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“No, you.”
“What?” She looked incredulous. “I never told you any such thing.”
“Maybe not in so many words, but definitely in action,” Maura said. “You’re all over Tristan and could care less about Daniel. If you don’t think it’s obvious, you’re mistaken. If I can see it, so will Tristan. And Audrey.”
Sonya gritted her teeth. “I am not playing any games. Daniel and I are a couple. Have been for a while now, if it looks like we’re a little, say, relaxed, it’s because we’ve known each other so long and feel completely comfortable with one another.”
“Then why haven’t I known about it?”
“Because it’s Daniel.”
Baffled, Maura shook her head. “So?”
Sonya shuffled uneasily. She really hadn’t thought she needed to say more. “Well, he’s kind of nerdy and not like us.”
“What am I, thirteen? Why would I care? Have you looked at Patrick?”
Her friend was not making this easy.
Even more so, hearing her claim her indifference to Daniel’s persona unsettled her. She needed to keep him firmly where he belonged. She couldn’t bear to lose his friendship.
Sighing, she said, “We were trying to keep it a secret.” Then shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. She needed to drop the subject. She felt horrible about lying to her friend, but if she wanted things to go her way this weekend, then that was exactly what she needed to do. It all had to come together and since there seemed to be a question already about their relationship, Sonya would have to work a little harder to convince everyone that she and Daniel were a couple. “You know how I feel about marriage. I don’t want anything to jinx it.”
Her friend looked skeptical but nodded her head in understanding. “That’s true. Maybe I did jump to the wrong conclusions, but I also know Sonya that you won’t stop at anything until you get what you want.”
She smiled then leaned forward and gave her friend a reassuring pat. “You’re absolutely right. I want Daniel, very much, and I won’t stop until I have him. All of him.”
“Really?” Daniel’s voice from the patio doors took her and Maura by surprise. They spun around in their seats to see him standing leisurely in the entrance, listening without guilt to their conversation. “Because there are some parts of me I’m quite partial to. Do you think we could take stock of inventory first? Divvy out the parts now so that when we end up in a lawyer’s office years down the road, they won’t end up on his floor.”
She glared at him behind Maura’s head, but in a more gentle voice said, “Very funny, Daniel. Didn’t your mother ever teach you it’s impolite to eavesdrop?”
He made an exaggerated grimace. “Have I created a mortal—sin?”
She refused to allow him to draw her into his snide banter, so instead turned back in her seat and decided to ignore him. That was easier said than done.
“I’m afraid, like Patrick, I too have had a long and rough day at the office and bed sounds good just about now.” Daniel told them.
With her back to both him and Maura, Sonya rolled her eyes. Now why wasn’t that a big surprise?
“Care to join me, Sonya?” The question alone would have surprised Sonya, but with the addition of his voice suddenly gone husky, she was totally caught off guard.
Her head jerked swiftly to the left to give him a startled glance. Her view, however, was interceded by Maura’s small grin and one black questioning brow. Sonya’s mouth clamped shut. She knew she couldn’t very well turn him down again, that would appear too suspicious in Maura’s eyes.
She glanced past her friend to shoot him a flat look and said, “Fine.”
Pushing herself to her feet, she added, “But first I’ll go and say goodnight to Tristan and Audrey.”
“Oh, I’ll send your evening tidings.” Maura stopped her. “You just go off to bed with your man.”
She stared down at her friend and couldn’t tell whether she was saying this out of treachery or sincerity. Deciding not to take a chance, she nodded her thanks then turned toward the hall and headed for their bedroom.
* * *
Daniel followed her obediently. It was clear to him that she was greatly displeased. He wondered if her friend of numerous years had perceived as much. She was already suspicious of their relationship. He had overheard as much from the patio door. Was she waiting for the perfect moment to call their bluff? He wouldn’t have thought so. The woman was a virtual stranger to him, but a very close and dear friend to Sonya. He didn’t think she would betray her friend. The question was then, how far did they have to go to conceal the truth?
Ahead of him, Sonya stormed into their bedroom and grabbed her suitcase whereupon she tossed it onto the bed. “I was having a perfectly good night and am nowhere close to being tired.”
He closed the door behind him, then leaned back against it and watched her toss her clothes angrily out of her travel bag. “Then why go to bed?”
