Wellesley Wives (New England Trilogy) by Suzy Duffy Read Free Book Online Page A

just because I’m the other woman. You, of all people, Rosie. You claim to be open minded. You’ve known me longer than anybody else. I’m sure you know I don’t go out looking for trouble. I didn’t want this. I don’t want to hurt Sandra. To be honest, I even like her.” Then she sat down again. “The problem is, I like her husband even more.”
    Rosie softened a little and began to rub her sister’s back the way she used to when they were little girls. “What are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Well, do you think it’s a long-term affair or just something you’re doing at the moment?”
    Lily swung around with a look of great intensity in her eyes. “I adore him. I want to be with him forever.”
    Rosie shook her head gently. “You know, I envy you. I haven’t felt passion like that for years.”
    This made Lily smile. “Yes, it’s really amazing.” She took her big sister’s free hand in hers. “It’s all-consuming. I really love him.”
    Rosie drained her glass and stood. “The problem is, passion always fades, honey. It can’t last. It’s like fire. In its prime nothing is as intoxicating or as beautiful, but then it passes. And if you’re lucky, you’re left with the warm glow, and that’s if you’re lucky. If you’re unlucky, even that goes out, but I promise you one thing: the flames—the heat you feel now—that just doesn’t last.”
    She put her glass on the mantelpiece and noticed the fire had died down. Poetic, she thought as she walked to the bedroom. Then she tried to use a happy voice for the sake of her daughter. “Come on, Natasha, it’s fries time.”
    “You won’t tell anybody, will you?” Lily was staring at the floor.
    “No, I’ll keep this quiet if you keep our conversation about my vacation plans to yourself.”
    “I’ll even watch Natasha for you.”
    “Leave that with me.” Rosie sighed. She didn’t want to blackmail Lily into babysitting. That didn’t feel right.
    Lily walked them to the door. “See you at Mom’s tomorrow?”
    “Yep, Marcus is coming. You won’t say anything to him, will you?” Rosie looked nervous. “I don’t want him to know I’ve told you.”
    “No way. We’re both sworn to secrecy.” Lily tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it.
    The sisters parted with polite, uncomfortable good-byes. Thankfully, Natasha seemed unaware of any undercurrents.
    “I wanna press the button,” Natasha squealed, wriggling to get her hand free from her mother’s grasp. She got into the elevator and pressed G for the ground floor.
    The doors glided closed smoothly, and Natasha looked at her mother.
    “Bing,” she echoed the noise.
    Rosie smiled down at the best thing in her life and nodded. “Bing.”

 
    Chapter 5 
    Dinner
     
    Popsy threw open her front door to welcome her friends into the house. “Jack, Sandra, come in.” A large gust of wind and a few fall leaves made it in the door with her guests.
        “It’s turning into a bit of a wild one, I’m afraid,” Jack announced as he handed Popsy a bottle of champagne and planted a kiss on her cheek.
    “Jack, you know better than to bring a gift.”
    “And you know better than to think I wouldn’t.” He laughed and removed his coat. “Big change in the weather. Have you heard? They say we’re going to get the tail-end of some hurricane that hit the south last week.”
    “You know the weather people always get it wrong,” Sandra said as she slid out of her full-length mink.
    Popsy wasn’t sure, but it sounded like they were already bickering. She tried to lighten the mood.
    “Storm or no storm, I’m so relieved you’re the first here. We can have a drink and talk about the visitors before they arrive.” She smiled conspiratorially. As they walked past the doors to the dining room, Sandra commented, “You’ve pulled out the big guns tonight, I see.”
    “Popsy always was the best hostess,” Jack agreed, but Sandra glared at him.
    “What? Better