Composing herself, Harper stood and walked down the short hallway to her office. She had enough things to do without worrying about her parents’ relationship. They were adults. They’d figure it out.
They always do.
Chapter10
The next morning, Madge sat in the parking lot of her lawyer’s office building, the three-story architectural design straight out of the early seventies. Her heart hammered in her chest. She hadn’t expected Don to chase her down yesterday. How did he know she was at Harper’s office? Not that it wasn’t a good guess. Other than home, there weren’t too many places she went to lately.
For a split second she considered talking to him. But she had to remain firm. He knew her weaknesses and how to exploit them. He’d been doing it for thirty years.
She flipped down the car’s visor, took the tube of nude-pink lipstick out of her purse, and touched up her lips, noticing the wrinkles around her mouth. Perhaps she would have a face-lift once the divorce was final. If her lawyer was successful, she’d have enough in alimony to lift her face, breasts, buttocks, and all her other sagging body parts. What was a new life without a new body?
But the idea of surgery didn’t stem her anxiety. Besides, she was terrified of needles.
Madge picked up her purse and exited her car, then headed for Ms.Clair Pressman’s office. She’d only talked to the woman over the phone, and she liked what she’d heard—cold but polite, calculated but realistic:“I’ll make sure you get what you deserve, Mrs.Wilson. That’s a promise.”Madge didn’t doubt a single word.
Her hand touched the handle on one of the dark-brown double doors.
“Maddie! Madge!”
She froze, refusing to turn around. She should have known he would continue to make this difficult.He’s not worried about losing you. He doesn’t want to lose his money or his dignity.She had to remember that. Ignoring him, she opened the door and hurried to the elevator. When it opened, she rushed inside and pushed the third-floor button.
A hand pressed against the closing doors, pulling them apart. Don jumped in, then hit the Stop button.
“You can’t just stop the elevator,” she said, unable to hide her shock. “I’m sure there’s a law against that.”
“I can and I did.”
She turned to him, expecting to see his smug, still handsome face sneering down at her. What she saw was the complete opposite. His short-cut hair was disheveled, his expensive clothing wrinkled, his gray-blue eyes bleary. She’d been too shocked and angry with him yesterday to notice those details. Then again, he’d been living in a hotel roomsince she kicked him out. She reached to release the Stop button, but he jumped in front of her, blocking it.
“Move,” she said, refusing to meet his gaze.
“Not until we talk.”
She crossed her arms. “Then I guess we’re stuck here.”
“I guess we are.”
Her arms dropped. “You can’t hold me or this elevator hostage.”
His eyes pleaded with her. “Then talk to me. Not with our lawyers. Just you and me.”
“I... I can’t.” Feeling her resolve slipping, she turned her back on him.
Don let out a long sigh. “How did we get here, Madge?”
She stiffened. “Why don’t you ask Veronica?”
“That was a mistake. I admit it.”
“What was the mistake, exactly? When you and she first got together or when you went back to her last year?”
“I didn’t go back to her.”
“And I’m supposed to believe you,” she huffed.
He hung his head. “I’m so sorry, Madge. Sorry and ashamed. I never should have had the affair.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn’t.”
