The Real Housewives of Adverse City 2

by Shelia E. Bell

  “Be good,” she said to her pooches before leaving the luxury two-bedroom suite with ocean views. A wood spiral staircase was in the middle of the room leading to a private terrace with more spectacular views.

  Chapter 9

  “Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want.” Heath Ledger

  “I liked that five bedroom house with the two fireplaces and the inside pool,” Peyton said.

  “I liked that one too, only what use will I get out of fireplaces in Florida? How many times do you know of that it gets cold enough for a fireplace? I like the four bedroom, four bath house. It was forty-seven hundred square feet, had a pool in the back yard, a beautiful ocean view, and the white kitchen with the huge island that I want. And I think it would be in the price range that Harper wouldn’t put up much of a fuss about.”

  “You’re going to lease it, right?” Peyton asked.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Because you act like it’s completely over between you and Harper. You don’t know what the future will hold now that you aren’t pregnant. He might want you to come back.”

  “Do you honestly think I would go back to him just like that? That would make me the biggest fool,” Eva said as the women drove to the next location to meet up with the realtor.

  “Not necessarily. I do believe Harper loves you, but think about how he feels. It had to be shocking to learn that you were pregnant and knowing that the baby couldn’t possibly be his. He felt the ultimate betrayal, I’m sure,” Peyton explained.

  “The ultimate betrayal was him not telling me he had a vasectomy. He knew I wanted children. I told him that before we got married. He should have told me and I could have made the decision to marry him or not to marry him, but at least I would have known the truth.”

  “I understand you too, but I’m still saying, the fact remains that you slept with someone else. It doesn’t matter that it was Seth. What matters is that you cheated and that had to hurt him. It had to hurt him bad.”

  “And it hurt me just as bad because he was living a lie. I wonder when he was going to tell me the truth or was he going to keep stringing me along, telling me that we would have a baby the next year. What was going to happen when next year rolled around? Was he going to put it off again and again and again?” Eva threw one hand up from the steering wheel in frustration. “Don’t make him out to be the victim, Peyton.”

  “I’m not. I’m just trying to get you to look at both sides. Anyway, let’s get back to my question. What if he asks you to come back home once he finds out you’re not pregnant. Are you going to even consider it? You know you still love the man.”

  Eva continued driving without responding. Finally, she said, “I can’t answer that. I love Harper, but I don’t want to be anybody’s fool either.”

  They arrived at the next house. “This one has the best appeal of the two other ones. It sits back off the street just like I want. And I love this light colored brick and the columns gracing the front entrance.”

  “Yeah, and the long drive leading up to the house is cool,” remarked Peyton.

  “Check out the wraparound porch. And I can already see the ocean and we haven’t even gotten inside the house,” Eva remarked with excitement.

  She parked the car in front of the four car garage and she and Peyton proceeded to get out of the car and walk up the steps and onto the porch.

  “I love this,” Eva said.

  “I do too. I can see all the girls sitting out here sipping on iced tea and fresh lemonade. This is awesome,” Peyton said.

  Eva used the heavy steel knocker to knock on the massive double door. Shortly, thereafter, the realtor opened the door and welcomed them inside.

  Immediately they walked into a large foyer that opened up to an even larger living room to the right and another gigantic room with hardwood flooring to the left. As they continued to walk into the house, Eva oohed and aahed over the luxurious crown moldings throughout along with a staircase that was elegant enough to welcome royalty. The house was over eight thousand square feet with seven bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms, a family room, a white gourmet kitchen that was to die for, and a master suite that Eva could see herself never coming out of. She would be able to have her parents and her brother to come from Bolivia. Perhaps even move in with her, if her father agreed. The view in the back of the house was perfect. There was an ocean view second to none. She could practically walk out of her back door and be at the ocean.

  “I love it. I love it more than all the other houses we’ve seen,” Eva said to the realtor and to Peyton. “The only thing is it might be too large for me. I mean it’s just me and my three dogs. And Harper will probably balk at paying the lease on a house this expensive,” she said.

