Some Like Them Rich by Shirley Hailstock

Author:Shirley Hailstock [Hailstock, Shirley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780758268372
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2011-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The kitchen is the hub of most homes, and for the three of us, vacation made no difference. The smell of coffee wafted through the air. Frying bacon had my stomach juices churning. The mixture of aromas pulled me toward the kitchen and the opulent smell of a good breakfast. As I stepped off the last rung and took a step toward the hub of activity, I heard whispered voices. Lila and Jack were talking, but they weren’t using normal inside voices. I strained to hear what they were saying, thinking it was probably about me, but the sound was too low.

Making enough noise to alert them of my presence, I walked into the kitchen. Going straight to the coffeepot, I poured a cup, adding cream and sugar.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“I have an idea,” Lila announced. “I think we should have a party.”

Jack took a huge intake of air and held it for several seconds before exhaling. She looked up at me. “That’s a wonderful idea,” she said. “We could invite a lot of those Howard men.”

“Is that what you two were discussing before I walked in?”

Jack dropped her head, covering her surprise by drinking from the cup in front of her.

“Yes,” Lila said, doing the opposite of Jack. The single word was strongly delivered. She lifted her chin, ready to take anything I had to confront them with.

I had nothing. I couldn’t hear what they’d been discussing before I came in. My head was throbbing. Sleep had eluded me last night. I’d warned Don about getting excited, but the same was true of me. They wanted a party, and all I could think of was being in bed with him.

“We could invite some of the men we’ve met, too,” Lila suggested, her voice lifting positively at the end.

My attention snapped back to her. “Does that include—”

She was nodding before I finished the comment. “Him, too. After all, Don’s been nice to us. It would be rude to have a party and exclude him.” She paused, giving me a stoic look. “And if there is nothing between you two, what difference does it make? But if there is something, then it’s time you dealt with it.”

She was right, of course. But her comment sounded like another challenge. Don had issued one challenge after another. And I felt like I’d failed all of them. I had no choice. It didn’t matter if I agreed or refused Lila’s suggestion. Neither answer was the right one.

“I do think having a party is a good idea. Meeting people in social settings gives us the chance to test them out, so to speak. We can determine if their personalities mesh with ours. I’m sure there are people looking for something to do after the sun sets. A party seems like the right venue.”

A look passed between Lila and Jack that had me curious, but I didn’t pursue a reason for it. I was sure they were setting me up. But I was clued into the game.

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