taylor, wife of the new VP at Richard’s firm, and suggested a catch-up lunch. Annalise was the world’s most indiscreet woman—which was easily her most useful asset.
And so, over a few cocktails, Elena happened to “let slip” about what Richard had really been up to for years. She had requested anonymity for her “lapse” in discretion, and Annalise had nodded so hard that her drop diamond earrings had bucked like a pair of broncos.
Annalise had lived up to her reputation. Richard had been suspended within the day while his superiors began a full investigation into whether he’d been inappropriate at their workplace, too.
The moment her cell phone had rung with his signature theme from Ride of the Valkyries, Elena knew her husband’s wrath would be ferocious. She closed her office door and locked it before settling herself perfectly centre in her chair and exhaling. Then she answered her phone.
“Yes?”
“You bitch. It was you. Had to be. Who else knew?”
“And hello to you, too, Richard.” Her tone was measured and hid the hate she now felt for him. Control was power.
“They might fire me, you vicious little cunt.”
“For good reason, no doubt,” Elena countered. “May the women at Better Health United USA all exhale in relief.”
“Why’d you do it? We had a goddamn deal!”
“A deal?” she asked innocently.
“You know we did. Why’d you make me pay out all that compensation to those whiny slut assistants and make all those damn donations to women’s shelters if you were just going to spread the story about me anyway? That’s bullshit, Elena! Fuck you!”
She gave a grim smile and adjusted the position of her pot of pens on her desk. “It’s hardly my fault if you somehow gained the impression I’d never tell anyone in exchange for your financial penance. I left all of that to my lawyers to sort out.”
“It was implied!” he shouted. “You know it. One of those suited turds said we couldn’t put it in writing, because I wanted nothing in writing, but that we had a deal. I trusted you. I trusted you and you betrayed me!”
“I betrayed you? Oh, poor dear. So tell me, how does that feel?”
Ragged breath was the only reply for a few minutes, as he digested her meaning. His tone went from heated to frosty cold. “I’ll sue you, you fucking ice bitch.”
“Dare you to try.” She disconnected the call. He wouldn’t sue her. The spineless bastard wanted his dirty laundry contained, not aired in open court.
* * *
It had only taken a week before Richard’s company dug up enough dirt to turn his suspension into a termination, or so Annalise had told her over their next round of cocktails. His girlfriend had stuck by him, though, despite whatever rancid antics he’d been up to at work. How adorable.