  “Then he should have thought about that before he threw you out,” Peyton whispered so the realtor wouldn’t hear.

  “I suppose you’re right,” Eva agreed, laughing in her hand.

  “Let me think about things and I’ll get back to you later this week,” Eva told the realtor.

  “That will be just fine. These properties go fast, so as soon as you make a decision, please give me a call.”

  “Okay, I will. And I might want to see a couple more before I make a final decision. Particularly, homes that are a little smaller, like under five thousand square feet.”

  “Sure, I’ll see what I can pull up.”

  “And thank you for agreeing to show me houses on such short notice. I appreciate it,” she said in her pronounced and heavy Bolivian accent.

  Chapter 10

  “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.” Barbara Johnson

  Eva returned to the hotel to get her fur babies prepared for the hotel’s dog walker to come and take them on their afternoon stroll. After putting on their leashes, she decided she would take them on their walk herself. She got out of her clothes and changed into a pair of short shorts, a t-shirt and some sneakers. Stopping in the fully equipped subzero kitchen, she removed an ice cold bottle of Essential water from the double wide stainless steel fridge, then remembered she would definitely want to listen to her music, so she went into the den area of the hotel suite, got her earbuds, and put on her fanny pack. She put the phone on a clip on her side and out the door she and went with the dogs tugging on their leashes.

  Downstairs, she stopped at the concierge desk and informed him of her decision and asked him to cancel her afternoon dog walking service. Eva headed out the hotel door and began the walk around the area. The afternoon remained gorgeous. Summer was in full effect but the sun’s rays were gentle as they bounced off her olive toned skin.

  Walking through this part of Adverse City was heavenly. There were signature shops lining the street. The sound of life was prevalent. She walked the dogs for half a block before she turned the corner to the left, and walked another half block.

  “Hold on, we’re almost there,” she commanded. A few additional steps and she arrived at the entrance of the twenty acre park where dogs were free to roam. She didn’t remove their leashes, however, always afraid that bigger dogs would bully them. Most of the time, she laughed to herself, at the thought. It was her dogs who did all of the barking and bullying. Inside they must have seen themselves just as

  tough and intimidating as the larger dogs. She walked them around the park and breathed in the aroma of the summer day.

  As they walked and each one did their business, she walked to a nearby stand, retrieved a scoop-the-poop bag from the stand, and proceeded to clean up after the dogs and place their waste inside the available disposal.

  Walking through the park, Eva said hello to several people who walked pass her or toward her. Everyone was nice and cordial. She loved being in America.

  As she continued walking, she thought about Harper and how he would react when she told him that she wasn’t pregnant. In less than three hours, when she saw him, she would have her answer. She listened to some of her f
avorite Bolivian tunes, oblivious to the world around her. Clad in her comfortable short shorts, she took off in a light jog as the sound of the upbeat music filled her ears. Without prompting, the dogs began barking ferociously. Eva saw a dog almost her height approaching. It appeared to be a Weimaraner, usually a gentle dog, but her dogs could aggravate the most gentle of dogs…and humans. They jumped up and down, tugged against their leashes, and Eva almost fell to the ground when one of her legs became entangled in one of the leashes.

  The owner of the Scooby-Doo sized dog rushed to her aid. “Are you okay?” He gently took hold of her elbow to help her steady herself.

  “Yes, I’m good. Thanks. Hush, stop it,” she chastised the pooches. They stopped barking but all three of them growled low under their breath, as if daring the Weimaraner to take one more step toward them and he would be annihilated. Eva laughed as the Weimeraner wasn’t paying them the least bit of attention.

  “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m good.” She walked over to a nearby bench and took a seat. “Sit,” she commanded her dogs, and they reluctantly complied.

  The stranger followed and Eva found herself becoming a little perturbed. She had assured the guy that she was okay and thanked him, so why was he still in her space?

