When Valentines Collide

by Adrianne Byrd

  “Good. I already bought our tickets.”

  “Of course you did.”

  Matthew spent another day cruising on autopilot. He listened with great apathy to his guests’ problems, doled out his earnest opinions and advice, and then smiled and laughed with his staff once they wrapped taping.

  In the coming week, the network would broadcast repeat programming while he attended his last conference with his wife. A part of him knew that he should at least give his producers a heads-up about the pending divorce, but the other part of him still hadn’t come to terms with it.

  That was silly, considering their wild fights and inexcusable behavior. Deep down, he never thought she would go through with it. She was his yin to his yang. If she got crazy, he went crazy, too.

  But leave?

  “I should have followed Seth’s advice and just apologized,” he mumbled to the vanity mirror inside his dressing room.

  “I’m sorry. Did you say something?” Cookie asked, handing him his coffee.

  “No. No. I was just…talking to myself.” He smiled blandly and dropped his gaze to the steaming black liquid in his favorite Open Heart Forum coffee mug.

  “Oh.” Cookie clasped her hands behind her back and thrust her surgically-enhanced bosom high into the air. “Well, is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No. I think that’s all. Thank you.” He sipped from his cup and prepared to dive back into his desolate thoughts.

  “Are you sure?” The young girl stepped forward and purposely rubbed her breasts against his arm. “Can’t you think of anything else you might need?”

  Surprised, Matthew instinctively pulled his arm away and repositioned himself in his chair to avoid physical contact. Yes, she was a beauty by any man’s standards and there was no misinterpreting the open invitation written in her eyes, but he was a married man and…

  His thoughts froze. He wasn’t going to be a married man much longer. His war against his advancing depression ended in a crushing defeat.

  His marriage was over.

  Old man Roger agreed to keep an eye on Buddy for the Valentines. When he showed up to pick the puppy up, he innocently asked, “You guys going to a funeral?”

  Matthew handed their luggage to the chauffer and shot a look over at his wife.

  As if a director had shouted action, she gave an Oscar-worthy performance by laughing off the question and patting the groundskeeper’s arm. “Nothing as serious as that. We’re guest speakers for a marriage and relationship conference in New Mexico.”

  “Ah.” He nodded his head, but his eyes darted between the couple.

  Matthew thought the man didn’t look convinced, but at least he had the decency not to probe further.

  “Well, you two have a good time. Don’t you worry none about Buddy. I’ll take good care of him.”

  A few minutes later, they headed off to the airport. Within five minutes, the drive already seemed too long. Matthew sat ramrod straight while trying not to glance over at his wife. The few times he caught a glimpse of her, she stared resolutely out the window.

  “You know, it’s not too late to back out of this,” he said, breaking the chilly silence.

  Chanté glanced at him, seemingly annoyed that he was speaking to her.

  “We could just give them some type of excuse…or tell them the truth.”

  The way she pressed back into her seat and carefully folded her arms, Matthew surmised she was tempted by the suggestion. In turn, it felt like another nail being driven into their coffin.

  “I promised Edie I would go,” she admitted softly. “Might as well go ahead and just get it over with.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed, returning his attention to the scenery sliding past his own window. “Might as well.”

  Later, the husband and wife team arrived at the airport and stepped out of the limousine with wide toothy smiles. Matthew, being a sort of television celebrity, was more immediately recognized and was approached for autographs.

  “Oh, my Lord. It really is you,” one woman gushed, covering her heart with both hands. “Oh, I absolutely love your show.” She turned her dancing eyes toward Chanté and dug through her large purse. “And I just purchased your book this morning. Will you sign it for me?”

  “I’d love to,” Chanté returned the woman’s infectious smile.

  The woman handed over the book and prattled on. “I was telling my girlfriend the other day about what a beautiful couple you two make.”

  “Why, thank you,” Matthew and Chanté responded like robots.

