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“Why are you so mad?”

“There are kids here!”

“And I’m sorry. But it’s not like we were on a table in the backyard for all to see.”

“So that makes it right?”

“We got carried away.”

“Carried away,” Treasure echoed, then scoffed. “You’re acting like you’ve lost your damn mind.”

“I’m thirty-seven, Treasure. I don’t need a lecture.”

“So you think it’s completely appropriate to be making out in someone else’s bathroom when there are guests around?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You’ve lost all sense of boundaries,” Treasure continued.

“Yeah—Dion and I fuck everywhere. Gas stations, public parks.”

“You watch your language in my house.”

“I’m sorry.” I inhaled slowly, blew the breath out in a rush. “I know you don’t like profanity.”

“Or adultery.” She gave me a pointed look.

“That’s the thing, Treasure. I’m not having an affair. And I don’t appreciate you bringing up Robert to your friends. You’re painting me out to be a harlot.”

“If you’re still married, it’s called an affair.”

“And that’s why I know you were looking for an excuse to hate Dion. Unfortunately, I gave that to you on a silver platter.”

“I don’t hate him. But you don’t have to flaunt your affair in my house.” Treasure exhaled loudly. “Look, Robert told me everything. Why you left. All of it.”

“Robert told you what?” I asked, bowled over. “I already told you everything.”

“Actually, he called me a few days ago.”

Anger began to brew inside of me. Robert hardly even liked Treasure. What was he doing calling her?

“Did you expect him to want to have a child with you when you were seeing someone else?”

“Wow. So that’s what he said.” I shouldn’t have been surprised. He was trying to make me look bad—most likely hoping he could turn my friend against me.

“I know he’s getting older—”

“I was not seeing anyone while I was married to Robert.”

“You’re still married,” Treasure pointed out.

“Before we
separated,
” I snapped. “You know what I mean.”

“You weren’t seeing Dion before you left Robert?” Treasure asked, eyeing me doubtfully.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Robert thinks you were.”

“Well, I wasn’t.”

Treasure shrugged. “When Robert spoke to me, he said that he’s willing to have the vasectomy reversed.”

So Robert had called Treasure not only to make me look like the guilty party, but to get her to do his bidding. “That’s not what he said to me,” I told her. “Not even since I’ve left him. He very clearly said that he was too old to have any more children.”

“He said he told you that because you refused to leave your boyfriend.”

“He’s lying.” And if he expected me to take him back after filling Treasure’s head with lies, he was delusional.

“I know you might think it’s too late to save your marriage,” Treasure began gently. “But it doesn’t have to be. Forgiveness can lead to a new start.”

Something occurred to me then. That this wasn’t about me. It was about Treasure. A couple years ago, she’d confided that Shane had left her for another woman—his secretary. Treasure had prayed about it, and ultimately Shane had come home, but I had a feeling she wasn’t truly happy. However, her religious convictions made her determined to save her marriage because she believed her vows had been sacred.

The entire afternoon, I hadn’t witnessed any affection between her and her husband. It seemed that she poured all her love onto her four-year-old son.

“And what do you really know about Dion?” Treasure asked me. “It seems to me you’re moving too fast.”

“You know, Treasure. I love you like the sister I never had, but I think I’m going to leave.”

Treasure nodded grimly. “Maybe that’s for best.”

I turned to the bedroom door, then hesitated. Sighing, I faced my friend once more. “You know, I just wish you weren’t so rigid. I understand your religious convictions, and I also understand that my relationship with Dion probably seems a bit sudden to you. But I wish you would treat me like the adult I am. Accept me and my decisions—even if you don’t agree with them. I wish we could have sat down and talked about what I’m going through. Yes, my marriage is over—but I’ve met a man I’m crazy about. It’s too bad you can’t be happy for me.”

Treasure said nothing. I left the bedroom and hurried through the house to the patio doors. I put on a brave face as I stepped outside, not wanting anyone to realize that anything was amiss.

Some of the husbands were now sitting at the table beside their wives, some were standing around it. Dion was chatting with Shane. He had a beer in hand, and looked comfortable.

Why couldn’t Treasure try to understand what I was going through? I didn’t expect her to jump up and down about my news, but at least she didn’t have to be judgmental.

