As You Wish (The Summerhouse 3)

“I don’t know,” Elise said. “But it’s possible.”

“Alejandro did have Tara’s card,” Kathy said. “Maybe he sent her something.”

Elise closed her eyes for a moment. “That would mean that he chose me over his sister. He gave his loyalty as well as his love to me. But what did I do? Up until the night before I found out, I was still hoping that Kent and I could... I don’t know, start over? Alejandro was more loyal to me than I was to him. I wish I could change... Change it all!”

“Me too,” Olivia said.

“And so do I,” Kathy added.

It had begun to rain and the sound was nice in the house. The women got up, took bathroom breaks, straightened the kitchen, and pondered all that they’d heard.

Elise kept smiling, relieved to have at last been able to tell someone about her and Alejandro. When it was happening, she’d told herself that it wasn’t serious, but saying it all out loud had made her see that there was more there than she’d realized. What had Kathy said? That she was “heart and soul gone to him.”

Maybe she had been. Maybe she was.

“So who’s up for a game of Scrabble?” Kathy asked when they were back in the living room.

When they looked at her, it was as though they were holding a sign. You’re Next.

But Kathy was hesitant. “Olivia, your husband’s a diplomat, right? Have you traveled a lot?”

Elise started to say something, but then Kathy looked at Olivia, and there was something in her eyes. But what was it? That she felt sorry for Kathy? But why?

It took her a moment but she began to realize that Ray had told them something about her. But what in the world was it? When it came down to that, what did he really know about his wife? Their eyes seemed to want some information, but they were afraid of the answers.

In a lot of ways, Kathy was Bert Cormac’s daughter. She’d inherited her mother’s sensitivity, but there was enough of her father’s personality in her that Kathy could, well, survive the two men in her life. And one of the ways she’d done that was to keep her mouth shut. She never truly confided in anyone. She let others see one thing while she kept the truth to herself.

But these two women, these strangers, had confided in her. More than that, they’d entrusted her with some deep secrets. A call to the police could change Elise’s life forever. And Olivia...

“Maybe Scrabble would be good,” Olivia said. “Has anyone seen a board around here?” She opened a corner cabinet.

The truth was, just as Elise had, Kathy wanted to talk. She wanted to tell these women who’d been through so much about her life. She took a breath. This was going to be hard for her so she’d better start with something easy. “Did Ray tell you how we first got together as a couple?”

Both women stopped opening cabinet doors and smiled.

“His date spilled a drink on you and he said you handled it graciously,” Olivia said.

“With class,” Elise added. “He didn’t say so, but I think he fell in love with you at that moment.”

Kathy looked from one woman to the other, then let out a loud laugh. “How funny! Ray didn’t ‘fall in love’ with me then or at any other time.”

“He does love you!” Olivia was serious.

Kathy leaned back in her chair. “Yes, he does. He loves me very much. More than he knows, but that’s not why he married me.”

Olivia and Elise were staring at her but they didn’t seem shocked by her words. “I bet Ray told you that after the spilled drink he saw me crying.”

“Yes, he did,” Olivia said. “He said his date had hurt your feelings.”

“Ray is an idiot! Smart, brilliant even, but an idiot. The truth is that she and I set that whole thing up.”

“I want to hear this,” Elise said.

Olivia agreed. “This is a house of stories and you’re next. Elise, get the wine and the glasses. Are there any more of those chips?”

“Oh no,” Kathy said. “I gain weight even looking at food. You have any club soda?”

“Kathy,” Olivia said, “I don’t know who has messed with your mind but you look great.”