Payback Page 2

  “What are you doing?” Jamie squealed. “Buckle your seat belt.”

  “I’m changing clothes. It won’t take long. Just don’t hit anything.”

  Jamie had already slowed down. She was terrified of being in a car without her seat belt buckled. Her parents had drilled that into her head from as far back as she could remember. And she was equally terrified of driving a car with an unbuckled passenger.

  “Turn here,” Harmony said suddenly.

  “That’s not the way. The theater is downtown.”

  “The movie was just an excuse.”

  “An excuse?”

  “I needed cover to get out of the house. My parents are like in major crackdown mode. And TJ is totally off limits right now.”

  It took Jamie a few seconds to process Harmony’s words, and another few to ponder their meaning. “Who’s TJ?” she asked finally.

  “He graduated our freshman year. You probably don’t remember him. We hooked up a few months ago.”

  Jamie was slowly getting the picture. “So we’re not going to the movies? We’re meeting TJ instead?” She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or just nervous. She hoped TJ was bringing along a friend for her.

  Harmony laughed. “Not us, silly. Me. You can just drop me off at his place. If my mom calls be sure to act like I’m with you though. Okay?”

  “Wait. What about me?”

  Harmony brushed the air with her hand. “Go to the movie, if you want. You can fill me in later. It’s probably better if we can talk about it like we’ve seen it. But you need to pick me up before eleven. Parental crackdown mode includes clocking in by eleven.”

  Jamie was speechless. Finally, she asked, “Can’t TJ drive you home?”

  “He doesn’t have a car. Besides, my parents think I’m with you.”

  “So I’m just your chauffeur?”

  “You’re my cover story.” She turned toward Jamie and gave her a pleading look. “You’re the only one I can count on.”

  “I—”

  “And my mother likes you.”

  “Your mother doesn’t even know me.”

  “She’s met you.” Harmony crammed her jeans into her backpack and tossed it into the back seat. “Pull over there on the right. That green apartment house.”

  Jamie had barely slowed to a stop when Harmony opened the car door. “Before eleven,” she reminded Jamie. “I’ll text you.” She jumped out of the car and turned to close the door. “By the way, lose those pants. They make you look like a hippo.”

  Jamie couldn’t believe what had just happened. A slap in the face would have been less painful. She was used to being snubbed, but never so obviously. She wanted to go home, hide in her room, and let Harmony deal with the fallout. But she knew in the end, that would be worse. She wasn’t sure how, but Harmony would find a way to make sure it was.

  Far better to have Harmony as a friend than an enemy.

  But what to do now? No way was Jamie going to the movie by herself. There was no fun in that, and she didn’t care about the stupid movie, anyway. What she’d been looking forward to was hanging out with Harmony. Besides, she’d die if she ran into someone from school. She could just imagine the talk—poor, fat Jamie, so pathetic she has to go to movies alone. The movie was not an option. Instead, Jamie headed for the big Barnes and Noble in the mall. It was one of her favorite places to spend time. And she certainly wouldn’t run into anyone from school there on a Friday night.

  Chapter 3

  Marta awoke to the heat of bare flesh and the contours of an unfamiliar body next to hers. An arm that was definitely not her husband’s was draped casually across her middle. The gray light of early morning was beginning to seep around the curtains and into the room, also unfamiliar. Outside, it was snowing.

  In a flash, the dreamy warmth of half-sleep was shattered by the stark reality of where she was and what she’d done. Marta was appalled.

  What had she been thinking?

  Next to her, Todd—that was his name, wasn’t it?—stirred in his sleep and nuzzled closer. Marta struggled against a suffocating tide of shame and guilt, a torrent that grew stronger as her memory of the night unfolded in her mind. The easy conversation, the laughter, the tantalizing brush of a hand across the back of her neck. The sense that right then, right there, the world was a perfect fit.