  He extended his hand. “I’m Quentin.”

  She gave him a weak handshake. “Nice to meet you, Quentin.” For the first time since the brief encounter she noticed that he had an accent, like he may have been from the New England states or perhaps New York. She looked at him. He was definitely easy on the eyes. Coal black hair, teeth that revealed he had a doggone good orthodontist growing up and a body that said, ‘I work out often.’ The best way she would have described him to the girls would be that he was a dead ringer for the fine and sexy Australian actor Chris Hemsworth.

  “Mind if me and Lady sit here with you.”

  “This is a public park. You can sit where you choose. I’m about to be on my way. Thanks again for your chivalry. Have a good one,” Eva told him, as she bounced up from the bench, and again got tangled in one of the dog’s leashes. This time she went straight to her knees.

  Quentin came to her rescue again. “You apparently are new to this,” he said, flashing a smile and a grin as he took her by her hand and helped her to her feet.

  In her native tongue, Eva released a string of expletives, directed at her dogs and at herself for being so clumsy. The dogs, including Scooby-Doo, looked at her with whimsical looks on their canine faces.

  “Have a good one,” Eva said, her face almost a cherry red from being embarrassed. She walked away, leaving the Chris Hemsworth lookalike standing with Scooby-Doo and still smiling.

  When she arrived back to her suite, she unleashed the dogs, and went to get ready for her meetup with Harper. She dismissed any thoughts of the guy whose name she couldn’t remember. Unpinning her hair, her luscious mane cascaded down to the middle of her spine. She shook her head briefly, then began removing her clothes to take a shower.

  The time passed quickly, and before she realized it, it was time for her to go downstairs to the dining area to meet Harper.

  “I’ll be back. Mommy’s going to meet Daddy. Go get in your kennels,” she ordered and immediately the dogs complied by rushing off to go inside their individual kennels.

  Just as she opened the door to exit her hotel room, she bumped into Harper’s chest. He was standing on the other side, his hand in a fist, prepared to knock on the door.

  “Hi,” Eva said as Harper helped to steady her. “I thought we agreed to meet downstairs.”

  “We did, but it was just as easy for me to come up here, so I did. If it’s a problem, we can still go downstairs.” Surprisingly, Harper sounded quite polite and laid back. His angry demeanor and tone was gone, at least for the moment, and it made Eva a little uneasy.

  “No, come on in.” Why the sudden change? she thought. She dismissed it, stepped aside and invited him into her suite. The dogs ran out of their kennels which was in the second bedroom and headed straight for Harper. They bounced around, ran in circles, and yelped incessantly while Harper patted and talked baby talk to them. He never particularly cared for animals, but more or less tolerated them. These three dogs had managed to soften his heart a bit with their love and affection towards him. He was glad he bought them for his wife.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Eva offered.

  “Water will be good. Are you sure you don’t want to go downstairs to the restaurant and get a bite to eat?” he asked.

  “I am a little hungry, but I’ll leave it entirely up to you or we could order room service. After all, they offer twenty-four hour en suite dining so, it really doesn’t matter.” Again, Eva was curious about the change in his personality. He had been so upset and angry with her ever since he threw her out. Whenever she talked to him, he was short, curt, and downright cruel at times. But this evening he had appeared at her door congenial, nice, and much like the Harper she fell in love with.

  Don’t over think, she said to herself, and went to the kitchen to get him a bottled water.

  When she returned to the open area of the suite, Harper was standing in front of the picture window overlooking the city. He turned around as she walked into the room. He looked handsome as ever. Tall, rugged, and sexy. His brown eyes seemed to hypnotize her the more the space between them closed. Her heart beat rapidly, as it always did, when she was around her husband. She missed him terribly, but she was determined to remain strong and not give in to his sometimes demanding ways.

