Abandoned but Not Alone by Theresa L. Henry Read Free Book Online

extended in greeting. “ Hope, you look stunning, exactly as a
bride should look …”
    “ What the hell have you got on? There is
no way you ’ re wearing
that dress to MY party! ”
    Jason saw
the look of shock register on Aviva ’ s face as
her hands fell away to her sides and balled into fists of anger.
    The men
exchanged looks and mouthed ‘ girl fight ’ but refrained from commenting. Aviva was
the first to break the stand-off. “ What ’ s wrong with what I have on? ” Popping her hands on her hips and
sticking her nose in the air as she awaited a reply.
    “ This is my party and you are not going to
look sexier than me! ” Hope
admonished with a laugh that sounded false to the others standing in the room.
    Aviva
regarded Hope with a serious look that spoke of humiliation and offense in the
way she had made her dislike of her dress known. Hope ’ s eyes grew cold. Aviva thought of her choices as to how she
could deal with the situation in which she found herself: one, she could tell
Hope to stuff-off, she would wear what she liked and ruin the whole night, or
two, she could go and change, after all it was only a dress. Aviva chose the
latter option.  “ Okay Hope,
I ’ ll change, but let me
tell you something you may not already know – it doesn ’ t matter
what I wear, I ’ m still
going to look fabulously sexy – so brace
yourself! ” Turning
towards the door Aviva paused to look over her shoulder, “ Oh and Hope, believe me when I say, this
is my last change of clothing for the night. ”
    Exiting the
room, she allowed the feeling of humiliation that had heated her skin to
enshroud her in a cloak of anger.  “ Well my
dear, if you thought this one was sexy then just watch me now! ” Aviva muttered as she climbed the
curving staircase on the way back to her room to change.
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    “ Hope, that was probably one of the most
ungracious incidents I have ever had the misfortune to witness, what the hell
is wrong with you? ”
    “ For goodness sake Steve, it ’ s my party, and I am quite within my
rights to ask her to change if I didn ’ t like what
she was wearing. ”
    “ No Hope, it ’ s our party, or did you forget about me? And Aviva is
your friend not a recalcitrant child that you order to change clothing because
you don ’ t like what she ’ s wearing! ”
    “ What ’ s the big deal, she changing isn ’ t she. If she really objected she wouldn ’ t be upstairs right now. ”
    Steve shook
his head in exasperation at Hope ’ s refusal
to acknowledge that her behavior had been hateful. If the expression on both
the men ’ s faces were any
indication, Hope knew she had gone too far and searched for a way to cut
through the steely tension surrounding them. Sauntering up to Steve, Hope
placed her palms against his chest and slowly moved them up to his neck in a
sensual sweep. “ You know
how I get sometimes baby, I ’ m just
anxious about the party, forgive me … please? ” The whine in her voice grated on Jason ’ s nerves as he turned away in distaste at
Hope ’ s blatant display of
manipulation.
    Taking hold
of her hands Steve disengaged himself from her embrace. “ Jason, we ’ re going to leave, our guests are expecting us and we don ’ t want to be late. Do you mind if we take
the car? I ’ ll ask
Drake to set up another for you and Aviva when she ’ s ready. ”
    “ By all means, go right ahead and there ’ s no need to worry about speaking with
Drake, I ’ ll sort everything
out, you guys get going. ”
    “ We can ’ t go yet; I need to see what she ’ s wearing! ”
    “ Didn't you hear a single word I just
said? As long as she doesn ’ t turn up
bare assed naked, what she wears is not your concern, and we both know Aviva
has too much class to wear anything unsuitable. ” Steve put just enough emphasis on the word ‘ anything ’ to ensure Hope understood that he thought the dress Aviva had
been wearing was perfectly acceptable attire.  Gripping Hope