The Escape Collection: (The Escape Collection) (95 page)

“I could never call him that. He’s an amazing doctor, Bree and I just feel so…”
 

Bree tuned her out. It was remarkable how many people automatically thought Daniel was a God just because he had a few letters behind his name and the title, ‘doctor’. He was just a man. Bree sighed and looked down at the suitcase that was growing heavy in her hand. And, wasn’t that the whole problem?

“Kathy,” she interrupted. “I really don’t have time right now to chat, but—“

“Oh, that’s right.” Kathy’s eye appeared through a slat in the fence. Bree jumped back a bit. Her eye was a beautiful shade of blue, not unlike her twin sister’s Lizzy. It was a little unnerving how similar they looked. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” Kathy asked.
 

Bree managed the biggest smile she could for her neighbor who was quickly becoming a pain. “I took the day off. I have a few things to take care of today and—“

“Oh good. Will you be around in an hour, then? Please say you will be because Jenna has this idea in her head to go over and greet the new people at 95 and you know her, she probably has some sort of tiered cake with all of us as chocolate people or something.”
 

Bree checked her watch. She needed to get the suitcase out to the car and take care of the last few things in the house before 11:30. She didn’t have time to meet any new neighbors and what would be the point?

“I don’t know, Kathy. I really do have a lot to do today.”

“Bree, you can’t leave me alone with her.” Kathy was so dramatic, completely opposite her calm, levelheaded sister.
 
“Oh,” Kathy added. “And if you come I promise to make my sister give you her jelly recipe you were raving about at the last barbecue. Remember the one?”

“Jelly?” Bree bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. It probably wasn’t fair to Kathy, but she nodded anyway. “Okay,” Bree said, in case Kathy’s eyeball missed her agreement. “I’ll meet you out front, because if there’s one thing I like, it’s your sister’s jelly.”
 

She couldn’t help it, a giggle slipped out, but Kathy didn’t notice because right then, a baby’s wail came from inside Kathy’s house and the eyeball disappeared. “Thanks,” Kathy said. “I’ll go call Lizzy right now.”
 

“You don’t have to rush, Kathy. I’ll get her jelly soon enough.”

Kathy ran off to tend to whichever of her brood was squealing and Bree continued with her task of loading the car. There wasn’t much to take, really. Some clothes and a few personal items. Everything else was just stuff.

She fed the cat and watered the plants because Daniel would never think to do it. The cat, yes. But not the plants. He wouldn’t notice them until they were brown and crunchy. Not that it mattered. When she put the watering can away where it belonged, under the sink, she looked around. Ready.
 

She glanced at her watch and moved to the front window. Jenna Newbury was walking down her steps with a large basket in her hands. Bree chuckled. Not a tiered cake, but close enough.
 

Bree opened her front door, waved at Jenna and met her on the sidewalk. It was beyond her why the woman thought the key to happiness was a new recipe and pressed pants. She smiled and said, “Jenna, what a lovely basket. You do come up with the most clever ideas.”

Jenna beamed. “Thank you. What a nice surprise you could join us today. I was just thinking I’d have to talk to your dear husband about refilling Ty’s prescription. You don’t think he’d mind, do you?”

Bree smiled. Of course he’d mind. It would be the fourth time she’d asked, and the fourth time he’d declined the refill. “I’m sure he’d be happy to,” she lied.
 

Jenna’s smile got even bigger, almost cracking her makeup, but when Kathy joined them on the sidewalk a moment later, it was gone.
 

“The kids are watching a movie. I have ten minutes,” she said. Her hand rested on her burgeoning belly and Bree couldn’t help but glance from it to Jenna. “Oh and, Jenna?” Kathy added. “Could you please send Richard over later this week? If it’s okay of course. I’m afraid my shower head’s come loose.”
 

“I’ll send him as soon as he walks in the door.” Bree tilted her head and watched the queen of perfection shift her perfectly put together basket to her other hand, wondering how she could possibly be so completely clueless that she was arranging a date for her husband and his mistress. Unless, she wasn’t.

Bree raised an eyebrow and they all began walking down the street. Before they walked up the steps, Jenna grabbed Bree’s arm stopping her. “I forgot to mention,” Jenna said. “I was telling Kathy I saw a car that looked just like her sister Lizzy’s parked in front of your house the other day.”
 

It was unseasonably warm and a trickle of sweat trailed down the center of Bree’s back. She shifted awkwardly in an effort to stop it. She’d told Lizzy not to park out front, but she’d insisted it wouldn’t matter soon anyway. Her self assuredness was one of the things Bree loved about her.
 

“I told her it couldn’t be Lizzy,” Kathy spoke up. “Besides, why would she be visiting you?”

Bree was prepared. “No, it wasn’t Lizzy,” she said simply. “I haven’t seen her since the last barbecue…when I tasted her jelly.”
 

Jenna nodded then shook her head, but she didn’t question it.

Together they walked up the steps and knocked on the door. A petite blond woman answered. She wore a pretty sweater set, but her ponytail had slipped low and a smudge of flour decorated her cheek. Bree watched Jenna nod in satisfaction. This woman was no competition for her.
 

“Hello, Jenna spoke for the group. “We’re your new neighbors and we wanted to welcome you to our friendship circle.”
 

Friendship circle? Bree tried not to choke.
 

“I’m Jenna, this is Kathy and this is Bree.” She pointed at each of the women in turn and they nodded and said hello.
 

“I’m Deanne,” the pretty blond said. “This is so lovely. Thank you.”

Bree thought she caught the whiff of something when she spoke. Alcohol?

“We’re just such good friends here on the street,” Jenna continued. “We wanted to make sure to include you into our circle right away. Isn’t that right, girls?”

Kathy nodded. “Absolutely.”
 

“Oh yes,” Bree managed with a straight face.
 

“That sounds great,” Deanne said. “I just love some girl time.”

“Perfect,” Jenna said. “You’ll get along great here. There’s just one thing.” She lowered her voice, and her face became very serious. “And I think the girls will agree on this.” Kathy nodded. Bree looked at her watch. “There can be absolutely no secrets between girlfriends. None.”
 

Deanne took a step back and glanced behind her. Bree caught a glimpse of a tumbler filed with dark liquid and ice, before she pulled the door closed as she stepped out onto the porch. “Absolutely,” she said with a smile. “No secrets.”

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I hope you enjoyed your Escape with some of my single titles. Don’t forget to visit Castle Mountain Lodge and fall in love with the sweet romance series. And for some steamier love stories, be sure to check out The Springs.

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Castle Mountain Lodge Series

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Unexpected Endings - Short Story

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Mistaken Gifts

Goodbye Gifts
 

A Castle Lodge Collection (Books 1-5)

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Summer of Change

Falling Into Forever

Winter’s Burn - Coming May 20

The Escape Collection

Nothing Stays In Vegas

Halfway to Nowhere

About Elena

Residing in the Alberta Foothills with her husband and twins, Elena escapes to the mountains as often as possible and can often be found sitting by the lake plotting her next story.

Besides her fiction projects, Elena has been published in multiple Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, as well as the Seal Press anthology, How to Put a Car Seat on a Camel- and other misadventures traveling with children.

To learn more about Elena Aitken and her other books, please visit
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