Totlandia: Spring (13 page)

Pink, red and silver heart-shaped balloons filled with helium covered every inch of the eleven-foot ceilings of the classic Victorian. The golden glow of the tiny votive candles that filled a ceiling-high glass bookcase was doubled by the mirrored wall behind it. A fortune teller, dressed as the Queen of Hearts, gave readings of palms and tarot cards. Ally had coerced an old school chum, the Los Angeles-based jazz crooner Andree Belle, to fly up for the event. As the petite and slender blonde sat atop Barry’s baby grand piano, couples danced to her sultry renditions of Cole Porter love songs.

It’s a perfect party for anyone in love,
Ally thought sadly.

She tried hard not to glance over at Jade and Brady, who where chitchatting with Bettina, Art, Matt, Lorna and Jillian. Ally could tell Jillian was just as miserable. Since the PHM&T board presumed she was married to Scott, Caleb could not be by her side.

Since Brady’s cash infusion into Life of Pie, Jillian and Ally had found the perfect retail space, in Pacific Heights’ Union Street. Last week, while their daughters slept in their strollers, the two women surveyed the handiwork of the carpenter who had put in the counters and display shelves, Jillian broke down and admitted she and Caleb were no longer seeing each other.

“He insists I still love Scott.” She had sobbed quietly.

Ally had put her arm around her friend. “Do you feel there’s any truth in that?”

At first Jillian had shook her head adamantly. But the shakes slowed into a shrug before she nodded once, half-heartedly. “I can’t help it. Despite Scott’s duplicity, I still feel the break-up was just as much my fault as his. There are always telltale signs. If I’d picked up on them instead of focusing so much on the house and…and…”

“And your daughters?” Ally had turned her friend’s head until they were eye to eye. “Scott is supposedly a smart guy. My goodness, he should have been able to express his feelings to his wife of ten years! If he didn’t want children, he should have said so upfront. If he was disappointed because the children you had were twin girls, he should still man up and accept them for who they are, his own flesh and blood.”

Jillian sighed. “If only he believed they were truly his. And that’s the problem. He still believes they’re Jeff’s.”

Ally shooed that notion away with a flip of her wrist. “He’s just trying to get out of alimony. Well, the good news is that the success of the pie shop means you won’t need him or his money.”

Jillian snorted. “Trust me. I’ll still need a man. Hey, a girl has needs, you know. And Caleb…well, let me put it this way—he completes me.”

Yes, Ally knew, all too well the need for that one special relationship.

The desire to feel a man by her side.

How she longed to hold Brady. To kiss him and have him make love to her.

And now, as their eyes met across a crowded room, as the dancers shuffled and kissed to Andree’s sultry rendition of “Night and Day,” she could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Someday perhaps,
she promised him silently.

Had he nodded or was that her imagination?

To force herself out of her pleasant trance, she squeezed Barry’s hand tightly. “Come on, it’s time to liven up this party with a game of Covert Cupid.”

He sighed. “Salacious party favors from one frustrated housewife to another? The excitement is palpable.”

She tweaked his nose. “Don’t be such a spoil sport! Just bring in the damn gift basket. By the way, with Jillian’s permission, I’ve rigged the game so that she draws the prize I donated, a trip to a B&B in Mendocino. If it works, she’s already promised to give it back to me. It’s my thank-you present to you and Christian.”

“Wow thanks, Allycat! I just hope he sobers up before the expiration date,” he laughed. “Well, let the games begin!”

Who the hell is Brady mooning over?
Kimberley wondered. It certainly isn’t Jade. For the past hour, she’s been cornered by that horndog, Art. Is it the singer? Why, I’ll strangle that little hussy—

No, his gaze went even farther across the room.

He was staring at Ally Thornton.

Ha! What a jerk he is.
Kimberley smirked.
He won’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting her in bed. Just look at all the love pats she’s giving her husband, Barry. And the way she tweaks his nose, the way he laughs at the joke she’s whispering in his ear. I could be shouting at the top of my lungs and my Jerry still wouldn’t turn around.

She watched as Ally’s husband walked to the foyer table. As he hoisted the Covert Cupid gift basket, she sighed with relief. Finally!

