Wild Weekend

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Lamb,” Christine greeted her most valuable client as she gingerly shook the older woman’s hand. “Hello, Bonnie. I didn’t expect to see you today.”

Bonnie gave her a weary smile. “My mother can’t make up her mind on which piece of jewelry she wants my brother to have.”

“I’ve decided that I should divide it evenly between the children,” Faye announced.

Christine gave a quick look at Bonnie, who shrugged. It was as if she was tired of the fight. Christine didn’t know why Faye was making these decisions, but she knew it wasn’t her place to say so. “Let me get Laurie to help you with the safe-deposit box.”

As she patiently went through the same routine, Christine had a strong sense of déjà vu. Faye wore a black dress and discussed the story behind the pink cameo brooch. Bonnie, dressed in a T-shirt, yoga pants and a baseball cap, looked through her bag for the safe-deposit key. Christine wondered how many times they went through this ritual and how many times they would go through it again.

She felt a sense of relief as Faye and Bonnie went to the safe-deposit boxes with Laurie. Christine hurriedly returned to her office and found Travis waiting for her. She wanted to touch him. Greet him with a kiss. Instead, she kept her hands firmly at her sides and stood next to him.

“Travis? What are you doing here?” she asked. She tried to play it cool, but she knew she couldn’t hide her emotions. When Travis was around, the air was electric. The colors were brighter and she felt the anticipation beat in her chest.

Travis looked away. “I... Is there somewhere more private where we can talk?”

Her smile froze. There was something in the tone of his voice that warned her she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “Is something wrong?”

Travis swallowed roughly. “I have to leave town.”

“Oh.” The news felt like a slap. He was leaving? After what happened this morning? What they shared had meant something to her. It wasn’t to experiment or try something different. She’d explored her most secret fantasy with Travis. But it was just a bit of fun for him. “I understand.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” He reached for her hand, but she yanked it away. She couldn’t let him touch her. Not when it meant so much to her and so little to him. “A friend of mine needs my help,” Travis explained. “He had this emerald and someone stole it.”

Christine rolled her eyes. A likely story. “You could do better than that. Just tell me the truth. You’re ready to move on.”

“Christine, I’m not making this up,” he insisted as he watched her closely.

“Okay, fine.” She didn’t believe a word he said. She’d heard it before. We’ll keep in touch. It’s only temporary. It’s not you, it’s me. “Are you planning to come back?”

“I don’t know how long this is going to take.”

She noticed he’d sidestepped the question. He wasn’t coming back. She had given herself to this man and he was ready to go. She only had herself to blame. She knew this had been a fling. Her feelings, however, were stronger and more intense than any she’d felt in her other long-term relationships. “When are you leaving?” she asked, hating how her voice cracked.

“In an hour,” he said apologetically.

She pressed her lips together. She didn’t get another night with him. Christine knew she shouldn’t be greedy. She got more than she had ever hoped. She should be grateful but she wasn’t. She felt as if something special had been ripped from her hands. “I’m sorry you have to go.”

“I am, too.”

She looked away and saw Faye and Bonnie walking back to the exit. “Could you excuse me for a second? I need to check on a customer.”

“I’ll be right here.”

But only for a little while, Christine reminded herself as she walked out of her office. Travis was leaving. There was nothing here to tempt him to stay.

Christine dabbed her fingertip against the corner of her eye. She would not cry. She was not going to cause a scene. She’d been through this before. One would think breaking up would get easier.

She knew she wasn’t exciting enough for someone like Travis. He had been looking for her alter ego in Vegas and got the Cedar Valley version instead. She’d opened up and shown him her dreams and fears. She’d pushed past her comfort zone, but it still wasn’t enough to intrigue Travis. He couldn’t get away fast enough.

“Was there anything else you needed, Mrs. Lamb?” Christine asked hoarsely.

“No, we just needed to pick up one thing,” Bonnie said. She gave Christine a curious look. “Are you feeling all right, sweetheart?”