Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
In fairness to my brother, Elizabeth Ashe was intimidating, with her perfect updo, elegant caftan, and fluid movements that managed to make cigarettes look glamorous and appealing. I guess I couldn’t blame him for being cowed, especially since she was his best friend’s mom.
“Are you going to the winery?” Elizabeth asked Scott.
He shook his head. “I thought it would be better to get some rest before the party tonight. I’d rather miss the winery than the desserts.”
Elizabeth laughed, almost manically, and touched Scott’s arm.
Just as I thought to myself, it wasn’t that funny, I came to the horrifying realization that she was flirting. With my brother. Who was the same age as her son.
“We’re not going either,” Matt said, interjecting his words like a knife through awkward butter. “Scott, you and I should hang out.”
“What about poor Charlotte?” Elizabeth asked, and I shot pleading eyes at Matt. If he left me alone with his mother…
“She can hang too,” Scott said, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “I haven’t seen my little sister in a long time.”
“Well, you three have fun,” Elizabeth said, taking a drag off her cigarette. “I’ll see you all at dinner.”
She drifted away on a cloud of nicotine and expensive perfume, leaving Matt and me to face my brother.
Like a coward, I turned to Matt. “Where’s the bathroom?”
“Do you remember the way to the library?” he asked, and when I nodded, he continued, “That way, second door on the left.”
“Thanks. And… Stay right here. Don’t let me get lost in this house.” If I could even find my way back.
I followed the path we’d taken the night before and found a half-bath tucked away at the end of the hall. When Matt had said, “second door on the left,” he hadn’t mentioned that “the left” went a long way before any doors got involved. I had to walk past the library and another parlor before I got to my destination.
When I was finished, I exited to the sound of urgently hushed voices from that parlor. Though the door was closed, I could make out enough of the consonants to know what they were saying.
“The other guests didn’t have any trouble with traffic.”
“Because they were probably already here when the accident happened.”
I recognized the first voice as Catherine. The second, I assumed, was her husband.
Until he said, “Does it matter? I beat Jackson here, anyway.”
Wasn’t that what Catherine said her husband’s name was?
Heels clicked on the parquet in a slow walk. I flattened against the wall.
“But we could have had so much more time,” Catherine whined coyly, a little louder. “I had a big, empty bed all night.”
“I’m sure it’s still empty,” the man replied.
Those heels clicked closer and closer. I cast a fearful glance over my shoulder, trying to work out my retreat. But there was nowhere to hide, and no way to make it back to the bathroom. If Catherine came into the hallway—
The parlor door locked. I let out a silent sigh of relief and tiptoed past, hoping they wouldn’t notice my shadow in the frosted glass panes.
Matt appeared at the end of the hallway. He managed to get out, “I was w—” before I silenced him with frantically waving hands. I ran as quickly as I could on the balls of my feet to prevent my shoes from making noise. I felt, inexplicably, like I was running from a murderer.
Looking past me down the corridor, Matt said, in a lower voice, “What’s going on? Did you see the ghost?”
“No, I—” I blinked. “The excuse me now what?”
A loud moan from down the hall caught his attention. “Um… Who is down there?”
“Your brother-in-law’s name is Jackson, right?” It was better to have my facts straight before casting aspersions.
“Yeah. Is that…?” Matt made a disgusted face and pointed toward the parlor.
“It’s not what you think,” I said quickly, though I wasn’t sure the actual explanation was any better. “Your sister is having sex with someone who isn’t her husband in there.”
Matt considered a moment, seeming somewhat impressed. “Well. Good for her. I don’t want to hear it, though, so let’s move along.”
That struck me as an odd reaction. “You’re not upset?”
“Why would I be? It’s not my marriage,” he said, taking my hand as we returned to the foyer. “I’m not a huge fan of sexual monogamy. You know that. It would be hypocritical of me to judge.”
“Yeah, but doesn’t it make your sister a bit of a hypocrite, herself?” I asked. “She’s so uptight and judgy.”
“True. But her husband cheats on her constantly. What’s good for the gander, etcetera.”
“The last time we used that metaphor, you had a stranger’s fist up your ass,” I whispered.
“I’m glad we have such romantic memories,” he said with a laugh that cut short as we entered the foyer and ran straight into Bennett.