Sheâs hiding something from me, and itâs tearing her up inside.â
âWhat on earth would she be hiding?â
Sam stopped walking and silently stared at his shoes. When he looked up, his face was stricken. âI think sheâs having an affair.â
Those were fighting words.
The hair on the back of my arms stood up. In fact, my entire body prickled, as if supercharged with static electricity. Rene had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. She was many things: flirtatious, sarcastic, an inveterate practical joker. Rene could be pushy, nosyâdownright intrusive at times. Frankly, she was often annoying as hell. But above all else, Rene was loyal. Sam, of all people, should know that.
âDonât be an idiot, Sam,â I snapped. âRene would never cheat on you. She would never cheat on anybody. And if you havenât figured that out after three years of marriage, then maybe you donât deserve her.â
I expected him to snap back. I had, after all, just called him an idiot. But he didnât. In fact, he didnât say anything for several long seconds. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded defeated.
âYouâre right.â He paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. âOf course youâre right. But, somethingâs going on with her, Kate. Something bad. And she wonât talk to me about it. Believe me, Iâve asked.â
I angled my face away from his mustache, bit back the subtle wave of nausea, and gave him a hug. âIâm sorry, Sam. I wish there was something I could do.â
He pulled back. âActually, there is.â
I didnât like the sound of that.
âRene shares everything with you. You could talk to her andââ
I held up my palms. âStop right there, mister. Iâd do anything to help Rene. You know that. But I will always take her side. Even if she did tell me what was bothering her, I wouldnât blab it to you. You two need to work out your own relationship issues.â
âI know that, Kate, but will you at least talk to her?â
Sam wheedled and cajoled and begged and pleaded all the way to the Retreat House. By the time we reached the door, I had reluctantly agreed to talk to Rene. Honestly, Iâd planned to wrangle the truth out of her, anyway. Admitting that fact to Sam was a small price to pay to give him some peace.
Emmy answered the door looking significantly more relaxed than she had earlier. An ever-so-slight slur underscored her bright vocal tone. The sweet smell of vermouth drifted on her breath. I had a feeling that sheâd indulged in more than one of her fatherâs famous Manhattans.
âIâm so glad you guys made it!â She stumbled slightly as she opened the door wider. âLet me introduce you to everyone.â
We followed her around the gorgeous space, which was packed wall-to-wall with people sipping wine, soda, and a variety of forty-proof beverages.
âThe Retreat House is Elysian Springâs showcase,â Emmy enthused. âIsnât it beautiful?â
Indeed it was. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the ocean and provided light for a flourishing indoor naturescape of philodendrons, golden pothos, and schefflera trees. The bamboo flooring gleamed with the telltale shine of recent installation and contrasted gorgeously with a large area rug woven in bright reds, blues, beiges, and greens. The carpetâs pattern contained colorful stick figures meant to be dogs, horses, or goats, I wasnât sure which.
Emmy noticed my gaze. âThatâs a Gabbeh.â
âA Gabbeh?â
âA style of carpet that was imported from Iran before the trade embargo. That particular rug was created by female weavers in the Zagros Mountains.â
âItâs beautiful.â
âThanks.â She frowned. âKyle hates it.â
âThe chef ? Why would he care?â
She shrugged. âItâs