A Clandestine Corporate Affair(51)

“That’s quite a tree,” Nathan said, stepping up beside her, as though he was just making polite conversation with a fellow party guest.

“Yes it is,” she agreed.

He leaned in and said softly, “Sort of puts ours to shame.”

She smiled and whispered back, “Funny, but I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Next year,” he said.

“If we want one this big we’ll need a great room with a vaulted ceiling.”

“Should we put that on the list?”

In preparation for house hunting, they had begun making a list of the features they both wanted in a home. Nathan had even been looking at available properties online and already found several possibilities. Ana just wished she could shake the feeling that things were moving too fast.

Was it that she’d been hurt so many times that she was afraid to trust it, or was it her instincts telling her something was wrong? She just wasn’t sure.

“Ana Birch?” someone said from behind her.

She turned to find a short, plump, vaguely familiar woman. She had blond, poofy hair that accentuated her round face, and wore a dress that was just a smidge too clingy for someone her size. “Yes?”

“It’s me, Wendy Morris!” she bubbled excitedly. “From St. Mary’s School for Girls!”

It took a second, then Ana was hit with the memory of a young, bubbly cheerleader wannabe who was always so desperate to be accepted by the popular girls she made an annoyance of herself. “Oh my gosh, Wendy, how are you? I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Well, it’s Wendy Morris-Brickman now,” she gushed proudly, flashing a ring in Ana’s face. She turned and shouted across the room, “Sweetie, come here!”

A man who looked to be about Nathan’s age, with thinning hair and round glasses, in a tux that didn’t quite accommodate his stocky build, crossed the room. Wendy hooked an arm through his in what looked like a death grip. He couldn’t have been more than two inches taller than his wife, and though Ana wouldn’t have considered him unattractive, he was very…nondescript. Bordering on mousy.

“This is David Brickman, my husband. David, this is Ana Birch, my good friend from high school.”

More like casual acquaintances, but Ana didn’t correct her. She accepted David’s outstretched hand. It was warm and clammy.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, but she realized he wasn’t even looking at her. His eyes were on Nathan, who was still standing beside her.

Wendy looked up at Nathan and asked Ana, “And this is your…?”

“Nathan Everette,” he said, shaking her hand, then extending his hand to David.

David looked at his hand, then glared up at Nathan, red-faced with anger.

What the heck?

“You have no idea who I am, do you?” David asked.

Nathan blinked, and she could see him wracking his memory.

“We attended Trinity Prep together,” David said, with a venom that took Ana aback.

Who was this guy? And why would he be so openly rude?

Nathan must have recognized him, because suddenly all the color drained from his face. “David, of course,” he said, but he looked as though he might be sick.

“Let’s go, honey,” David said, dragging his confused wife in the opposite direction.

“What the hell was that about?” Ana whispered.

“Later,” Nathan said, before he walked away, too.

She couldn’t exactly go after him, not without rousing suspicions, but she wanted to know what was going on. Maybe Beth would have an idea.

Sipping her champagne, she walked to the kitchen, but Beth wasn’t there. In fact, she didn’t see her anywhere. Beth was the consummate hostess. She would never just disappear in the middle of her own party.

Ana found Leo in the study showing off his college football trophies.

“Have you seen Beth?” she asked him.

“She’s probably upstairs freshening her lipstick,” he said.

Ana headed up the stairs to the master suite. The door was closed so she knocked gently.

“I’ll be down in a minute!” Beth called.

“It’s Ana. Are you okay?” she said.

There was silence, then the door opened. And Beth clearly was not okay. Her eye makeup was smudged and tears streaked her cheeks.

“Beth, what’s wrong?”

She pulled Ana into the room and shut the door. “I’m just having a minor meltdown. I’ll be okay in a minute.”