Page 106 of Perfect Satisfaction

Wearily, I start to use the keypadto unlock the door when it’s yanked from my hands. A woman with blond curls that twist everywhere with bright red glasses leaps back in surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was expecting...”

“Not me?” I ask wryly. I hold the door open so she can slide out.

She gives me an appealing smile. “My husband’s due any moment to pick me up. I was just helping Sula get ready.”

I cock my head to the side and stare at her face, which is so familiar. Catching myself, I apologize, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just your face is familiar.”

She immediately holds out a hand. “Emily Freeman-Madison.”

I accept it and piece it together. “The fashion designer.”

“One and the same.” A good looking man comes out of the elevator behind me. “Ah, there’s my husband. Jake, this is...”

“Arek Ronan. I’m...” I’m shocked when Emily Freeman-Madison’s eyes frost over. She retracts her hand and moves into her husband’s waiting arms.

“I’m well aware of who you are, Mr. Ronan. I’m distantly related to Sula.”

My mind whirls. With all the research I did about my wife, I never found this out. “You are? She’s never mentioned the connection.”

Emily bites her lip. “No, she wouldn’t have.”

The man tightens his arm around her shoulder. “Come on, Em. The kids are waiting.”

“Right. Mr. Ronan.” And just like that, I’m alone in the foyer.

I carefully close the door and place everything on the long console table. Then I enter the main living area and my legs stop moving.

I’m certain my heart’s stopped beating as well.

“Sula?” I whisper.

She whirls around and if I thought the back of her dress was impressive, it’s got nothing on the front. In a dramatic red, the ballgown she’s wearing cuts at an angle over her breasts. Between the sparkling shoes and the diamonds dripping from her ears, she’s quite simply the most exquisite woman I’ve ever seen.

My lips part before I manage, “You look incredible.”

“Thank you.”

“Where are you going?”

She meets my gaze head-on. “The Fair Harvard Annual Reunion.”

My eyes narrow as I process her words before asking, “How did you get an invite? You didn’t graduate from Harvard Law.”Why didn’t you ask me to go with you?The hurt settles somewhere just beneath my rib cage.

“Wrong. I did. Joint degree—Juris Doctorate and Masters in Public Policy just before I met you. Took me forever to finish. Fortunately, my professors understood the limitations on my class load due to my commitment with the project I was shepherding through at the time for the Five Eyes Allies.” She shrugs as if it was no big deal.

When in fact, it’s an enormous one. My wife graduated from Harvard, and I never knew, never thought to ask. I struggle with the persistent thought beating in my head.There’s so much more to the woman you married than you realized.I start and stop to ask her a million questions before settling on, “How did you manage to have a life while balancing a job, a life, and what I’m certain was extensive course work?”

She scoffs. “Easy. Eliminate life.”

“Excuse me?” Her words cause me to fall back a step.

“Arek, you’re under the delusion I have one even now. Tonight is the first night I’m doing something social since... never mind.”

I gape, still astonished.

“If you’ll excuse me, I believe in being fashionably late but not missing the party.” She swoops toward the door, her crimson gown trailing behind her.

Just as she reaches the penthouse door, I call her name. Without turning around, she squares her shoulders before questioning, “Yes?”