Marriage Under Suspicion by Sara Craven

Author:Sara Craven [Craven, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, General, Contemporary, Fiction
ISBN: 9780373120581
Google: BCMFAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0373120583
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1998-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

Kate was frankly dreading her return home that evening. Ryan was bound to be good and angry, and although she knew her suspicions were perfectly justified under the circumstances she could hardly tell him so.

Because he could simply deny any accusations she chose to fling at him. Or, he could admit everything, and leave her. Go to his other woman. And that was the last thing she needed to happen.

I want my marriage back, she thought fiercely. I'm not going to let it slip away because of one stupid lapse on Ryan's part. If that's all it is, of course, she amended, wincing. For all I know it could be the grand passion of his life.

But she couldn't let herself think in those terms. It hurt too much.

'Have a nice lunch? Is it somewhere we can use?' Louie asked brightly, coming in to collect a file.

Kate concealed a shudder. 'The food was good, but I didn't think it was big on atmosphere,' she returned rather wanly.

Louie played an elaborate game with some paperclips. 'Talking of food, as neither of us are working on Saturday, I wondered if you and Ryan would like to come to dinner? It—it's a farewell banquet for Neil.'

Kate looked at her, startled. Neil had been a regular item in Louie's life for the past three months. 'Farewell?'

'He's taken a two-year contract in Saudi Arabia. It's quite understandable. He much prefers working in the field to pushing a pen at head office.'

Kate bit her lip. 'But don't you—mind?'

Louie shrugged. 'If only I did,' she responded candidly. 'It wasn't until he told me he was going that I realised how little involved we really were. Second-best was probably as good as it was ever going to get.'

'Are you sure about that?' Kate asked wistfully.

Louie nodded. 'Certain,' she said levelly. 'Neil was still fixated on his previous girlfriend.'

'Oh, Lou, I'm sorry.'

'Don't be.' Lou sounded brisk. 'I was just as bad— hankering after someone I couldn't have either. We were both using each other as smokescreens to hide what we really wanted.'

Kate stared at her. 'I didn't know that,' she said slowly.

'It isn't something I was keen to spread about,' Louie said wryly. 'But I've realised life is too short to put on hold while someone decides whether or not his marriage is going to work. I don't have to settle for that.'

Kate winced. 'Of course you don't,' she said quietly. 'And I'm sure Saturday evening will be fine. I'd better check with Ryan, and call you this evening to confirm.'

That is, she reminded herself flatly, if Ryan ever speaks to me again.

When she let herself into the apartment, he was sitting facing the open windows, reading, a glass of wine on a table beside him.

From the kitchen came a tantalising aroma of tomatoes, garlic and herbs, and in spite of her jangled nerves, and uncertain stomach, Kate's nose twitched appreciatively.

Striving for normality—until the storm burst, anyway—she said, 'Something smells good.'

'I've made some meatballs to go with the pasta.' His tone was calm, even friendly.

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