Seeing me, Dion winked. I strolled across the stone patio and slipped my arm through his. “You know what, sweetheart? I’m not feeling that well.”

“You’re not?”

“No.” I pouted a little, putting on a show. “Would you mind if we left early?”

“Of course not,” Dion said.

That was another difference between him and my ex. Robert would most likely have told me to stick it out, put on a brave face until he was ready to leave. At least if we were at a function he was enjoying. I didn’t know if Dion realized I was telling a white lie or not, but clearly, my feelings mattered to him, in a way they hadn’t to Robert.

“Thanks,” I murmured. Turning to our host, I said, “Happy birthday, Shane. Hope to see you another time soon.”

“Sure thing. Bring Dion by anytime.”

I smiled in appreciation at his offer, but knew I wouldn’t be taking him up on it, not until Treasure came around.

We said our goodbyes, then I went to Javan across the yard and gave him a big hug.

“Goodbye, Javan. Aunt Elsie loves you.”

As I released him and stood, I saw that Treasure was standing a few feet away from me. She no longer looked angry. In fact, she looked solemn. Perhaps a little regretful.

“I’ll talk to you later, Treasure,” I told her. Then I slipped my hand into Dion’s and led the way out of the backyard.

The car radio was playing a hip R & B tune I hadn’t heard before. I could hear the song, but wasn’t truly listening. Instead, I gazed out the window, lost in my thoughts, as we drove along the interstate.

The confrontation with Treasure weighed heavily on my mind. I hadn’t expected leaving Robert to be easy. But I hadn’t expected to lose my oldest friend over my decision to get a divorce.

Dion was holding my hand as he navigated traffic. Now, he gave it a supportive squeeze.

I turned to face him.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, babe. I’m fine.”

A moment passed. “I’m sorry I followed you into the bathroom.”

“No, Dion. Don’t apologize. What happened…it’s not your fault.”

“If I hadn’t gone into the bathroom when I did—”

“You didn’t force me to make out with you,” I interjected. “I was a willing participant.” For the first time since we’d left my friend’s place, I smiled, remembering our hot and heavy session. Even if the location wasn’t appropriate, it was nice to be able to be spontaneous with someone who, with just one look, set your body on fire.

“It was you and that pineapple,” Dion said, clearly reading the direction of my thoughts. “I got hard watching you, I swear. And when I saw you head inside…” He bit down on his bottom lip. “Damn, I better stop this. I’m getting another hard-on now. I’m tempted to pull over.”

“Which would be a bad idea, no matter how tempting.” The last thing I needed was a police officer pulling up while I was giving Dion head.

“I know. Just like it was a bad idea to take you into the bathroom.”

“Please, Dion, don’t feel bad about that.”

“I wanted your friend to like me. I don’t think she does.”

“I don’t think Treasure’s issue is with you. And I’m starting to think it has nothing to do with me, either.”

“What do you mean?”

I shook my head. “It’s just…she has her own issues in her marriage. But I wish she’d accept that I’m entitled to make decisions for myself and not be judged.”

“She’ll get there.” Dion squeezed my hand. “It takes time.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. My marriage falling apart, the news that I’m already involved with someone else—it was all a shock to her.”

“I’m sorry I caused conflict between you.”

“The conflict with Treasure will work itself out. And I can’t live my life for her. I’m not about to live my life for anyone else ever again. That said, I think it’s probably a good idea if I don’t tell her that I’ve moved in with you. Until some time has passed, I’ll be more cautious about what I share with her.”

“You’re not regretting moving in with me, are you?”

“No!” I replied instantly. “Absolutely not.”

Dion kissed my hand. “Good.”

“This isn’t ideal—me still being married. But I’m crazy about you. Am I supposed to put my life on hold for the next year until my divorce is final? To make everyone else happy?”

“You won’t get an argument from me.”

“And I’m thirty-seven, for God’s sake. I don’t need anyone’s permission to live with you. Except yours, of course.”

“You have that and then some,” Dion said. He winked at me before turning his attention back to the road.

I gazed at him with affection. Maybe I shouldn’t expect Treasure to understand what I was feeling for Dion. I hardly understood it myself. I only knew that from the time I’d met him, he had changed my life.

What do you really know about him?
Treasure had asked me.
It seems to me you’re moving too fast.

