Indiscretion: Volume Four
INDISCRETION:
Volume Four
by
Elisabeth Grace
Other Books by Elisabeth Grace
Rumor Has It ~ Limelight #1 Excerpt
Rumor Has It ~ Chapter One Excerpt
INDISCRETION: VOLUME 4
COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Elisabeth Grace
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
© 2014 by Elisabeth Grace
Digital Edition
ISBN: 978-0-9921068-7-4
Cover design and photo by: Regina Wamba of
Mae I Design
Developmental Editor: Angela Smith
Line Editor: Megan Hand
Formatting by: Christine Borgford of
Perfectly Publishable
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
This book is dedicated to all the people that cancer has stolen from my life. Sadly, there are too many to list. I think of all of you often. You are not forgotten.
Metanoia (English)
(n.) the journey of changing one’s mind, heart, self, or way of life
Max
I had just made it into the ballroom as everyone was starting to find their seats for dinner, and I headed over to the table reserved for all the organizers of the event. I’d have to eat quickly as I was slotted to start speaking about halfway through the meal. I’d said my hellos to everyone at the table by the time the waiters had set down the salad plates. Chloe’s seat was still noticeably empty.
I leaned over to Mrs. Gilbert, who was on my right. “Where did Ms. Griffins go?”
A concerned look crossed her face. “Oh, the poor dear. She wasn’t feeling well at all. Came down with something and her sister took her home.”
“That’s unfortunate,” I said. I wondered what happened. She’d seemed fine when I’d seen her earlier. She’d seemed more than fine, actually. It was Mrs. Gilbert’s next statement that put the ice in my veins.
“Seemed more upset than sick if you ask me. I could tell she’d been crying, but what do I know. I’m just an old lady.” She shrugged and went back to stabbing her salad with her fork.
Shit. Fuck. Damn
. And any other curse words I could think of.
Chloe would never miss this charity event without good reason, and she’d been perfectly healthy an hour ago. She had to have seen Sarah and I leave or,
oh fuck
. What if she saw us outside somehow?
Panic rose in my chest. I had to find her, but I was stuck here in my Master Of Ceremony duties for at least another few hours. And there was no chance of not raising suspicions if I, too, left with a mysterious illness. Not to mention the tirade I’d probably have to listen to from my father about how I’d embarrassed the good family name.
I speared a lettuce leaf and brought it to my mouth, not even tasting it. My stomach was in knots, but I’d make sure to eat. I’d be needing my strength when I finally did catch up with Chloe. Grovelling took a lot out of a man.
Chloe
Jess, Jackie, and I all sat around Jackie’s kitchen table, tears continuing to sting my eyes. I reached for the open wine bottle and poured myself another glass. I wanted to be numb. I didn’t want to feel anything. Neither my sister nor my best friend had said much, telling me that I must’ve been an even bigger mess than even I realized.
Finally, my sister spoke up. “Chlo, I don’t understand why he’d fly me out here if he was interested in someone else.”
I waved my hands in front of me. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice breaking. “Maybe he didn’t know she’d be here and, when he saw her again, he realized he still had feelings for her. I’m sure it was his ex-fiance. I can’t see his father bringing just anyone with him on his trip. Or maybe he did know, and he thought if you were here to comfort me, it wouldn’t make him such an asshole.” I tipped my wine glass and tossed back a large, unladylike mouth full of the liquid.
“He is an asshole if any of that’s true,” Jackie chimed in.
“Total asshole,” Jess agreed.
I swung my finger around at her and it took a minute for the image of her to swing into focus. “Language.”
“Give her a break, Chloe. This situation calls for some foul language,” Jackie said, taking her own sip of wine.
“Fine,” I muttered, attempting a half-drunk, pointed look at my baby sister. “But after tonight I don’t wanna hear anything like that coming from your mouth.”
Jess nodded, casually reaching for the bottle of wine.
“Uh-uh,” I scolded. “Not happening.”
Jess shrugged sheepishly. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
“I like it, Jess. You remind me of me at your age.” Jackie laughed.
I bent my head down and massaged my temples. “Please don’t encourage her.” I swiped the half full wine bottle from the middle of the table and brought it haphazardly to my lips. I was so far past caring what I looked like that it was a speck in the rear view mirror. Mascara was running down my face, my hair was half out of its up-do, disheveled from me running my hands through it in frustration, and I was still in my evening dress, my legs crossed in front of me on Jackie’s chair.
I planned on getting even more drunk. Like Jackie at her bachelorette party drunk. And damn it, if that didn’t immediately bring Max to mind. That was where this whole thing with him had started.
Alright. Regroup. You’re drowning your sorrows here.
I took another swig from the bottle, pushing those thoughts back.
“I don’t understand why he would do that to you in public,” Jackie said, almost to herself, like she was trying to work it out in her mind. “From everything you’ve said he sounds like a decent guy.”
“How the hell would I know?” I griped. “Clearly, I don’t really have any idea what kind of person he is. What is
with
me? Jeff cheated on me and now this? I’ve got to be the world’s biggest douche magnet.” Tears pooled behind my eyes again, but I fought to keep them under control. I’d shed enough tears over that bastard. I contemplated for a minute—how did I miss that he was capable of being such an asshole?
“I guess there were some signs,” I said without thinking about who sat at the table.
“What signs?” Jess asked.
Jackie gave me an ‘oh shit’ look across the table.
Damn it.
With a sigh, I filled Jess in about the newspaper article and how Max had explained it away.
Jess’ eyes narrowed. “There’s more. You’re a terrible liar, Chlo.” She crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow.
I gave her a half-hearted wave, stopping abruptly when I almost fell out of my chair. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, honey,” I said in the most reassuring tone that I could muster.
“Then why haven’t
you
told me?” she asked, an accusation more than a question.
I looked to Jackie for help, but she was wide-eyed, her hands up in front of her like she had no idea what to say.