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“That’s true, but apparently this detective is a little more by-the-book than Montgomery expected,” Claire said, folding her hands in her lap.
“I suppose Eli is talking to Monty because he’s married to you, and you’re a part owner,” Hartley said, the vodka goading her into commenting.
She saw the hurt in Claire’s expression before she hid it.
“Eli wants whoever’s responsible for that body to be found because we’ve got a bunch of rich poker players who want to come here and have amazing sexual experiences,” Claire explained, smirking when Hartley looked at her in shock.
“You—what?” she asked.
“You’re not the only one who wants this place to be a success, you know,” Claire noted. “Eli’s South American clients are horny and rich, but until everything is back to normal, he won’t bring them up.”
Hartley knew she should be happy. Relieved. Overjoyed, even! Paying clients would get Yuki and Davos off her back. But it didn’t sit right. That Eli and Monty were talking about it didnotsit right.
“And Eli thought the thing to do was talk toMontyabout it?” she asked through gritted teeth. “The one person who has no stake in this place?”
“Well, he is still your husband,” Claire reasoned.
“An estranged husband who I should have that detective escort off the property,” Hartley clarified.
“I really think you should you two should talk things out. He doesn’t seem as uncommitted to you as you might think,” Claire said.
“Oh, should I take a number for that talk? Maybe once he and Eli decide these very important next steps, he’ll be able to spare a few minutes to talk to me,” she sneered, walking to the narrow stained-glass windows across the room.
She peered through the blue and gold glass to the trees that surrounded the property. Somewhere up there, Monty and Eli were discussing the fate of Cavendish. Without her.
A flood of anger ran through her, bringing with it her old confidence. That’s all she had to do to get things back on track. Not mope about her trusted sorority sister getting married. Get a little self-righteous indignation about her husband flowing through her.
“I think you’re being a bit—aarrrghhh,” Claire said, the word turning into a drawn-out burp. Hartley spun to see Claire’s face suffuse with red. “Oh my God. I’m sorry!”
“What the hell did you have for lunch?” Hartley asked, watching Claire cover another burp.
“It’s not that, it’s—” Claire paused again to smother another burp. “I’ve been burping like crazy ever since I got pregnant.”
All of Hartley’s confidence drained. Claire. Pregnant. Happily married and starting a family. It took most of her strength to limp back to her chair.
“That’s… Jesus, I don’t know what the hell that is,” Hartley admitted.
Claire smiled and shrugged. “It’s amazing. I was positive I’d never have kids. I didn’t have the best example growing up, you know? But my birth control ran out, and we had this chance to go skinny dipping in Patagonia, and one thing led to another—”
“Yeah, I get how sex works,” Hartley murmured. “And Eli’s happy about it?”
“He’s freakishly excited about it. He almost made me stay with my brother back in Charleston while he came here, but there was no way I was going to hang out with my brother with all this going on. I have a stake in Cavendish, too,” Claire said firmly. “Plus, we can’t go a full day without missing each other.”
Hartley examined Claire with fresh eyes. Her face was a little fuller, her belly a little more outwardly curved than she remembered. But there was a light in Claire’s eyes Hartley had never seen before.
“It suits you,” she finally said.
“I’m just over fourteen weeks, and I’ve already got a baby bump,” she said, smoothing her hands over a small lump that now looked more obvious.
“I should go,” Hartley blurted, standing up and marching to the elevator. She paused and turned back to Claire. “I’m thrilled for you, Claire-bear. I think you’ll make a great mom, despite how shitty your dad was. Maybe even because of him.”
“Thanks, Hartley,” Claire replied. When she got up and walked over, she had a knowing look on her face. “I promise the baby won’t burst out of me like inAlien.”
“I know that,” she said dryly, but when Claire hugged her, she was careful not to let the baby bump get close.
As Hartley took the elevator to the ground floor, she tried not to think about what might have been, back before she’d bought into Cavendish. Before Monty had committed the irreparable sin.
She was being stupid. Cavendish was her baby now. And since she saw Claire as a sister, she would be an auntie. Between the business and her sisters, that was the only family she needed.
