Beverly’s lips quivered and tears rolled out of her eyes. “No. Never,” she wept. “I’ve tried to tell you. Not once did I believe it would progress this far.”
“Of course, you didn’t. Why would you? You paid a guy to be nice to me.” Lanie couldn’t think. Anger and betrayal consumed her. And humiliation. And confusion. “An agency? What sort of agency does he work for?” She asked and looked to her so-called friend for answers. The sight of Beverly made her sick. Her stomach rolled and her mouth filled with saliva.
“An escort service,” Beverly mumbled.
Heat traveled up Lanie’s neck and into her face. “A gigolo,” she spat. “I’m dating and working with a gigolo. How could you do this? Does everyone know?”
Beverly’s brown eyes widened. “No. Not that I’m aware of.”
“So, Judith hired him? For an affair?”
“Yes.”
Crunching her eyes closed and massaging her temple with her fingertips, Lanie sighed. “How many others know about this escort service? How many women do you know have slept with Gavin?”
Slapping her palm on the top of the island, Beverly leaned over it and seethed, “I don’t know. I only know of it from Judith. I think there’s more important matters to deal with.”
Yes, there were. Weeks had passed since she met Gavin. Weeks filled with happiness and excitement and love. Lanie thought she developed deep feelings for him. And him her. But now she didn’t trust it. Why did Beverly decide to come clean? “From my perspective, you’ve made a fucking mess of my life. Is my entire life a big damn joke?” She waved her arms in the air over her head.
“No. It wasn’t ever supposed to go beyond him bumping into you while you were shopping. But Judith called me a few weeks ago. She confirmed what Gavin told me at the reception. That he got out of the business. Then I heard about her killing her husband. I feared Gavin might become a part of any investigation. I know I made a huge mistake.”
Oh yeah, how could she forget she had detectives in her home that morning. Her heart pounded in her ears. “Well, you know the police were here this morning. All of this could become public. Everyone will learn that I dated an escort.” She slumped onto a barstool and scrubbed her face with her hands. “And what about Hunter? I will be a disgrace to him… David.”
Beverly gasped, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I had good intentions—”
“And what do they say about all paths to Hell are paved with good intentions.” Circling her fingertips into her forehead until they burned, she declared, “I don’t want you in my house. I can’t stand the sight of you.”
Sobbing, Beverly whimpered, “I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Gary.”
Now Lanie understood Beverly’s reactions and attitude about her dating a man she met while shopping. And her ‘boy toy’ remark made sense. Lanie questioned why Bev made the comment when she hadn’t yet told her about his younger age. “Get out. Leave. And leave me alone,” she demanded.
A visible full-body tremor seized Bev, and she pleaded, “Please, Lanie. I want to help. It’s all my fault. But at the reception when I confronted him, he swore he got out of the business after meeting you. I didn’t believe him at the time. Not until Judith called me asking if he took the date with you. She sounded upset he stopped seeing her and wanted to know if he did accept the date with you. And when I met him, he said he cared about you. I believed him. And you were so happy.”
Lifting herself from the stool, Lanie left her crying friend and went to her bedroom. She closed the door and locked it. What if Hunter found out about her dating an escort? What everyone else thought about it mattered none. But Hunter, he meant everything.
Thankfully, she left her cell phone on charge in her bedroom. She quickly called the security gate and removed Beverly and Gavin as approved guests. She would eventually hear what Gavin had to say, but not then. No. She couldn’t comprehend anything. Nothing. Her brain bounced from one terrible scenario to another. He could’ve told her the truth the night of the reception when she saw him arguing with Beverly.
Had he played her? How? For what? He hadn’t asked for money. He gave her a job. Had it all been part of an elaborate ruse? Did he plan to scam her? Steal from her? How many women had he been sleeping with? Had he slept with? All of it was lies.
She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to feel. Except mortified. Completely humiliated.