AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Constance made a little gasp that Sunny was sure no one else heard. A second later she was off, her legs taking her as fast as she could go in the high heels she wasn’t used to, wobbling through the center of the dance floor and up the stairs to the main level.
“Excuse me.” Sunny went after her. Much more used to high heels, she quickly took the stairs and caught up to her sister. “Slow down.” Sunny took her by the arm.
“Where’s Fezzi?” Constance scanned the room, but Fezzi wasn’t snoozing anywhere obvious, his belly full on the many treats given him tonight. “I’m going home.”
“He’s here somewhere.” Sunny grasped Constance on either side of her shoulders. “Calm down. This isn’t like you.”
“I know. I just need to find Fezzi and go home. I’m exhausted from the day.” Constance drew away and whistled for Fezzi.
“Don’t worry, he’s got to be here.”
“Unless someone let him out.” Constance’s voice sounded high and thin.
“In which case, he’d just sit there on the porch until we let him back in. He’s done this before.”
Constance stared back at her awhile. “That woman was horrible,” she finally said. “I can’t believe I took off and left Rhett alone with her.”
“Do you want to go back down? It’s time for the silent auction, anyway.”
Constance’s fingers played around her lips. “No. I can’t meddle in whatever relationship they have. Or had. Or...whatever. It’d be best if I just went home.”
“I’m sure you’re exhausted. You massaged all day. Speaking of. How’d it go with Rhett today?”
“Good.” That’s all Constance would say. She was very protective of anyone she worked on. “Though that woman is down there, undoing everything I did today.”
“Pete’s still with him.” Sunny wasn’t sure how to act. She’d never seen Cici this rattled before; she’d taken down more than her share of bullies over the years. “I better get back down there. Pete will be mad I left him.”
“Go.” Constance nodded toward the stairs. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Once Sunny was gone, Constance went into the living room and ordered a vodka tonic from the bartender, who was busy wiping the bar and tending to a couple of loners, nursing whiskey. She threw it back, had another, then went to the only place she knew she could be completely alone: the massage room.
Constance locked herself inside, laid down on the table, which still had Rhett’s sheets on it, and closed her eyes. Behind her throbbing temples she pictured Katrina, gorgeous and slim and reeking of power. She had the sort of energy that had to be fed constantly, like a roaring, greedy furnace.
Her biting words about medication came back into Constance’s head, along with the pained look on Rhett’s face. Constance couldn’t believe she’d fled, leaving him there. Then again, they obviously had a history together. Constance hadn’t any choice but to leave. She had no place there, between them, a third wheel while they argued.
The vodka started to work its magic. Constance drew in deep breaths, felt herself drifting. The room still smelled like Rhett, his spicy scents mixed in with the lavender and eucalyptus. It was soothing enough she allowed her mind to drift back to the waltz they’d shared. Rhett was smooth on his feet, touched her with just the right amount of pressure, had been just daring enough to slip his hand to the small of her back without being so forward as to slide it any farther down, and he’d held her up during every stumble.
These probably weren’t the things Constance should be thinking about. Nevertheless, that’s where her mind went, and stayed, until she felt sleep swallowing her up, little by little.
When Constance woke, forty minutes had gone by. She sat up, still buzzing from the vodka. The foyer was quiet, and Fezzi was not behind the desk. He wasn’t in the kitchen, where all the food had been packed up. He wasn’t waiting by the back door, which is what he’d done many times in the past when he’d slipped out with guests, gone exploring, then wanted back inside.
Constance sighed. Aw, damn. That left only one place he’d be.
Rhett tried to use his big gold key to get into his room, but the door wasn’t locked. In fact, it was ajar. At first he found that odd, but figured the door didn’t catch when he’d left earlier. There was nothing inside worth stealing, and if someone was hiding inside, waiting to mug him, great—he wouldn’t mind some combat practice. He fumbled his way into the darkness, intending to gather his meager belongings and go. He should’ve trusted his instincts. This whole idea with the party had been bad from the start. No good ever came from Mama’s meddling.
Rhett pushed the door closed behind him and didn’t even flip on the light. Moonlight from the garden shone through the windows of the tower, affording him enough to see by. He took a few steps toward the bathroom, but only made it to the edge of the bed, where he sank to the floor. He’d felt so good after his massage. Now, his pulse was up and the urge to throw things against the wall was at an all-time high.
“Woof.”
Rhett lifted his head. Either those two shots of whiskey he’d had before coming up here were way stronger than he thought, or there was a dog somewhere in this bedroom. The sound was low, like a greeting, rather than a growl or a warning.
A second later, something licked his ear. Rhett turned his head and a tongue lapped at his cheek. He blinked in the darkness until the shape of a thick, stocky dog came into focus. Possibly a white-headed pit bull. There was a pit bull on his bed. Medium-size, white head, multicolored body.
A soft knock came at his door.
It couldn’t be Katrina. She’d stormed out half an hour ago, and even if she’d come back, it seemed unlikely that Sunny would give out his room number to anyone. She was professional and, as Stanzi had said, a good businesswoman. Besides, Katrina wouldn’t knock like that. That knock sounded like, “Hey, you in there? Can I bother you a sec?” Katrina’s knock would’ve sounded like she was going to beat the door down.
“It’s open,” Rhett called. He didn’t feel like getting up. Since he faced the door, nobody could surprise him, and if it was housekeeping they could just put the extra towels in the bathroom.
