Jennifer Snow – The Trouble with Mistletoe (страница 9)

“Vic…stop…” Heather said, struggling to catch her breath.

“I’m glad you find this amusing,” Victoria ground out.

“It can’t be that bad.”

“Oh, really?” Victoria rubbed her eyes. She had to get out of here. “I hate you for setting this up.” She stood and slumped against the bathroom wall. Her eyes fell to a set of initials inside a heart, drawn in black marker on the opposite wall: V.M. and L.D. Forever. She shrieked. They haven’t painted the walls in twelve years?

“What?” Heather sobered instantly. “What’s wrong?”

“The graffiti on the bathroom wall is taunting me,” she barked into the phone. “I’m seriously going to have a panic attack. Where are you anyway?” Her friend had also been assigned an acquisitions trip that week.

“You don’t want to know.”

“Heather.” Her tone was stern.

“San Diego. But it’s really not that great.”

“Liar. How do you always get the good trips?” In the past three months her friend had been to Miami and Phoenix. Victoria had been to Amarillo and Bridgeport.

“I’m dating the boss. It means I’ll never get promoted, but I get the good trips.”

Victoria shuddered. If that’s what it took, she’d rather be sent to Alaska.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll start getting sent to better locations in the New Year.”

“Yeah, maybe.” She wasn’t so sure. “Okay, I have to get back out there.”

“I’m sorry, Vic. I thought it would be fun for you to catch up with your old friends.” Heather sounded disappointed. “You always talk about them and the fun you had in high school. Kind of makes me jealous. I was always the outsider at my school.”

“I realize you meant well, but I just don’t know these women anymore. We certainly don’t have anything in common. I feel like my life is meaningless to them. My accomplishments mean nothing because I haven’t done them with a baby on my hip.” She let out a deep sigh and rubbed her forehead. She had to call it a night. The free Wi-Fi just wasn’t worth it.

“Don’t let them get to you. We will celebrate our lack of knowledge of poop and vomit at the Richardson the night you get back. First round of drinks and the cab are on me.”

She doubted that another girls’ night out would so easily put to rest the idea triggered by her old friends that life was passing her by, but she just said, “Okay. Talk to you soon.” Disconnecting the call, Victoria freed herself from the bathroom stall. She readjusted her pink cashmere sweater, relieved she didn’t know the other person at the sink. She washed her hands and smoothed her wavy, blond hair before walking out.

“I’m not sure she’s having a good time.” Lisa was saying as she approached the table. “I don’t think she finds our domestic life very interesting.”

“Well, I don’t see anything spectacular about being attached to a laptop and BlackBerry, either,” Ava said. “And she’s never going to get married and have kids if she can’t even find time to go on a date.”

“Remember who you’re talking about. Victoria’s never wanted those things. It’s not like she didn’t have the opportunity—she chose something different, that’s all,” Rachel said.

“Well, I still think she’s crazy for leaving Luke,” Ava replied.

“Speak of the devil, look who just walked in… Now this should be interesting.” Lisa blushed, noticing Victoria behind them.

She followed the other woman’s gaze toward the pool hall entrance and her heart sank. Couldn’t she get through one disaster today without him playing a role in it?

Luke stood in the entrance, scanning the almost-empty pool hall.

Lisa held up a hand in greeting.

Ava swatted her arm down, with a quick glance in Victoria’s direction. “Stop that,” she said in exasperation as Luke approached their table. “Great. He’s on his way over. Sorry, Victoria.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Victoria took a sip of her drink and fought to keep her hand steady. After all this time, despite her success in New York, her friends still thought she’d made the wrong decision. Well, she didn’t expect them to understand her motivations and ambitions. They never had. At least she could count on Rachel to defend her. Just get through this evening.

“Hey, ladies. Glad to see you three finally got an evening out. Ava, I see Darren over at the pool tables. Who’s with the kids?” Luke asked.

“They’re spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa’s.” She pumped her fist in the air, which made them all laugh.

“Rachel,” he said, “you look beautiful as usual. Quite the pregnancy glow you have working for you.”

