Trouble Down The Road. Bettye Griffin

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      KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

       www.kensingtonbooks.com

      In memory of Chet and Micki Morris,

       together again,

       and

       for Harry “Hickey” and Geraldine Pugh,

       still together after 57 years

      Acknowledgments

      Bernard Underwood, Mrs. Eva Mae Griffin. Go, #29!

      Elaine English, my wonderful agent.

      Kimberly Rowe-Van Allen, my story consultant.

      Selena James, my editor. Different editor, same story. I’m late again. (Sigh…)

      A few very special readers: Louise Brown, Bridgete Georges, Joy Hicks, Tanya Johnson, Darlene Kramer, Dorothy Lites (also my second cousin), Victoria Owens, April Pugh, Charlotte Robinson, Shelrie Smith, Janet Williams. Thank you!

      Bessie Taylor, who scooped up copies of everything I’ve written and insisted on getting a line all to herself. I’ll give you two lines, Bessie!

      A few special book club/reading group presidents/founders: Reneé Booker (and all the ladies in the Cozy Corner of Elegance Book Club as well), Yasmin Coleman, Ella Curry, LaShaunda Hoffman, Radiah Hubbert, Tee C. Royal.

      A couple of fellow authors who are Really Nice People: Donna Deloney, Marcia King-Gamble, Shelia Goss, Reon Laudat, Sean D. Young.

      Contents

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      Chapter 20

      Chapter 21

      Chapter 22

      Chapter 23

      Chapter 24

      Chapter 25

      Chapter 26

      Chapter 27

      Chapter 28

      Chapter 29

      Chapter 30

      Chapter 31

      Chapter 32

      Chapter 33

      Chapter 34

      Chapter 35

      Chapter 36

      Chapter 37

      Chapter 38

      Chapter 39

      Chapter 40

      Chapter 41

      A Reading Group Guide

      Discussion Questions

      Chapter 1

      “Aimeriez-vous une autre bière, monsieur?”

      Suzanne focused a narrowed gaze on her hostess. She didn’t want some other woman saying anything to her husband that she didn’t understand. She only knew one French phrase, that voulez-vous line from a lyric to an old Labelle song. That translated to the rather tacky proposition, “Will you go to bed with me?” Micheline Trent hadn’t said that to Brad, but judging from that broad smile on her face and the soulful look in her eyes, she might as well have. Suzanne had been in the Trent home for less than thirty minutes, but she already was ready to shove Micheline’s face into the cheese dip that sat in a bowl on the table.

      When Micheline disappeared, returning moments later with a can of Miller Genuine Draft, Suzanne figured out what she’d said to Brad. Nothing wrong with offering to refill a guest’s pilsner, but she frowned with tightened lips when Micheline leaned over to pour the beer, the right side of her tailored white blouse falling away from her chest enough to reveal a glimpse of unspectacular cleavage in a scalloped white bra that nonetheless seemed to capture Brad’s attention.

      Micheline’s demonstration lasted just a few brief seconds, but every muscle in Suzanne’s body went on alert. To think she’d actually been happy about coming here to watch the Super Bowl. When Brad told her they’d been invited to watch the game at the home of one of the guys from the golf club, she’d been thrilled not to have to spend the evening with their neighbors, Lisa and Darrell Canfield. Suzanne had tried to put a good face on it to appease Brad, but since the Canfields ranked among her least favorite people, she figured anyone’s company would be better than theirs. It looked like she’d been wrong.

      And she needed to get the point across to Micheline that Brad Betancourt was a prize that belonged in her box of Cracker Jack.

      Suzanne watched as Micheline returned to sit next to her husband, Errol, cozying up to him in an oversized chair that was more like a small love seat; two people could fit on it, provided they didn’t carry too many pounds between them. Without even realizing it, Suzanne moved her hand to rest on Brad’s СКАЧАТЬ