  One drink had led to another, and then to a light dinner of bar appetizers, more drinks, and caresses that strayed below her neck. The path of events that had landed her in Todd’s hotel room, in his bed, was less clear, but she had no trouble remembering what had happened once they were there. In spite of her shame, Marta experienced a pleasurable rush at the memory. She allowed herself a brief, voyeuristic replay—Todd’s taut body pressed against hers, his hot breath in her ear, the caresses of his fingers on her belly, the urgency of unbridled passion.

  A terrible mistake, but a guilty pleasure, too.

  She stole a look at him as he slept. One last look, before she fled.

  God, he was good-looking. More so this morning, in fact, wrapped as he was in the vulnerability of slumber. She would have loved to touch him, to brush her fingers across his lips, cementing their softness to tactile memory. But she didn’t dare, and not only because she was afraid of waking him. She was afraid, too, of her own reaction.

  Carefully, so as not to disturb him, she pulled away and slid to her side of the bed. She needed to leave now, before he woke up. Before they faced “the morning after.”

  She had just folded back the sheet, ever so slightly, when Todd reached for her, traced a finger down her hip, and pulled her close.

  “Don’t,” she said, then softened the remark because in truth, she had no reason to be angry with anyone but herself. “I can’t. I have a plane to catch.”

  “Can’t you reschedule?”

  Marta shook her head. “I need to get home.”

  “Nobody has to be anywhere on a Saturday.”

  “I do.”

  Todd propped himself up on one arm, shaking his head to clear it. “I’ll drive you to the airport, then.”

  “It will be easier if you don’t. I have to shower, pack, check out of my hotel.” She kissed his cheek lightly, the way she might an old uncle. “Really, it’s better this way.”

  Todd rolled onto his back, arms under the pillow at his head. He watched as Marta gathered her clothes from the floor where she’d tossed them last night. In the bathroom, she rinsed her mouth with the mouthwash she found in the hotel vanity tray and dressed quickly. She prayed she wouldn’t run into anyone from yesterday’s meeting before she was safely back in her own hotel room.

  “I wish you wouldn’t run off,” he said when she emerged fully clothed, if rumpled. “Speaking for myself, I found last night pretty fantastic.”

  It had been, but Marta kept that thought to herself.

  “It’s not you,” she explained, standing at the foot of the bed where Todd was watching with a smile on his lips. “It’s me. Last night was a mistake. I don’t do things like this.”

  The smile deepened. “You just did.”

  *****

  Marta took a cab back to her hotel, keenly aware of the knowing smirk on the driver’s face. A disheveled woman leaving one hotel in the early morning hours to go to another. Did he think she was a call girl or just some needy woman desperate for a good time?

  Back in her own room, Marta quickly showered and packed her bag, then remembered to check her cell phone for messages. Nothing from Gordon. No messages at all.

  On her way to the airport, thankfully with a different cab driver, she watched the snow come down in big, thick flakes and tried to eradicate the memory of the previous night from her mind. She would simply pretend it hadn’t happened. If she could make herself believe that, then maybe everything would be okay.

  The line at the check-in counter was long and moved slowly. Marta joined the column of travelers snaking their way to the front. Finally, the ticket agent checked her bag.

&
nbsp; “Your flight is delayed because of the weather,” he announced.

  “Delayed?” Marta experienced a swell of panic. “For how long?”

  “A couple of hours at least. Be sure to watch the monitor for updates.”

  “But—”

  ”Mother Nature at work. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

  Boarding pass in hand, Marta turned and began walking aimlessly toward the gate, almost colliding with a man rushing toward her.

  “Good. I got here in time,” Todd said. His face glowed with undisguised pleasure.

  Recognition hit Marta like a fist to her chest. “What are you doing here?”

  “I looked online and saw that your plane was delayed. I should have checked before you ran off this morning. There was no need for you to rush, after all.”

  No need maybe, but Marta knew it was better that she had. “How’d you know what plane I’d be on?”