  Harper accepted the bottle of water. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “So, what do you say we order in? I left the hospital, went to the house, took a shower, and changed clothes so I haven’t had anything to eat since earlier today. And that was only a bag of chips and a veggie burger from the hospital cafeteria.”

  “Sure,” Eva replied, “What do you have a taste for?” She had dined in the upscale restaurant on several occasions and the food, no matter what she ordered, was always delicious.

  Harper told her what he wanted to eat. After she decided what she wanted, she called and submitted their requests.

  While they waited on dinner to be delivered, they sat outside her suite on the balcony and watched the sunset. Few words were exchanged. The beauty before them seemed to transport both of them into a still, quiet, serene place.

  A light tap on the door brought them out of their shared moment of tranquility. The dogs barked. “I’ll get it,” Harper offered and got up to answer the door.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “Quiet,” he told the dogs. They trekked behind Harper in silence.

  Eva took the opportunity to take out her phone and text Avery and Peyton telling them that Harper was there.”

  “Call if you need me,” Avery texted back almost immediately

  “Can’t wait to hear what happened,” Peyton texted. “Call no matter how late.”

  The server pushed the tray of food into the suite. “Where would you like to be served?” he asked.

  “The balcony will be fine, thank you,” Harper told him.

  Eva was impressed. This was the Harper she loved and adored. The server set up the array of food delights on the balcony as requested.

  “Anything else?” he asked politely.

  “No, that will be all.” Harper reached inside his jean pocket and pulled out a twenty and gave it to the server who in turned half bowed and smiled big.

  “Thank you kindly, sir. Please let me know if there is anything else you need and I will gladly get it for you,” he offered before turning and walking away. Harper walked with him to the door, closing it behind the pleasant gentleman.

  Returning to the balcony, he told the dogs who were following his every move, “Go to your kennels,” and they retreated.

  Both of them ordered medium well steaks. Eva had a mixed salad and Harper a Cobb salad. He had grilled asparag
us, cheese potatoes, and a small loaf of brown bread. Eva dined on her steak, steamed broccoli smothered in cheese, a loaf of brown bread, and steamed vegetables. Their server also brought two carafes of sweet tea with slices of lemon. For dessert she had ordered a chocolate cheesecake and Harper banana mousse.

  Harper sat down in his chair at the balcony table. Reaching out toward Eva, he took hold of her dainty, manicured hand, and offered a prayer of thanks for their food.

  “Can’t wait to dig in,” Harper said, and began to do just that, cutting into his tender steak and placing a forkful in his mouth. “Ummm, perfect,” he said.

  Eva did the same, and agreed with him that the food was excellent. As they dined, Harper finally addressed the elephant in the room.

  “So what do you have that’s so important that you needed to see me?” he asked, not once inquiring about the state of her health. That was something that slightly put her off because as far as he knew, she was pregnant, yet not once had he bothered to ask her how she was doing or feeling.

  Eva continued to chew her food while poking around in her plate for the next perfect bite. She stopped, took a swallow of her tea that the server poured into both of their glasses before leaving, then looked at Harper nervously.

  “I’m surprised at your pleasant attitude first of all. What gives with that?”

  Harper looked up from his plate of food and at her. “I realize that I haven’t been the nicest guy in the world. I tell my staff all the time that it doesn’t cost anything to be nice and kind to others, yet here I was being exceptionally cruel to you.”

  Eva shifted her plucked eyebrows and slightly tilted her head while looking and listening to Harper.

  “I’m surprised to hear you say that because even earlier today you didn’t exactly sound thrilled when I told you that I wanted to talk to you in person.”

  Harper took his napkin and wiped his mouth then took a swallow of water. “You’re exactly right. But right before leaving the hospital I had a patient to die. She was around your age. Had her whole life ahead of her. A husband, a little girl that had just turned a year old. I performed heart surgery earlier this week on her for a defect that she nor her family were aware that she had. I thought she would pull through. She seemed to be doing well, but then she took an unexpected turn and I couldn’t save her life. ”