Her own cat-and-mouse torture came in a very small package. She’d made sure that she’d pulled Jade’s name, but the gift was strictly for Brady.

When Jade opens it, all hell will break loose between her and Brady. Kimberley smirked. She’ll be seeing red.

How very appropriate for Valentine’s Day.

Jade was only listening half-heartedly to the giggles and guffaws coming from the crowd as each club member opened the gift from their Covert Cupid. Most of the items were silly: peignoirs, fuzzy pink handcuffs, a bunny tail and floppy ears.

And lots of Viagra.

It reminded Jade of all the props on the set of her porn flick,
Alice in Wonderlust
.

She blushed at the thought.
Oh no,
she thought in horror.
What if someone here gets my movie as a gag gift?

She glanced around at the laughing crowd. No one was watching her. No one knew.

Relief surged through her.
I’ve got to quit thinking about the past and work toward the future,
she vowed.
My future, with Brady and Oliver.

Her conversation with Ally had put her mind at ease. Despite the obvious attraction Brady had for her friend, Jade knew all too well that it took two to tango.

At the children’s holiday party, when Jade had run into her movie costar, Ally had seen her lose her cool. But Ally had been enough of a friend to assure her that their friendship meant more than ratting her out.

Ally had also promised she’d never let Brady’s attraction get in the way of her friendship. But isn’t that exactly what happened when Ally kissed Brady on New Year’s Eve?

From then on, she knew Ally couldn’t be trusted.

The best advice she ever got from anyone had come from the movie’s director. “Timing is everything,” he had said.

He had been talking about her costars staying power. Still, Jade realized it applied to a variety of situations.

Like when Ally came to Jade after the Onesie’s reading time and asked her if she’d mind if Brady joined Bracknell’s corporate board, Jade’s heart almost quit beating. She knew it would give Brady exactly what he wanted—more time with Ally.

She also realized he’d always resent her if she said no to Ally. After Art’s blackmail attempt, Brady was one step away from banishing her from Oliver’s life. She couldn’t afford to give him another reason to do so.

When Ally swore again that she’d do nothing to damage their friendship, she had no choice but to say yes. Perhaps it was the perfect test of Ally’s loyalty after all. If Ally failed, Jade would let Bettina know.

Bettina would banish Ally and Zoe from the club. And Ally would hate Brady for disgracing her and her little girl.

All the way around, it was a win-win situation.

As fate would have it, she’d drawn Ally’s name for Covert Cupid. Her gift to her frenemy was a heart-shaped mirror. She had it inscribed with a phrase she’d found on Brainy Quotes, accredited to Sophocles:

Trust dies, but mistrust blossoms.

Every time she looks at herself, she’ll think of me, not him,
Jade thought.

At least, she hoped so. Brady wasn’t easy to forget.

So why did she find him so easy to forgive?

Kimberley nudged her back to reality. “Silly, Jade! Your name was called! Go up and get your gift.”

Jade nodded and pushed her way through the crowd until she was at Barry’s side.

“Here you go, doll,” he said with a wink. “It was really addressed to Brady, but we both know he’s got the wrong equipment for PHM&T membership. It’s too tiny to be a cattle prod, but if you’re lucky, maybe it’s a choke leash.”

He knows Brady too well,
she thought sadly.

She ripped open the packet. Inside was a purple thong.

Just like the one she found in her cabinet on Thanksgiving.

The note said,
Dear Brady, Thinking of you! Again…and again…and again…

Who the hell had pulled her name?

She stared out at the crowd. So, he was fucking one of them! One of her so-called friends.

But of course it had to be Ally. She’d been there, on Thanksgiving, without a date.

Without a husband.

She was the only one who could have put the thong in the cabinet.

And she acted so innocent when I asked her about it at the children’s holiday party,
Jade remembered.
What a fool I’ve been!

The crowd roared, “Hold it up! Hold it up! Hold it up!”

As she did, she looked directly at Brady.

He turned white. He frowned as he stared back at her.

“Wow, Brady looks like he’s seen a ghost,” Kimberley whispered in her ear. “What’s got him so wound up?”

