Hard Girls by Martina Cole Read Free Book Online Page B

action told the woman she was in the company of a like-minded individual. ‘You can’t beat real coffee, instant is no substitute.’
    Carmen Milke was thrilled with the compliment, most people didn’t know the difference. At forty-seven she looked much older. Her husband had traded her in a few years previously for a younger model, and she had fought for a generous settlement, bought her little flat, and put a serious wad of cash in the bank. She was a victim of her husband’s success; after the divorce he had kept his life, and most of their friends. She had found herself at the wrong side of forty, starting over. She had worked to keep him in university, she had worked to give him and their son a good home. She had done everything to see her husband get ahead, she had done the hard work, the graft, the dinner parties, the drinks and canapés. She had been beside him from the start. Along the way she had seen him change, seen the man she had loved become a selfish boor. Their success had changed him Kate knew from experienc. c great the ne until she didn’t recognise him. He had become a snob, something he had always accused her of being, and he became a bully, but she had still not seen it coming. He had walked out on her without a backward glance. Now he had his new life with his new wife. He had taken everything she knew, everything she had ever wanted; he had taken it all from her in a few minutes. Even her son preferred his father’s lifestyle and now only visited her every few weeks.
     
    Carmen was lonely. Lonely and suspicious, but she still loved her husband because he was all she had ever known. He had been her life. She was also worried that any man she might meet would be more interested in her money than her sparkling personality. After all, she was hardly a spring chicken, and she knew she was not the kind of woman men were attracted to. Sex had never been something she craved, she was born to be a wife and mother, not a femme fatale. Her husband could have kept the girl on the side, like all the others, and she would have done what she had always done. Ignored it. She had seen off more than her share over the years. She had learned to pretend she was clueless about his amours, even though she had occasionally felt the urge to stab the faithless bastard to death while he slept. Unlike him, she had been prepared to sit it out, that’s what people were supposed to do. But he had decided to be different.
    She was bitter, and she knew she was, but she was unable to overcome that. Now, as she sat with these two nice women and enjoyed the unexpected pleasure of some company, she opened up like a flower. ‘I do prefer real coffee. It’s one expense I couldn’t forgo.’
    Kate and Annie grinned in agreement. ‘It’s a rare treat for us, I can tell you. You have a great view here, you can see right over to the golf course.’ Kate was looking out of the large picture window as she spoke. And it was a great view, all trees and well-tended grass. It also looked directly over the forecourt of the flats so Carmen would see all the coming and goings.
    ‘I liked the view, it’s why I purchased this property. I find it very calming, I watch the golfers sometimes.’
    Carmen watched them because now and again she saw her husband, who she still wanted even after all that he had done. He played there frequently, and she hated herself for her weakness. He had taken everything from her, and yet she still held a blazing torch for him. She fantasised that he’d come back to her, cap in hand, sorry for not appreciating her and everything she had done for him. She knew it would never happen, he had been mentally gone from her for years, it was only when he had left physically that she had understood how shallow her life had been. Now she was saddened that a visit from the police was a highlight in an otherwise bloody boring day. As her son kept telling her, she needed to get out more.
    ‘You also have a bird’s-eye