  “Morning flight to Atlanta. There are a limited number of options.” The corners of his blue eyes crinkled as he reached for her carry-on. “You had breakfast yet?”

  Chapter 4

  “You need more than coffee,” Todd announced after they’d settled at a table in the small Starbucks outside of security. “Remember, they don’t feed you on planes anymore.”

  “Coffee’s fine.” Marta had reluctantly agreed to this much after brushing aside his suggestion that she forget the flight altogether and spend the day with him. She figured she owed Todd an explanation. And she did have several hours to kill.

  He broke off half his scone and offered it to her.

  She shook her head, shaken by how attractive she found him. Her whole body felt electrified.

  “You’re not one of those women who’s always dieting, are you?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Good. You’re beautiful and sexy just the way you are.”

  No doubt a line he used at every opportunity. Even so, she felt another feather-like tickle in her chest.

  “There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, and took a deep breath. Say it, she told herself. Right now, before things go any further.

  She looked up. “I’m married.”

  “I guessed as much.”

  It wasn’t the reaction she expected. “You did?”

  His blue eyes crinkled. “You’re wearing a wedding ring.”

  Marta quickly tucked her left hand into her lap. The ring was so much a part of her she’d forgotten she wore it.

  “So you can see that last night was a mistake,” she said. “A huge mistake on my part.”

  Todd sucked on his cheek a moment. “There’s married, and then there’s married,” he said.

  He looked her in the eye, waiting to see if she’d clarify what was true in her case.

  But Marta was no longer sure.

  Until last night, she’d have responded without a second thought. She was married, end of story. But did a truly committed wife succumb to temptation as easily as she had? Did a loving wife melt around another man?

  Todd smiled. He had a gorgeous smile that lit up his whole face. “It’s complicated, isn’t it?”

  She wasn’t about to discuss Gordon or her marriage. She’d betrayed both enough already. “What about you?”

  “Not married. Never have been.”

  “A confirmed bachelor, then?” It came out like she was teasing him, which hadn’t been her intention.

  “Not at all. I’ve just never met the right woman.”

  “There’s plenty of time still. How old are you? Thirty?”

  “Thirty-seven.”

  “No way.” He looked much younger. “Still, I’ve got several years on you.”

  “Hard to believe. You look fantastic.”

  Marta felt herself blush.

  “Really, you do.” His blue eyes found hers. “I find most younger women uninteresting anyway.”

  Another line. He was good at them. “Why did you come to the airport this morning?” she asked.

  Todd thought about it before answering. “Last night was . . . it was amazing,” he said finally. “I know it sounds hokey, but it was. I’ve never met anyone like you. Funny, irreverent, and yet sweet, too.” He winked. “And really good in bed.”

  He was a smooth talker, and full of bullshit. But Marta’s skin tingled all the same.

  “What does your husband do?” Todd asked.

  “He teaches at Howell College. American history.”

  “Impressive.”

  Marta couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or serious. Howell was hardly a world-class institution.

  “Tell me about your daughter,” Todd said, leaning forward.

  “How did you know I have a daughter?”

  “You mentioned her last night.”

  “I did?”

  He nodded. “Jamie, right? Any other kids?”

  Marta actually remembered very little about last night. She wondered what else she’d told him.

  “No other children.” The personal questions made her uncomfortable. She turned the focus back on Todd. “Do you travel a lot on business?”

  “More than I’d like. But that’s the nature of consulting.”

  He told her about his job, which he enjoyed despite the travel, about his sister in Portland who raised Great Danes, his apartment in Chicago overlooking Lake Michigan that was still mostly unfurnished even after two years. The conversation flowed easily, as did the laughter. Marta nibbled on Todd’s scone and then finished it off.

  Finally, she realized that nearly two hours had passed and she still needed to get through security.

  Todd walked her to the end of the long line of passengers waiting to be screened.

  Marta held out her hand. “Good-bye, then.”

  “I’ll call you.”