“Thanks, Luke.” Rachel turned a deep shade of crimson, but it was obvious the compliment had made her evening.

Traitors. All of them. Victoria watched in amusement as the three women chatted up her ex-fiancé. Squinting in the dim lighting, she took in his strong jawline and blue eyes reflecting the glow of the Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling.

“Hey, Luke. Quit flirting and get over here.” Jim Bishop waved from the pool table and held up a beer.

Luke nodded as he moved around the table. “Excuse me, ladies. I have some money to win.” He paused by Victoria’s chair and lowered his voice to say, “I thought you were tired. Does your mother know that you lie to her?”

Victoria stared at the glass in her hand. “I don’t know, Luke. Does your mother know you had dinner at our house?”

Luke cleared his throat as he unzipped his leather jacket. “Well, our mothers don’t need to know everything, now, do they?”

“Enjoy your pool game,” she said, dismissing him.

He glanced at her computer on the table in front of her. “You brought your laptop on a girls’ night?” he asked. “Real party girl. Enjoy your evening, ladies.” He raised a hand and sauntered off.

Victoria resisted the urge to turn and stick her tongue out to his back. “I think we need another round,” she said, draining the contents of her glass. She stood and had to grip the edge of the tall bar table for support against a dizzy spell.

“Not me. I just texted Nathan to let him know I’m on my way. Sorry, Victoria, I’m beat.” Rachel slipped into her coat.

“No problem. Get some rest.” It was almost eleven. In New York, the night would just be getting started. In Brookhollow’s local hot spot, only a few quiet tables remained other than the boys shooting pool. She should call it a night, as well. She had the perfect excuse now with Rachel leaving. Turning toward the pool tables, her eyes met Luke’s. She’d stay for one more drink with the girls. She had been a little rude.

“Okay. Be sure to stop by this week and we’ll catch up some more.” Rachel got up from the table, adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder.

Ava stood. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Another glass of wine?” Victoria raised an eyebrow.

Lisa and Ava hesitated. No doubt the gap between their lifestyles was perfectly clear to each of them.

“I’d love to see pictures of your children if you have them.” She really was interested in their lives; she just hated that it stirred an unprecedented yearning in her.

The other two agreed.

“Okay then, I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll save our table.” Lisa was already digging around in her purse for pictures.

“Sure,” Victoria said. As if that would be necessary. The place was dead.

Approaching the bar, she ignored the cat calls from the pool tables. “Hi, Melody. Can we get another round?”

“Sure, Vic. How’ve you been?” The bartender, Melody Myers, was another old high school acquaintance. With a yawn, she poured vodka into a shot glass and dumped the contents into a short glass, before reaching for a can of energy drink.

She looked older than her thirty-two years. The lines around her eyes and forehead were deep and she appeared to have aged more than the rest. With her thinning face and even a few streaks of gray in her light brown hair, it was hard to believe they were the same age and from the same graduating class. Having lost her husband in a car accident the year before, she was raising her twin seven-year-olds on her own.

“I’ve been good. Busy…”

“Yeah, I noticed the laptop.”

Victoria ignored the hint of judgment she thought she detected in the woman’s voice. “How about you?” she asked gently.

“Taking it day by day,” Melody answered honestly as she shook a shaker and poured Lisa’s fruity cocktail, then grabbed the bottle of house white wine to pour a glass for Ava. She placed the drinks on the bar.

Victoria nodded as she reached into her wallet. Melody’s incredible voice had once kept her very busy at weddings and funerals. Victoria had always assumed she’d take it further. It saddened her to think that Mel’ody’s life hadn’t turned out exactly how she’d planned. She hesitated before asking, “Do you still sing?”

Melody wiped down the bar and deposited the cash in the register. She tossed the change into the tip jar after Victoria refused to take it. “Well, I’m still a star at the church and with my kids every night. That’s enough for me.” But there was a note of longing in her voice.

Victoria noticed the pictures of the young boys behind her on the bar mirror. Cute kids.

Melody caught her staring and smiled. The effect softened her hardened features. “David and Joshua—twins. Must be something in the water around here. Be careful,” she warned, nodding toward Luke.