Jade ignored her. She was too busy watching where Brady’s eyes went next. She guessed he’d look at the prankster, his lover.

She was right. His eyes went directly to Ally, who was watching Jade intently.

She sees how upset I am,
Jade reasoned.
I guess she’s happy. She accomplished her goal.

So, why did Ally look so concerned for her?

“Wow, Brady certainly looks guilty,” Kimberley snickered. “Why do you think that is?”

Holding back her tears, Jade whispered, “Because he’s having an affair with Ally Thornton.”

“
What?”
Kimberley couldn’t believe her ears.

She looked from Brady, to Ally, and back again.

Why, that son of a bitch!

Why, that bitch.

So, that’s who he’s two-timing me with…

Kimberley tried to get a hold of herself. Still, her voice shook when she asked, “I’m…I’m so sorry, Jade. But…are you sure? How do you know?”

Jade’s fake smile hid the sadness in her voice. “He told me so. But up until now I’ve given her the benefit of the doubt that she hasn’t…that she hasn’t given into her own feelings about him. Now I know she’s been lying.” She lowered her head. “She better watch her back.”

Kimberley looked at her sharply. “What do you mean by that?”

Jade started to say something, but then thought better of it. “Nothing. I’m just…upset.” She leaned her head on Kimberley’s shoulder. “Thank you for…for being my friend.”

Kimberley smiled as she patted Jade’s head.
Good,
she thought.
Brady’s looking at us. Serves him right.

At this point,
Kimberley reasoned,
even if Ally had not succumbed to Brady’s charms, Jade certainly wouldn’t believe her. And I’ll warn Ally to leave him alone, or risk a scandal.

Then Ally will tell Brady to take a hike,
Kimberley thought gleefully. The last thing she needs is a threat to her club membership, let alone her marriage.

And with Jade watching his every move, Brady certainly wasn’t going to rock the boat now.

Good. I’ve got him right where I want him—frustrated and horny.

She stroked Jade’s arm. “You know what you need? A drink.” She snapped her fingers at a waiter passing with a tray of champagne flutes.

What a perfect way to celebrate the end of Brady’s next conquest!

Perhaps soon she would be celebrating the end of his marriage, too.

Friday, 15 February

All night long, Jade tossed and turned in her bed in the guest room.

She knew what she had to do if she were to salvage the life she now lived and loved so much. If she were to salvage any chance she had to reconcile with Brady.

She woke up early and got dressed in her tightest designer jeans and a sheer top that showed off her fabulous breasts. The moment she heard Oliver talking gibberish to his favorite teddy bear, she went to get him.

As was his habit, he squealed whenever she came into his room. Quickly, she picked him up and shushed him with a finger to her smiling lips. She would never let him know when her heart was breaking, ever, for as long as she lived.

She strolled him out of the house, down toward Chestnut Street, and into the Grove cafe, where she ordered scrambled eggs and a bagel to split with Oliver. She knew she was turning heads. She was used to that. Too bad Brady wasn’t there to see how much she was admired.

Soon he’d appreciate her again. But first, Ally needed to make good on her promise to leave Brady alone.

If not, she’d make Ally’s life a living hell. At least, as long as Ally was a member of PHM&T.

Now Kimberley knows that Ally is chasing after my husband, I have a protector on the Top Mom committee,
Jade reasoned.
For that matter, Bettina will bend over backward for me, too, now that Art is handling Brady’s money. One word from me and Ally is out of there.

But before she started World War III, she’d read Ally the riot act.

She’d do it today during the meet-up.

She always fought better on a full stomach.

Jade waited until the other Onesies mothers were safely ensconced in the Marina Theater, where all of the PHM&T groups had congregated for a special showing of the latest
Despicable Me
sequel before motioning Ally to follow her into the lobby.

As they made their way up the theater aisle, Kimberley turned around and gave Jade a thumbs-up sign.

Jade nodded at her. It was great to have a real friend like Kimberley.

During the admission competition, everyone had stuck together. If push came to shove and Ally ended their friendship, she wondered if Jillian would side with Ally now that they were in business together. And for that matter would Jade lose Lorna’s friendship as well? She hoped not.