  “Look, it’s the Valentines,” another woman gasped and then preceded to drag her unimpressed companion toward them. Within seconds it was apparent the woman had a major crush on Matthew.

  “Honey, make sure you keep your claws in this one,” gushing woman number two whispered loudly to Chanté. “Trust me. They don’t make them like him anymore.”

  A few inches evaporated from Chanté’s smile as she cast a sidelong glance at her husband. No question about it, Matthew was indeed a fine specimen. His aura of confidence and warm baritone practically had the women melting all over him.

  Her, too, if she wasn’t careful.

  The Valentines worked their way toward their gate, smiling and giving one another adoring glances.

  Sometimes it was forced, sometimes it wasn’t.

  After settling into their first-class seats, Chanté and Matthew blinked in genuine surprise when Edie and Seth took the seats across the aisle from them.

  “What are you two doing here?” Chanté asked with a rush of relief, easing into her bones.

  “What do you think?” Edie chided, and then lowered her voice. “We’re here to make sure you two don’t kill each other.”

  “Personally, I welcome the protection,” Matthew joked, and was rewarded with a sharp elbow jab. “See what I mean?” he added.

  “All right, you two. Behave,” Seth warned, shaking his head. “Don’t make us put you in timeout.”

  “He/She started it,” Chanté and Matthew complained in unison and then gave each other sharp looks.

  Seth leaned into his wife’s ear. “Still think this is going to work?”

  Edie thrust up her chin and gave him a reassuring smile. “Trust me. Once we get to the resort they’ll be thanking us.”

  Chapter 11

  “What the hell do you mean there’s no conference?” Chanté rounded on her best friend once the group arrived at the front desk of The Tree of Life Spa and Resort. “I have a full itinerary and workshop program—”

  “I sort of made those up,” Edie admitted and then used her husband as a human shield in case Chanté put her good pinching fingers to use.

  “You made them up?” Matthew and Chanté barked.

  “Why would you do something like that?” Chanté asked. “Do you know what I had to do to get this time off from the radio station on such short notice?”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Valentine?” A calm, gentle female voice spoke from behind them.

  Chanté and Matthew turned cautiously toward an elderly white-haired woman who was just shy of five feet tall.

  “Hello, I’m Dr. Margaret Gardner. Welcome to The Tree of Life Resort. I can’t tell you how excited I was that you two had registered for our Sexuality and Liberation program.”

  “Come again?” Matthew shot a glare at Seth.

  “Don’t worry,” Dr. Gardner continued. “Nothing is more important to us than our guests’ privacy. We’re just thrilled for the opportunity to introduce an alternative method to relationship healing.”

  “Uh-huh.” Matthew digested the kind woman’s words and then reached over to close his wife’s gaping mouth. “This Sexuality and Liberation program of yours…exactly how does that work?”

  Before Dr. Gardner could respond, Chanté finally found her voice. “Excuse us for a minute, won’t you?” She grabbed Matthew by the arm and tugged him aside. “I don’t care how it works. We’re not staying!”

  “Oh, c’mon, Cha
nté,” Edie jumped uninvited into the conversation. “Give it a try. What do you have to lose?”

  “You, stay out of this!” Chanté jabbed her finger in the center of Edie’s breastbone. “What were you thinking tricking us to come to a place like this?”

  “We,” Edie said as she dragged her groaning husband into the argument, “are trying to help you, since both of you are too proud and stubborn to do the right thing. I mean, really! Duct taping the house, cutting up expensive cars and tampering with food. Does any of that sound like what two rational, mature adults do to resolve conflict?”

  “Don’t forget what he did to my shoes,” Chanté added, crossing her arms with a great huff.

  Edie gave her friend an annoyed look as she slid her hands onto her hips. “Look, Seth and I know you two are a little on the neurotic side. We’re your friends. We accept that. We also know you two still love each other.”

  Chanté lowered her eyes and then stole a side-glance at Matthew. His deep onyx gaze softened as it roamed her face. “A marriage needs more than love.”

