“The more you deny it, the worse you’re making it,” Susan said. “You might as well fess up and tell us the truth.”
“Stop picking on me.” Maggie grabbed her champagne and took a slug. The bubbles tickled her nose, and she sneezed. Champagne splashed over the rim of her glass and onto her jeans. “Damn.” She brushed the bottom of her glass with her fingertips to stop further drips. “I am not sleeping with a married man.”
“Too late,” Christina said. “We’re on to you. You know we’ll worm the info out of you, so you might as well tell us now.”
No way was that ever going to happen. Maggie could imagine what her friends would say if they learned she and Connor were sleeping together. With a trembling hand, she picked up the plate of bread and one of the dips. She offered it to Susan. “Have something to eat.”
“Maggie, honey, I know it’s none of our business, but we love you. Do you think you should do this? I mean, a married man. Does he have kids?” Christina placed a hand on her arm and squeezed. “Have you thought about that? It’s not just you involved here. If the man is married that means others will get hurt by your actions.”
A tight sensation gripped her chest. They really thought she’d come between a husband and wife? “I refuse to discuss this anymore. Can we change the subject?”
Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Maggie opened her mouth to say something. Anything. Her mind froze and she snapped her mouth shut. Damn, how had she landed herself in this position? She snorted. Simple.
Desire and lust.
Weak will.
Connor had asked, and she’d caved. Yep, no willpower.
She glanced up and caught the tail end of the silent messages flying between her friends.They didn’t believe her.
And the more she argued, the guiltier she appeared. Maggie lifted her glass and offered a toast. “To friends,” she said.
They stared, slow to react to her gesture of friendship. Despite the guilt buffeting her in waves, she maintained a confident smile and met their gazes. She was in too deep now. There was no way she could admit the truth and tell them she’d broken her promise about not becoming involved with Connor.
“I guess you know what you’re doing,” Julia said, raising her glass. “To friends.”
“To friends.” Christina heaved a sigh, the inherent disappointment guaranteed to raise Maggie’s guilt. “Julia’s right. You’re an adult, and this is none of our business.”
Maggie stomped on her words of explanation, her need to babble excuses. “Thanks.” It was all she allowed herself to say in fear her conscience would have her adding unwanted details to raise more questions. Her fault, she thought. Her father would have muttered about bad genes and foolishness. And he’d refer toPenisgateand reporters. Maggie fought horrid, embarrassing memories of the past, thrusting them out of mind.
“I’m sorry,” Susan said. “The others are right. We’re your friends and we shouldn’t judge you. But you know we’re here if you need to talk, right?” She lifted her glass and smiled.
Maggie suspected Susan forced her smile, but pushed aside her misgivings and pretended everything was okay between them. Her friend saw things in black and white rather than gray, one of her least endearing qualities. “Anyone for more champagne?”
When she reached for the bottle, she felt the envelope tucked inside her bra like a ticking time bomb. She wondered how long her friends intended to stay, how long it would be before she learned who had sent her the sexy and decadent corset.
Julia followed Susan and Christina from Maggie’s apartment. None of them spoke until they reached the street outside.
A cat yowled from the tiny balcony garden above their heads as they walked to Susan’s car. She unlocked the white Mazda, and they climbed inside.
“I didn’t realize Maggie was serious about the man she’s seeing,” Christina said.
“She mentioned it in her blog posts,” Julia answered.
“I can’t believe she’s sleeping with a married man,” Susan said, starting the car and merging into the traffic. “No matter what the temptation, someone always gets hurt. The only person who wins in a relationship like that is the man. And they might make promises about leaving their wives, but never do.”
Julia reached into her bag and pulled out a lipstick. Using a small portable mirror, she reapplied the deep pink color adorning her mouth. Once finished, she said, “That sounds like the voice of experience. Personally, I’ve always steered clear of married men. More trouble than they’re worth.”
“And sometimes they lie,” Susan said with a trace of bitterness. “Sometimes the first time the women hears the news is when she’s mentioned in divorce proceedings as the other woman.”
“Ouch,” Christina said. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t realize you’d been through something like that.”
“Yeah, it was a few years ago now, before I moved to Auckland.” Susan pulled up at a red traffic light. “It’s made me wary and very picky, which is why I don’t have a steady man in my life. The one experience has turned me into a cynic.”
“So, what are we going to do about Maggie?” Christina asked.
“I’m concerned,” Julia said, “but we’re her friends, not her keepers. She needs to learn from her own mistakes.” Her mouth firmed as she thought about the empty apartment waiting for her. Alone again. Who was she to talk, because her mistakes weren’t teaching her much. “I think we should forget about it and be there for her if she needs us.”
“I don’t like it.” Susan’s voice was grim as she pulled up outside Julia’s apartment. “She’s setting herself up for a fall.”
“We could always follow her,” Christina said. “See where she goes, who she sees?”
“Isn’t that a bit Jane Bondish?” Julia asked. “She’s an adult, and she’s not breaking any laws.”
“Julia’s right,” Susan said. “I think we should leave it alone and let Maggie do things her way. She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”
