Marriage In Name Only by Doreen Owens Malek

Author:Doreen Owens Malek [Malek, Doreen Owens]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Gypsy Autumn Publications
Published: 2012-02-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Ann spent a week at the Imperial Plaza with Heath and then they moved back to his house on Lime Island. The housekeeper and her husband had returned. They were polite but distant; Heath’s marriage had been a surprise and they were taking their time to make a judgment about their new mistress.

Ann filled her days working on her book, visiting with Tim and conferring with his lawyers about his case, and planning the annual Christmas party Heath gave for his executives. In the past, his office had handled the event, but this year Heath wanted his wife to act as hostess. Ann knew that her involvement was part of his trophy-wife syndrome but she went along with it as she had gone along with everything else, considering it part of her bargain. The task kept her busy as Christmas approached and she was glad of the distraction; she didn’t feel much like celebrating the holidays this year and Heath was often gone on business. She was lonely in the big house, looking forward to his returns in spite of her misgivings about their arrangement.

At least when he was home he slept with her.

In bed, he was passionate, demanding, fulfilling, everything she could have wanted. Out of bed he treated her like a doorstop, a convenience to be noticed only when needed.

Ann wasn’t very happy.

The party was scheduled for the day before Christmas Eve, and that morning Ann oversaw the florist’s delivery, watching as the house was transformed into a holiday bower. The rooms were banked with poinsettias and a large, decorated spruce was set up in the entry hall, ready to greet the guests as they arrived. At four, the food service arrived, and Ann checked off the items with the caterer as trucks disgorged folding tables and napery and silver. The uniformed waiters would come later, along with the liquor and the glassware and the entertainment. By seven o’clock, Heath was still not home, Daniela and Victor were hard at work with the caterers, and there was nothing for Ann to do but get dressed.

The radio blared Christmas carols as Ann bathed and dressed in what she still thought of as Heath’s bedroom. Heath was generous with money if not with himself, and Ann just charged anything she wanted, discovering quickly that she didn’t want much. Heath had told her to buy an outfit for this occasion and she had settled on an evening pantsuit of blond silk, with a tunic top embroidered at the sleeve cuffs with gold sequins. It was elegant and understated, just what she wanted. She was fixing gold studs to her ears when the intercom buzzed. Ann leaned over to flick the switch and said, “What is it?”

“You have a visitor, Mrs. Bodine,” Daniela’s voice replied.

“Now? Who is it?”

“A Miss Horton.”

“Amy? For heaven’s sake, send her in!”

Seconds later Amy burst through the door, her arms loaded with gaily wrapped packages, her face split by a huge grin.

“Surprise!” she said, and threw her bundles in a colored jumble onto the bed.

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