Trouble Down The Road. Bettye Griffin

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СКАЧАТЬ and Brad had a relationship that was unbreakable.

      She smiled as she heard snippets of conversations about the valet parking plus having to show an admission ticket. She’d read somewhere that the upper crust required this practice to keep uninvited guests or sneaky members of the press from gaining access. With so many people invited, including some she barely knew, Suzanne wanted to make sure some type of crowd control methods were in place, but she also liked the exclusivity factor.

      She managed to greet her guests and simultaneously keep an eye on Brad as he greeted Lisa and Darrell. She seethed as he kissed Lisa’s cheek and she placed a hand on his upper arm as she leaned toward him. Lisa looked wonderful, wearing a classic yellow sundress that flattered both her complexion and her still-trim figure. Her short curly ’do was combed away from her face for a dressier look. For a woman in her upper forties, she looked pretty damn good.

      Suzanne tried to control the jealousy that never failed to flare whenever Brad’s first wife appeared. After all, Darrell was standing right there and seemed fine with it. He gave Brad an affectionate hug as they shook hands.

      Brad then said something to Lisa, who turned to look toward the door. Suzanne’s gaze went in that direction as well. Both Paige and her stepsister and best friend, Devon Canfield, had arrived, each accompanied by a handsome young man, but Suzanne gasped when she recognized Gregory Hickman, Kenya’s estranged boyfriend, as the man whose arm was linked through Paige’s. They were together!

      Cold fury filled her as she watched Paige rush up to her father and embrace him. Then Brad shook hands with Gregory and smilingly greeted him. He didn’t seem at all surprised to see Gregory accompanying his daughter, which made Suzanne wonder if he’d known about it. And he hadn’t mentioned a word about it to her. How dare Paige invite Gregory to escort her, here, of all places. How would that make Kenya feel?

      Suzanne finally forced herself to look away as Brad moved on to Devon and her date. It wasn’t fair. Gregory had chosen Kenya over both Paige and Devon when they were in high school. How could he reverse his decision now?

      This was going to break Kenya’s heart. She had always been crazy about Gregory, who, in addition to being a very nice young man, had been blessed with the best features of his not particularly attractive parents.

      Suzanne hated to see her little sister unhappy, even if she did feel that Kenya could do better than Gregory. Gregory had majored in chemical engineering and would likely do just fine—he already had a job lined up with a leading manufacturer in town, due to begin work in mid-June—but Kenya was pretty enough to land someone from a better family, in terms of both money and finesse. All she had to do was put herself into the right circumstances. Kenya’s problem was that she didn’t seem willing to take any steps to improve herself. She wasn’t likely to meet a bright college student or pro athlete while cashiering at Winn-Dixie. Suzanne privately didn’t harbor much hope for longevity in her sister’s relationship with Gregory, which had always been on and off more than the kitchen lights.

      Suzanne promptly put thoughts of Kenya aside when she spotted Errol and Micheline Trent at the front door. She studied Micheline’s expression but was disappointed to see that Micheline showed none of the open admiration demonstrated by Lisa’s friends, but at least their arrival got Brad away from Lisa and Paige. He shook Errol’s hand, and when Suzanne watched him bend to kiss Micheline’s cheek, she hastily excused herself and rushed over. It was time to stand by her man.

      Crossing a patio full of people she knew took longer than she expected. Suzanne stopped every few seconds to accept compliments on the ambience she’d created. She smiled at a black-vested waiter who offered guests hors d’oeuvres from a silver tray. Another waiter passed a tray with frothy piña coladas, one of several blended rum-based drinks that would be mixed and served over the course of the evening. An assistant bartender deftly worked at the sink of the outdoor kitchen. Suzanne had wanted all drinks to be served in real glasses, but Paula convinced her that wasn’t practical for such a large guest list. Instead she provided high-quality plastic pilsners, wineglasses, and highball glasses, and Suzanne had to admit they worked just as well.

      She deliberately took the long way around so she wouldn’t have to stop to speak to the Canfields or Paige. When she finally reached Brad, he was still conversing with the Trents. She possessively linked her arm through his. “Micheline, Errol. Welcome to our home. I’m so happy you could join us tonight,” she said warmly. She might not be able to name the current secretary of defense or even the chief justice of the Supreme Court, but she’d match her hostess skills against anyone’s.

      Errol took her free hand and raised it to his lips. “Thank you, Suzanne. You’re looking lovely tonight.”

      “Thank you, Errol.”

      “You have a beautiful home,” Micheline said politely.

      Suzanne wanted to slap her. Not because she’d said anything inappropriate, but because of how fabulous she looked. That white dress with its low neckline in front and daringly low dip at the backside was certain to garner plenty of attention from the men present. Micheline was probably the youngest woman at the party, not counting the barely twenty-one Paige and Devon. Most of the wives of Brad’s friends and associates were Suzanne’s age, and many of them were older, like Jean Nelson.

      Micheline kept her expression impassive, but she was greatly impressed by her surroundings. This had to be one of the most fantastic homes she’d ever been inside of, worthy of being featured in a magazine. It was tough the way the wall had been retracted, essentially making the patio and pool deck area an extension of the main house rather than a separate area. The Betancourts could actually sit in their family room and watch the sun set in the open environment. And to think that silly, useless Suzanne got to live here as mistress of the house.

      Micheline had been able to tell from the confused look on Suzanne’s face while they were all talking at the Super Bowl party that the woman was about as bright as a forty-year-old penny. But Brad Betancourt, on the other hand, was definitely Micheline’s type of man. He had money and believed in spending it to make himself and his family comfortable.

      Her in-laws had plenty of money, too, but they lived simply and encouraged her and Errol to do the same.

      Once more Micheline took in the open patio and the lush landscaping around the pool, which looked more like a pond in some exotic setting than a pool in a suburban backyard. She didn’t want to live simply; she wanted to live like this.

      It annoyed Micheline that Suzanne had it so good. She didn’t like it when anyone had it better than she did, and this situation was harder to take than normal, since Suzanne was so utterly undeserving of a prize like Brad Betancourt. If Brad was her husband, he’d never get on her case about how much money she spent, nor would he suggest she get a job. Of course, it wasn’t as if Suzanne had the qualifications to add anything to the family coffers. Ran the office, my ass, Micheline thought. Suzanne had probably been nothing more than a receptionist or file clerk.

      A lightbulb went off in her head, and a slight smile formed on her lips. If she wanted to break up this marriage, she first had to make Brad dissatisfied with his wife. She knew where to start.

      “Suzanne, did you see that?” Arlene Hall’s mouth twisted in an unbecoming manner.

      She didn’t have to turn around to know her mother referred to Gregory escorting Paige. “I saw when they came in. I didn’t know he was seeing her, did you?”

      “No. Kenya told me a few weeks ago that she and Gregory were in one of their off periods, but she didn’t say he was seeing Paige. I don’t think she knew about it until tonight.”

      “Have СКАЧАТЬ