They rang Maggie’s doorbell and waited. Almost instantly, her voice floated through the intercom.
“It’s Susan and Christina.”
“Is it Julia? Wait, come on up.” Maggie buzzed them inside and met them at the door in her robe. The scent of her favorite lavender shower gel wafted from her, indicating they’d interrupted her morning routine.
“What’s up? Is something wrong with Julia? Has she taken a turn for the worse? She seemed okay last night when I dropped in to see her. She said they were discharging her today.”
“Julia’s fine,” Christina said.
“Good. Come into the kitchen and we can talk while I make coffee.” She sauntered away before either of them could reply, leaving Christina to close the front door.
“We want to talk to you about something else,” Susan said, her gaze raking Maggie’s face as she went through the motions of making coffee. It was obvious how she’d spent her night. Her mouth looked swollen, her eyes sparkling with life, despite the faint shadows beneath them. She looked beautiful. Happy.
Susan hardened her heart, shoving aside the envy threatening to break through, the wish she could find someone. “We know about you and Connor. We know you’re lovers.”
Maggie paled and swayed before gripping the edge of the kitchen counter to right her balance.
“You broke your promise,” Christina said.
“You lied to us,” Susan said, the past thumping into her like a man wielding a stick. All she could think about was the betrayal, the breaking of promises, the lack of loyalty. Her past bled into the present, and anger hardened her face into a scowl.
“But I—”
“No excuses,” Susan snapped. “We agreed Connor was out of bounds. You’ve changed, Maggie. I don’t know you anymore.”
“I don’t believe it,” Christina said. “You’d risk our friendship for a few weeks of him in your bed? You know what Connor’s like. His relationships don’t last. I can’t believe you’d betray us so you had someone to spank you.”
“This is not about spanking,” Maggie retorted, squaring her shoulders. “It’s not like that.”
“It looks like it to us.” Susan ignored the sheen of tears in Maggie’s eyes because if she stared too hard, the anguish she felt inside would spill out and she’d bawl.
“No, Maggie is right. This isn’t about spanking. It’s about friendship and trust. You made a promise and you broke it,” Christina said. “Now you have to live with the consequences.”
Susan knew Christina had feelings for Connor but had done nothing because of their pact. Susan watched a tear roll down Maggie’s cheek and hardened her heart. Georgina had cried too, said she hadn’t meant to fall in love with Susan’s fiancé and begged forgiveness. Susan swallowed rapidly, the sting of tears and ache in her throat echoing her inner turmoil. Yeah, her luck with men sucked, but she’d thought she’d had a wealth of friends. Just showed what she knew.
“Wait! Let me explain,” Maggie pleaded.
“I’m so angry I can’t talk now,” Christina snapped. “All I can think about is the lies.”
“Come on, Christina,” Susan said. Now wasn’t the time to discuss Maggie and Connor rationally. She needed to regain her equilibrium. “We might as well go.” Christina wasn’t the only one who was angry. Besides, talking to Maggie wouldn’t achieve a thing.
The damage was done.
You won’t last.
The words echoed through Maggie’s head like an audio on a continuous loop during the entire trip to work. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she dabbed at them, ignoring the other commuters on the bus. One hanky became so wet she had to fumble in her purse for another. She came up with a napkin from the pub she and Connor had visited the previous night. That started her off again.
The bus halted, and a teenage girl thrust a packet of travel tissues at her when she exited the bus. “Men are pigs,” she muttered as she stomped down the back steps and strode away.
Embarrassed, Maggie tried to stem her tears. Christina and Susan had said nothing she hadn’t already thought herself. She was nothing like Connor’s usual girlfriends. The fact had always worried her, yet she’d slept with him anyway. They’d had fun, but maybe it was time to end their agreement before she got hurt. Aw, hell. Who was she trying to kid?
She loved him. Walking away, breaking up with him, would feel like a kick in the guts. But she had to do it. In her heart she knew they didn’t have a future together. He’d already cost her friends, and somehow, she didn’t think Susan and Christina were in a forgiving mood. Once they talked to Julia, she’d lose her last remaining friend.
She needed to end things with Connor before she got hurt even worse.
The bus neared her stop, and she gathered her bag, ready to spring to her feet and push her way to the exit. She stared out the window, watching a beautiful blonde woman kiss her lover. Her arms wound around his neck and he, in turn, held her tight, his hands resting on her butt.
They pulled apart and wandered past the bus.
