Aphrodite 01 - Aphrodite's Kiss by Julie Kenner

Author:Julie Kenner
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-07-12T16:41:25+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The Andersons’ party was fabulous, of course. As Tessa looked around the perfectly manicured yard trimmed with tiny white lights, and the too-cute-for-words shrubs sculpted into a leafy wild kingdom, a fresh wave of envy washed over her. When Tessa had first met Linda June Anderson, she’d had to spend an entire afternoon practicing deep-breathing exercises just to fight off her not-too-ladylike reaction.

Even now she hated to admit it, but there it was— Tessa coveted Linda June’s life.

Not her yard, really, though a yard bigger than a postage stamp would be nice. And not her banker husband who’d provided that yard, and not even the fabulous house with enough room to house five families. No, Tessa envied Linda’s happiness.

Linda and Richard Anderson were desperately, hopelessly in love. At twenty-five, Linda had tossed caution to the wind and married a penniless salesman who’d adored her more than life. Unlike Tessa, Linda had gambled on love—and she’d hit the jackpot. That penniless salesman was now worth several hundred million, and he still thought his wife hung the moon.

Not for the first time, Tessa wondered what would have happened if she’d laid her happiness out there on red and let the roulette wheel spin. With a sigh, she shook her head. It was too late. She’d made her choice— for herself and for Zoë she’d walked away, and she’d insisted Donis disappear. And there wasn’t any magic in the world that could tell her if she’d done the right thing.

Tessa just wanted the best for her daughter, and that included a perfectly normal life. Zoë needed to meet a nice young man—a doctor, maybe. A good man, a straight arrow. An average, run-of-the-mill man’s man. They’d fall in love, live happily ever after in a house like the Andersons‘, and have a whole assortment of average, ordinary friends.

They’d be happy. They’d be normal.

That was what Zoë needed.

Tessa might have taken a wrong turn twenty-five years ago, but she was damn well going to make sure that Zoë found a husband and happiness. A man who’d love her as much as Donis had loved Tessa, but who wasn’t carrying quite so much .. . well, baggage.

A single tear escaped, and she brushed it away, angry with herself for blaming Donis even after all these years. It wasn’t his baggage—it was hers.

She’d been so scared. Scared she wasn’t good enough, scared he’d get hurt or even killed. Scared of taking a backseat to obligations that included the entire rest of the world.

And so she’d clutched her fears around her like a blanket as she’d made him vow to stay away, thinking herself so clever for keeping her heart—and her daughter—safe.

But she’d never banked on being lonely. Not as long as her daughter—

A tuxedoed waiter passed by, and Tessa snagged a flute of champagne, then tossed it back, letting the bubbles go to her head. Maybe they’d scrub away her melancholy thoughts like those scrubbing bubbles attacked bathroom grime.

Trying to look nonchalant, she settled on a stone bench, watching the clusters of people who filled the huge lawn.

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