Certainly words of caution I couldn’t dispute, and yet… And yet, what had I known about Robert when I’d met and married him? Only that he was a gentleman, a romantic and caring and successful man. Our relationship had lasted a lot longer than many other couples who got married these days.

I’d given my marriage my best shot. I had nothing to feel guilty about.

I’d realized on the drive to Treasure’s that I didn’t have my cell phone with me. When we got home, I went straight to the kitchen, hoping to find it there. I had a vague memory of putting it on the countertop.

“Thank God,” I exclaimed when I saw it, and quickly scooped it up. But a moment later, as I flipped through my missed calls, I grew wary.

There had been a dozen calls from the shop. And about five more from Spike’s cell phone.

Dion must have seen the expression on my face. “What is it?”

“There were several calls from the shop. And Spike was trying to reach me.”

I didn’t bother checking my messages, just called his cell.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Spike asked without preamble when he picked up.

“I forgot my cell,” I explained. “What’s wrong? Everything okay with Marcus?”

“Marcus isn’t the problem. I’ve been trying to reach you about the shop.”

“The shop?”

“Major problems. I called to place those orders today like you asked. But the vases, gift baskets, wet and dry foam—all those supplies you needed—well, the order wouldn’t go through. The supplier said your credit was declined.”

“Declined?”

“At first I thought there had to be a mistake, some computer glitch, so I went ahead and called the supplier for Godiva. And they told me the same thing. That your credit was declined.”

“That’s imp—” The word died on my lips. Instantly, I knew what was going on. “Robert,” I said. “It has to be him.”

“That’s what I figured.”

“Damn him!”

Before me, Dion mouthed the word
“What?”

“Of course, it could be something else, doll-face.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” I drew in a deep breath. “Thanks for letting me know. I can’t do anything about it until Monday morning. I’ll go to the bank first thing and settle this situation.”

But by the time Monday morning rolled around, I’d learned that the problem was bigger than I had anticipated.

All my credit cards had been declined when I tried to pay for gas on Sunday. I’d had to leave my driver’s license with the gas station attendant as collateral so I
could drive to the bank and withdraw cash. Only when I got to the ATM, I discovered I had no access to any cash. The screen kept flashing the words
TRANSACTION UNAUTHORIZED.

Crying, I had to call Dion, who had been out playing basketball with a teenager he was mentoring, and ask him to meet me so I could pay my bill.

By Monday morning, I was pissed. I marched into my branch and asked to speak to the manager.

The manager, a man I knew was a personal friend of Robert’s, ushered me into his office ten minutes later.

“Mrs. Kolstad.” He smiled warmly. “What brings you in today?”

I lowered myself onto the plush leather seat, my back ramrod straight. I counted to five before speaking, making a concerted effort to keep my anger under control.

Kenny Lyle wasn’t my problem. Robert was.

“I seem to be having a problem with my accounts,” I explained. “My personal account, my business account. I can’t access any money.”

Kenny gave me an odd look. “We froze the assets when your husband reported the identity fraud Friday afternoon.”

“Identity fraud?”

“Yes. Robert came in, told me his concern that all your accounts had been breached. Sure enough, I found charges totaling nearly twenty thousand dollars that he said were bogus. I froze all the accounts immediately.”

“What kind of charges?”

“Thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment and some other electronics.” Kenny frowned. “Surely Robert advised you of this?”

“Mr. Lyle, I’m not sure if he told you the state of our marriage,” I began gently. “We’ve separated.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“I’m not sure what’s going on, but I need access to my accounts.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Kolstad. They’ve been frozen. We’ll have to set up new accounts for you, including personal and business credit—”

“And how long will that take?”

“I’ll need both you and Robert to sign some paperwork.”

“How can I set up my own account?” Why hadn’t I considered doing that before? All my accounts had Robert’s name on them, which I could see now had been a huge mistake.

“You can set up an account at any time. But in order to access the frozen assets, we need your husb—”

I pushed my chair back and stood. “I can’t believe this. I have a business to run. I need access to credit to place orders.”

“Your business account, your personal account—everything was joint with Robert. He’ll need to authorize—”

I spun around and stormed out of the office. I’d been on the verge of grabbing something off Kenny’s desk and throwing it.

Or bursting into tears.

I hurried onto the street, tears finally filling my eyes. What was I going to do?