Not His Wife novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Table Four

"I'll be so nice," I wrote back.

I put a heart on it, and I felt sick.

The Westbridge Builders' Association held its dinner in the ballroom of the Harlow Hotel on Saturday night.

There were two hundred people at round tables, white cloths, a podium, and a screen the size of a garage door.

I wore the green dress Bernice picked.

She sat beside me in her navy hat with her purse in her lap.

Table four was near the stage.

Reed sat on my left in his one good suit, so pleased with himself he glowed.

Alyssa sat across from him in a cream dress, with her honey hair pinned back and her eyes bright.

Joyce sat next to Alyssa, in pearls, patting her hand.

"There she is," Joyce said. "The sweet one."

"Hello, Joyce."

"You look tired, sweetheart. Are you taking your vitamins?"

"Every day."

"Reed's so lucky," she said to the table. "I tell him all the time."

I smiled until my face hurt.

Alyssa leaned across the bread basket.

"I'm so glad you came," she said softly. "After the other night I was afraid you'd stay home."

"I wouldn't miss it."

"Did you think about what I said?"

"All night."

"And?"

"I'm being careful," I said, and I picked up my water glass.

She was wearing earrings, I saw then.

Small pearl studs, in the light, very pretty.

They were my mother's.

She had left them to me.

I had lost them in March at Alyssa's birthday brunch and torn my house apart for a week.

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