  “Yes, it needs communication and hard work,” Edie answered. “Somehow in your crazy quest to always be right, you’ve forgotten how to connect. You’ve forgotten how to touch each other.”

  “Hey, I’ve tried to connect with her.”

  “When? In between getting drunk and passing out?”

  “I knew that wasn’t a dream!”

  “No, it was a nightmare.”

  “Okay. Okay,” Edie snapped. “The bottom line is that you guys need help.”

  The group fell silent.

  Finally, Matthew cleared his throat. “I’m willing to give it a try, if you are.”

  Chanté looked up again, this time her eyes were glossed with unshed tears. “I…guess…we could give it a try.”

  “Yes!” Edie jerked her arm back as if her favorite football team had scored a touchdown.

  Dr. Gardner cleared her throat and everyone turned toward her with guilty smiles for having forgotten she stood behind them.

  “Uh, yes. About that program?” Matthew asked again with a widening smile.

  Dr. Gardner clasped her hands together and rocked excitedly on the balls of her small feet. “Our Sexuality and Liberation program gives our couples the framework and tools for lovemaking.”

  “Tools?” Seth asked, and then grinned at his wife. “I’m already liking the sound of this.”

  Edie smacked him on the arm. “Behave.”

  “I believe that great sex is a rarity even for couples who are in love. I’m interested in making it a repeatable reality.”

  “Now I like the sound of that,” Chanté said.

  Edie turned around and gave her girl a high-five.

  Seth frowned and curled his bottom lip. “How come she didn’t get smacked?”

  His wife playfully smacked his arm again. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Since you’ll be staying,” Dr. Gardner chuckled, “how about I show you to your private lodges?” She winked.

  Seth and Edie took the lead, linking their arms together.

  Chanté and Matthew followed, moving like shy teenagers out on their first date.

  The Tree of Life Resort was nestled comfortably in the Sandia Mountains, halfway between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Walking down the long, curvy multicolored stone walkway, everyone had a breathtaking view of the dusty rose and lavender skyline.

  The stunning desert landscape easily transported Chanté back to her Texas days. She nearly laughed at the thought. When had she started thinking of those days as simple?

  She looked over at Matthew. At least when they had first gotten together, it had been simple. Hadn’t it? Shaking her head, she concluded that she didn’t know anymore.

  “Here we are, Mr. and Mrs. Valentine.” Gardner slid a card key into a door lock. “I trust you’ll find everything to your satisfaction.”

  Chanté drew a deep breath and fluttered a smile as she crossed the threshold. The southwestern decor continued in their grand lodge. Handsome leather chairs, handwoven coil baskets and even Native American patchwork quilts gave the room an authenticity, but it was the giant stone fireplace that quickened her heart and tickled her imagination.

  “Very nice,” she said, setting her purse on what appeared to be a hand-carved wooden table.

  Matthew nodded his agreement and slid his hands into his pants’ pockets.

  Dr. Gardner beamed and clasped her hands to her chest. “Great! You’ll find everything you need in the folders laid out on your bed. It has your workshop overviews, schedules and instructions. You’ll have one class tonight before dinner and then there’s a small mixer.”

  “Great. We get to meet the other couples,” Matthew said. “So much for privacy.”

  “Are you saying you want to leave?” Chanté asked, afraid he was having second thoughts.

  “No. No. That’s not what I meant…unless—you want to leave.”

  “No. I mean, we’re already here.”

  Edie rolled her eyes. “Let’s leave these two alone, Dr. Gardner. They can go at it for hours. Trust me.” She addressed her friends. “See you guys at dinner?”

  “Sure. Meet you there,” Matthew answered with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and then waited patiently for the group to exit.

  When the door finally clicked close, he dropped his artificial smile and deflated his shoulders.

  “Quite an interesting turn of events,” Chanté commented with forced amusement.

