All She Ever Wanted - Barbara Freethy [48]
"I didn't have time. I was busy at work. And your mother wanted my legal opinion on the situation."
"Which is what?"
"At the moment, nothing. But here's what you're going to do," he added. "You're going to screen our calls and our doorbell. I don't want you to talk to Natalie or Cole or anyone else connected to the sorority house or this book until I know more about what's going on."
She didn't like the way he was ordering her around. He'd been doing that a lot lately, treating her like she didn't have a brain in her head. "What are you afraid of?"
"What you should be afraid of—the press and the public finding out that you're the Linda in the story. I'm just lucky my name isn't in there."
And why isn't it? Laura couldn't help wondering how Drew had escaped attention. Everyone else was in the book. She watched as Drew pulled socks out of his drawer and stuck them in his suitcase. "Is there some sort of legal action we can take to stop the publication?"
"Nothing that wouldn't involve a public battle. Malone was clever. He covered his tracks by using fictitious names. We'd have to prove the characters were real people, and we'd also have to prove damages to those real people, providing, of course, that what happened in the book is false and not true. And I'm not sure it isn't true."
She frowned at that. "You think Natalie pushed Emily off the roof?"
"It's certainly possible."
"I don't think it is." And she was shocked he could think it was.
"You always had on blinders when it came to those girls." He zipped up his suitcase. "Just stay out of this, Laura. Do what you do best: keep the house and take care of the kids."
"That's not all I'm good for," she said defensively. "Seeing Natalie again made me remember that I once wanted other things. Like playing the flute. I was pretty good, you know."
"Okay," he said, obviously not getting her point.
"If you want to teach the girls how to play the flute, go for it."
"I don't want to teach the girls. I want to play the flute myself."
His cell phone rang, and he immediately answered it, never minding that they were in the middle of a conversation. "Val. I've just finished packing. Oh, good. You're the best."
Laura's stomach churned at the affection in her husband's voice. She knew she was becoming insanely jealous of Val, but she couldn't help it. Drew looked at Val and saw a beautiful, intelligent, exciting woman. He looked at her and saw his predictable, uninspiring wife, who was only good at taking care of the house and the children. If he wasn't having an affair yet, she had the terrible feeling he was dangerously close to taking that step.
"Drew, why don't I go on this trip with you?" she said impulsively. "I'll call my mother. She'll watch the girls for a few days. It will be fun."
"Are you nuts? This is a business trip. I have meetings all day and in the evenings, too. I can't take you along."
"A lot of men take their wives on business trips."
"Not if they want to actually conduct business."
"Is Valerie going?"
Drew picked up his suitcase. "Valerie is my business associate. If I need her in L.A., that's where she'll be. End of story. Now, I've called a cab, so I'll say good-bye to the girls and wait outside." He moved past her, stopping briefly to kiss her on the forehead.
"Drew ..." She hesitated as she looked into his eyes. She had the strange feeling that he wanted her to ask him if he was having an affair, that he wanted her to open the door to a conversation she wasn't sure she was ready to have. Her marriage might be floundering a bit, but did she want to end it? Did she want to say something she might not be able to take back? "I hope your trip is successful."
"I'm sure it will be," he said as he walked out the door.
Laura sat on the bed for a long couple of minutes, feeling lost and confused. Her afternoon in the park had made her feel joyous and carefree. Those emotions were now gone. She wanted them back. She'd once been so happy with Drew, and he'd been happy with her. Where had the love gone? Had it