Lipstick and Lies by Debbie Viggiano Read Free Book Online Page A

quite thirteen but definitely waking up in the puberty department. He was already six feet tall, albeit built like a piece of string. Only last week, when vacuuming his room, I’d picked a forgotten magazine off the floor. It had been full of naked women. I’d taken a black marker pen to it. Drawn dresses and one-piece swimsuits on all the busty ladies. Sensible ones too. No plunging necklines or high-cut legs. And then I’d warmed to the task. Given them accessories. Harry Potter spectacles. Handlebar moustaches. One or two blacked-out teeth. And then I’d carefully placed the magazine back on the floor. Jonas hadn’t said anything. And neither had I. But I knew that he knew that I knew that he knew and I knew that he knew it too.
    ‘Daddy was never that keen on her though. And neither were we Cass,’ said Petra loyally.
    I smiled. ‘Thank you , sweetheart.’
    Jamie bounded down the stairs. ‘Told you I wouldn’t be long. Come on then Cassie. Bye kids. School tomorrow so don’t be late to bed please.’
    Out in the kitchen Edna stood before the range, oven mitts on both hands. She bent down and removed a huge terrene of coq au vin. All the ironing had been done . To one side, on the worktop, freshly laundered and folded sheets were neatly stacked. How did she do it? And so effortlessly. They were questions I ’d asked myself so many times.
    ‘Cassandra dear,’ my mother-in-law carefully set the terrene down. ‘Those puncture wounds look very sore. How are you feeling?’
    ‘Much better thank you Edna.’ My stomach growled with hunger . I hoped we’d be eating something equally scrumptious tonight. ‘Thanks so much for coming to the rescue.’ At this point any other daughter-in-law might have hugged her mother-in-law. Unfortunately our relationship was not a touchy-feely one. Rather it was more employer/employee. With me de finitely in the employee role.
    Edna inclined her head. ‘It was no trouble. Hurry along now. Have a nice time.’
    ‘I’m sure we will Mum,’ said Jamie. ‘We’ll try not to be too late.’ My husband turned to me. ‘Ready?’
    ‘Yes darling,’ I pasted on a bright smile. As ready as I’d ever be for this dreaded meeting.

 
Chapter Four
     
    ‘You r car or mine?’ I asked Jamie.
    ‘Mine,’ he said pick ing up his keys.
    As we walked out of the house, a cold wind whipped up my hair. I stuffed my hands in my pockets as Jamie pressed his key fob’s remote button. The central locking sprang open on the BMW X5. It was a company car , and pristine. The kids rarely travelled in it . Instead their muddy riding boots, sweet wrappers and rubbish detritus graced the inside of my car – a seven seater Citroen affectionately known as Th e Muck Truck.
    ‘So,’ I folded my legs into the BMW and sank back against the leather, ‘which restaurant are we off to for this evening’s fun foursome?’
    Jamie ignored my sarcasm. ‘No restaurant Cass. We’re going to Ethan’s apartment in Greenwich . I believe Selina insisted on it. She’s doing the cooking.’
    ‘Well she ’d better not poison me. I want it on record, right he re, right now, that if I’m ill later it’s her fault.’
    ‘Darling, don’t you think you’re being a bit childish?’
    The electric gates slid open , and J amie eased the Beamer out onto the road.
    ‘Childish? Childish ! That woman is a nutter! You know it. I know it.’
    ‘Cassie, I know this is hard for you–’
    ‘You have n o idea how hard it is for me!’
    ‘Yes , I do! And it’s just as difficult for me too.’
    ‘Well you’re very calm about it. You’ve e vidently taken the whole situation in your stride. I’m still struggling to get my head around everything . I don’t know why you can’t tell Ethan straight. You’d be doing the bloke a favour. How would he feel if he knew his girlfriend – correction, fiancée – had once harassed his business partner? And not just at work, but home too? Not forgetting all her dropped phone