  “I’d say.” Matthew nodded and then failed to think of anything else to add.

  Chanté turned and exaggerated her interest in the room’s decor. However, her husband’s gaze grew heavier on her back while the silence became deafening. Was he expecting her to say something—do something?

  “Do you think this will work?” he finally asked when she completed her circle around the living room.

  She shrugged. “I don’t see why not, it’s a fairly large place.”

  “No. You know that’s not what I meant.”

  He stepped forward and crowded her personal space, but she stepped back when that unfamiliar cologne tickled her nose. “I don’t know. In the past six months we’ve said a lot…we did a lot to hurt each other.”

  Matthew lowered his gaze and grudgingly nodded. “But it doesn’t mean that I stopped loving you,” he added tenderly. At her soft gasp, he chanced another look up and watched her beautiful amber eyes fill with tears.

  “I still love you, too,” she responded in a trembling whisper and closed her eyes. “Do you know how long it’s been since we’ve said those words to each other?”

  While his mind tumbled over recent months, Matthew’s face heated with shame and embarrassment for failing to do the number one thing he advised the world to do: always tell the people in your life how much you love and appreciate them.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, taking another step forward.

  Chanté blinked. “What?”

  “I said I’m sorry. I’ve been an incredible asshole and you deserve better.”

  Something certainly had to be wrong with her hearing. Dr. Matthew Valentine had never apologized for anything—not that she should be keeping some sort of scorecard, but it just never happened.

  Her husband frowned at her. “Did I say something wrong?”

  She shook her head as a few tears skipped down her cheeks. “No. In fact, you said everything just right.”

  Matthew smiled and erased the remaining distance between them. Their gazes remained locked as his hand cupped her chin and tilted up her lips.

  Butterflies emerged from their cocoons and began batting their new wings in the pit of Chanté’s stomach. She even held her breath in anticipation as Matthew’s head slowly descended. When their lips finally touched, a dam of emotions broke within her soul and tears streamed down her face.

  Matthew groaned and pulled her tighter. Despite a surge of urgency and testosterone, he took his time exploring her mouth and dancing
with her tongue. What was undoubtedly his millionth kiss from her, this one had every bit of sweetness as their first.

  Matthew allowed hope to bloom in his heart. He didn’t know what to expect in the next four days, but he vowed to do whatever it took to win his wife’s heart back.

  Chanté didn’t know whether this place could save their marriage but, at least, they were off to one hell of a start.

  Outside the Valentines’ lodge, Edie and Seth stood with their ears pressed against the door.

  “I can’t hear anything,” Seth complained.

  “I think they’re kissing,” Edie whispered with a widening smile.

  “You’re kidding me.” He pressed his ear to another spot on the door. “I can’t believe it,” Seth whispered back in genuine amazement. “They’re not trying to kill each other.”

  “Oh, ye of little faith.” Edie moved away from the door and pulled her husband along. “You know if this all works out according to plan, we should write a book.”

  “Yeah. We can name it: Lie, Sneak and Trick Your Friends to a Happier Marriage.”

  “Catchy. I like it.”

  Seth rolled his eyes.

  Chapter 12

  Chanté held Matthew’s hand firmly as they entered the first workshop of their Sexuality and Liberation program. Edie and Seth were already there, mixing and mingling with the group as if they did this sort of thing every day.

  Given the Valentines’ celebrity status, most of the participating couples made the assumption that Chanté and Matthew were teaching the course. When they learned the celebrity duo were actually participants, everyone’s excitement level increased.

  “This experience is going to change your life,” Wilfred, a seventy-something gentleman with a George Hamilton tan and a whistling ear aide confided. “This is me and Mable’s ninth time here at The Tree of Life Resort,” he said, nodding his head vigorously. “Each time we come, we learn something new. Ain’t that right, Mable bear?”

  Mable, a very tall, Bea Arthur look-alike nodded and expanded her crimson-red lipstick smile. “That’s right, Willicums.”