Smoke And Ashes. Danica Winters

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       Chapter Four

      The teak chair pinched Heather’s leg as she perched on the edge trying to make her legs look sexy. David wasn’t even looking at her; instead he stood chatting away with Heather’s beautiful friend Brittany. He brushed back Brittany’s blond hair and whispered something. Her laughter cut through the air.

      The grill sizzled and smoke poured into Heather’s face, making her look away. A group of teenage boys were splashing around in the pool as the teenage girls sat on the side whispering behind their hands and texting on their bubblegum-pink phones.

      Life had been so much simpler at that age. Days consumed with flirting and laughter. Nights filled with dreams of things to come. When she was close to that age she had been consumed with thoughts of the charming, too handsome, college-aged David—the man who had started their relationship with flowers and love notes and now couldn’t even look her in the eye.

      She walked over to him, but only Brittany looked at her. “Hiya, Heather. David was just telling me about his day. He’s so funny!”

      He hadn’t been funny with her in a long time.

      She suffered through a smile. “Yeah.”

      Brittany turned to David and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Did you tell her what happened?”

      David finally bothered to look at her, but his eyes were pinched into a glare. “She doesn’t like to hear about my job.”

      “What? Really?” Brittany giggled, the sound mimicking the titters coming from the poolside. “I think it’s fascinating.” She ran her finger down David’s arm. “You have such a noble job—saving lives.”

      Heather couldn’t stand the way David’s face transitioned from a glare to a smile as Brittany touched him.

      “I need a drink,” Heather said.

      Everything would be okay. She just needed to fake it and get through this day without breaking down and having everyone find out about her failing marriage.

      “I’ll go with you. Nathan’s made the best strawberry margaritas.” She looped her arm through Heather’s and made her way toward the tiki bar.

      Heather glanced back at her husband, but he’d already started to talk to another woman. Across from her, poolside, was Kevin. He sent her a sexy smile as he waved.

      “Two margaritas, por favor!” Brittany called to her husband.

      The winter-pale Nathan had on a coconut bra T-shirt, red hibiscus-covered Bermuda shorts and a party store straw hat. “Coming right up.”

      He shook his chest, making the coconuts jump. “Where’s the smile, Heath?”

      “I...uh...”

      “She just hasn’t had a drink yet. That’ll make everything better. Isn’t that right, bestie?” Brittany giggled and pushed her into a seat.

      “Lime in the Coconut” came on the speakers and Nathan did his best impression of a hula dancer as he flipped on the blender. But not even the goofy Nathan could make her laugh today.

      He poured the mix into a bowl-sized glass. As he sat the glass in front of her, the scent of tequila was strong in the air.

      “Little heavy-handed with the tequila, huh?”

      Nathan laughed. “I just want you to get to feeling better. Remember, it’ll be better tomorrow.”

      She doubted it.

      One of her neighbors, the woman from three doors down who always walked her Pomeranian in the mornings, stepped to the bar and drew Nathan’s attention.

      “So what’s going on?” Brittany asked.

      “Huh?” Heather took a long sip from the delicious, strawberry drink.

      “You’ve barely spoken to David all day.”

      Brittany thought that his avoidance was her fault? Brittany was her best friend, but if Heather told her what was truly going on and how close she was to divorce, the gossip would fly faster than cottonwood fluff in spring. Then again, if she didn’t explain, Brittany was likely to assume something far worse than the truth.

      “We’re going through a rough patch.”

      “I got that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look at David like that before.”

      “Like what?”

      Brittany chewed on her lip. “Well... You looked desperate.” She said the word as if it left a foul taste.

      She could hardly admit that she was desperate, or Brittany wouldn’t just carry the foul taste for the word, she would have a foul taste for her, as well. She couldn’t lose her only girlfriend.

      “It’s hard, Brittany. One minute I can’t imagine my life without him, and the next I’m so angry. I’m so confused.”

      “What do you want?”

      “I don’t know, but I can’t give up.” She may not love him at the moment, but her mother had always told her that love varied in marriage—now was just a low.

      Heather took a drink, letting the tequila soak into her tongue. “How can I get him back?”

      “You’re talking to the right woman.” Brittany wiggled her finger. “I’ve got just the thing.”

      * * *

      “HAVE YOU SEEN COLTER?” Kevin СКАЧАТЬ