Maggie sucked in a breath and let it ease out. It did nothing to slow the rapid beat of her heart. When she glanced down, she noticed the tremor of her hand and placed her glass on the coffee table. “No. All I know is that Julia looked happy. I’m pleased for her and I hope whoever was on the other end of that cell phone realizes how great she is.” A quick glance at her friends told her they’d bought her comment and suspected nothing about her and Connor.
Her cell phone rang and she rose, retrieving it from the kitchen. A swift glance at the screen told her it was Connor. She stabbed the answer button, trepidation causing butterflies to stomp around the pit of her stomach.
“Hello.”
“What are you wearing, babe?”
She closed her eyes on hearing his husky voice, thankful that she had her back to Christina and Susan. Searing heat emblazoned her cheeks, signaling her culpability to a sharp-eyed scrutineer.
“No, Greg,” she muttered. “I can’t go out with you. I have friends with me.”
“Who?” Connor asked, his voice sharp and miles away from the lover of seconds before.
“Susan and Christina.”
“I’m at home and would love to see you. Come over when they leave.”
“I don’t know.” Clear doubt shaded her words, propelled by a heavy dose of remorse.
“Please. I want to see you.” He hung up without another word.
Maggie walked back to the lounge to join Susan and Christina, praying they didn’t ask too many questions because she loathed lying. In that moment she hated Connor and the position he’d put her in with hisfriends with benefitsdeal.
“Is Greg still bothering you?” Susan asked.
“Yes,” Maggie said, answering with relief. Greg couldn’t accept her rejection. Anxiety replaced her momentary relief when Connor drifted into her mind again.
Susan flicked her long hair over her shoulder and scowled. “Maybe you should complain at work. Place a formal charge.”
Maggie picked up her glass. Her hand quivered but she hoped they put it down to the phone call. “A complaint for what?”
“Sexual harassment,” Christina said. “He’s bothering you at work and during your personal time. He shouldn’t get away with it.”
Maggie stared at her friends, her hand gripping her glass so tight it was a wonder the stem didn’t snap. “But that would ruin his career. He’d have to leave and find another position.”
“But he’s using the job to get to you,” Susan said. “He’s not going to stop until you make him. Christina is right. You need to file a grievance.”
Maggie didn’t think she could do that. She’d talk to him first. Hopefully their last chat had put an end to his hopes for a future with her. “I’ll think about it.”
“You should.” Christina put down her glass and yawned. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted. I have a client to take care of tomorrow and need my beauty sleep. I think I’ll head home.”
“I might go too,” Susan said. “Will you be okay if we leave you alone?”
A whoosh of relief almost floored Maggie. She’d wondered how she’d get rid of her friends, even though shame filled her with every thought. Her need for Connor, for his touch and companionship, raged hotter than her self-reproach.
“Maggie? Will you be okay?”
With a start she returned to the conversation, castigating herself yet again for letting Connor sidetrack her thoughts. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“Wasn’t Greg coming over?”
“I told him you were here and were spending the night. I don’t think he’ll turn up because I was sharp with him.”Lies. All lies. Could she dig herself a deeper trench?
Susan cocked her head. “Are you sure?”
She reminded Maggie of an inquisitive bird. “I’m sure. Besides, I want to handle Greg. I don’t want group participation.”
Christina pushed her glasses up her nose and grinned. “But group participation is so much fun.”