  “No. Please don’t. It’s been an experience I won’t forget. A very nice one, I’ll admit. But it can’t go any further.”

  Taking her hand, he pulled her toward him. Marta turned her head for a peck on the cheek, but Todd found her mouth. The kiss was long and deep, and left Marta both breathless and embarrassed.

  “Have a safe trip,” he said, and gave her a playful pat on the rump.

  *****

  The plane was taxiing down the runway for takeoff when Marta was hit with a frightening thought. What if Todd was a terrorist or a drug runner and had managed to slip contraband into her bag? It was a ridiculous notion and she laughed at the absurdity of it. Was she so unaccustomed to male attention that she could only surmise there must be an ulterior motive?

  Once the plane was airborne, she adjusted her seat, reclining it back just a little so as not to intrude on the passenger behind her, and drifted into a dreamy half-sleep. Miles above the earth, with Todd safely in her past, she allowed herself to indulge in one last memory of her Cinderella moment.

  When the plane touched down in Atlanta, Marta shook her mind clear and slipped into the familiar role of wife, mother, and businesswoman.

  Turning on her phone, she was instantly greeted with the ding of incoming texts. Three of them. All from Todd.

  Miss you already.

  Miss you still.

  Miss you even more.

  It wasn’t until half an hour later, waiting at the carousel for her bag, that she thought to wonder how Todd had known her number.

  *****

  Jamie wasn’t an early riser, especially on weekends, but this morning she found it harder than usual to pull herself from her bed. The humiliation of being used by Harmony last night was bound to be worse in the glare of morning. Hopefully, Harmony wouldn’t blab about it to her friends.

  She clomped downstairs as noisily as possible. Somehow that made her feel a little better. She stopped short when she saw the bouquet of balloons in the kitchen.

  “What’s this?” she asked her dad, half afraid he’d found out what had happened and was trying to cheer her up.

  “Your mom’s coming home today. It’s her birthday.”

  “Her
birthday was yesterday.” A fact that Jamie had overlooked in her eagerness to see Harmony. She felt bad about it, but her mom wasn’t a kid anymore so it wasn’t exactly a big deal.

  Her dad looked confused, like he was making a mental calculation in his head. “Well, she’s home today so we’ll celebrate today.”

  Jamie noticed that her father had bought flowers, too. Carnations, which her mother hated. Her dad has never been good with details.

  “I didn’t get her anything,” Jamie said.

  “Make her a card, why don’t you. It’s the thought that counts.”

  Even if the thought is a day late? Again, she felt a stab of guilt. But she toasted a bagel and dutifully returned to her bedroom to make a card.

  If only she’d known her father was planning a celebration, but he probably hadn’t planned it. He rarely planned anything. Once he got a bee in his bonnet about something, though, he jumped right in.

  It had been years since Jamie made either parent a card, and she felt silly doing so now. What was there to say besides Happy Birthday? Or more accurately, Happy Belated Birthday.

  She wished she’d thought to do something earlier when she would have had time to get her mom a present. She considered dashing out right now but she had no idea what to buy.

  Simpler to just make the stupid card.

  Chapter 5

  The closer Marta got to home, the more slowly she drove. But there was only so long she could avoid the inevitable necessity of facing Gordon and confronting the life she’d left behind three days earlier. There was no logic to the hesitation she felt. It wasn’t as though she had a scarlet A emblazoned on her chest, after all. And not a single paparazzi camera had flashed in her face the entire time she had been in Minneapolis. So why was she feeling so exposed?

  She took a deep breath when she finally pulled into the driveway. With luck, she’d slip seamlessly back into her old, heretofore comfortable, skin, and that would be the end of it.

  Gordon greeted her with a kiss. “Welcome back,” he said. “How was the trip? You must have gone nuts waiting in the airport for what, three hours?”

  “It wasn’t so bad,” Marta mumbled. “There were lots of us in the same predicament.”