Password incorrect. Please try again.
Annoyed, she typed it in again. The same error came up.
“Did he change it?” Jackie asked.
Olivia shook her head. “Andrew hasn’t changed his password in the two years that I’ve known him. I must be typing it in wrong.” Using two fingers, she typed it in again.
Password incorrect. Please try again.
“Oh, Olivia,” Jackie breathed. “This is not good. Should we check out his bedroom?”
A wave of confusion washed over Olivia, and she shook her head. What was happening here? “No,” she whispered. “I think that I just want to go. Now.”
Jackie followed her out quietly, and she locked the door behind them.
Olivia took a deep, shuddering breath, and Jackie put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “What are you going to do?”
“It’s just a password. There are a million reasons why he could have changed it—and why would he tell me? We don’t live together, and I have my own computer now for work,” Olivia said, but in her gut, she knew that something was wrong.
Jackie grimaced. “So you’re not going to follow him on his date?”
“Meeting,” Olivia corrected. “I’m not following him on his meeting. And of course I’m not! What kind of girlfriend would that make me? We’re supposed to be working on our communication, not sneaking around each other’s back.”
“Right,” Jackie said slowly. “Working on your communication.”
“Exactly.” Even as she said it, her gut churned, and she bit her bottom lip. Her friend gave her a knowing look, and even Olivia wasn’t sure that she was convincing herself.
3
“You’re not doing this,” Olivia muttered, talking to the reflected Olivia in her rearview mirror. She scowled at her skeptical eyebrows, smoothing them with an impatient finger. “You trust Andrew, and you’re sure that there’s a perfectly good explanation for this.” She attempted a smile, but the reflection simply smirked back at her, and Olivia looked away in disgust.
Seven hours had passed since she’d told Jackie that she wasn’t going to follow Andrew. Seven agonizing hours of feeling like she had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.
Do it. Don’t do it. Do it. Don’t do it.
She was parked in the parking garage behind End Game. Part of her felt comforted by the fact that Andrew was meeting the woman in town and at a place that Olivia frequented. If he really wanted to hide from her, he’d go somewhere where he wouldn’t run into her, right?
Of course, he also knew that this was the day she spent tidying up the office and cleaning up the backyard. It would be rare for her to go out until after all the dogs had been walked, and she had another round to do in an hour.
“But, what if Jackie is right? What if he thinks that we’re just in a casual relationship?” Olivia argued with herself.
Why would he change the password on his laptop? It bothered her almost as much as the alleged date did. What was he hiding from her?
“If Andrew didn’t want to be in a relationship with you, he wouldn’t have suggested that you both move into the apartments upstairs,” she muttered under her breath to her reflection as she let go of the car door handle and slumped against the seat back.
Of course, that had been two months ago. A lot can happen in two months. Like—he could have met another woman and decided to keep his options open.
“Screw it,” she muttered under her breath and yanked on the door handle. It was going to eat away at her until she saw with her own eyes what was going on.
Glancing carefully around the parking deck, she spotted Andrew’s car, but he was nowhere in sight. Probably already in the bar. Picking up the pace, she hurried out of the garage and around the corner to End Game.
Slinking in, she tried to act natural as she glanced inconspicuously around. Andrew and a pretty blonde were seated at one of the high-tops against the wall. Just before the hostess greeted her, she quickly grabbed a menu and held it up in front of her face. “I’m just going to sit at the bar,” she muttered as she ducked behind a row of plants that sat on the half wall separating the bar from the rest of the tables. Snagging an empty seat, she ducked her head and peered at the mirror that lined the wall behind the bar, trying to see through the plants behind her.
The woman—Hannah, Olivia reminded herself—looked young. Maybe just a few years out of college. Younger than Andrew, but certainly not too young for Andrew to date. Her blonde hair was long and shiny and fell in waves around her shoulders. She was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, but her make-up was impeccable. She’d managed that smoky-eye look that always made Olivia resemble a raccoon, and her lipstick was the perfect shade of red.
Olivia hated her on sight.
The woman smiled, but Olivia thought she looked nervous. Although she couldn’t see Andrew’s face, she could tell from his posture that he was also feeling a little uneasy. He was sitting unusually upright, his shoulders stiff, still dressed in his suit from work, and his fingers were tapping on the table.
It looked like an awkward first date.
Her gaze fell to the surface of their table, and her chest tightened. Was that a rose?
“Hi! I’m Andrea. What can I get you?”
The bartender’s loud voice startled Olivia, and she jumped. Focusing on the menu in front of her, she blinked. “I’ll take a Coke or Pepsi—or whatever you have—and some chips and salsa.”
Disappointment was written all over the bartender’s face, but the woman smiled tightly and took the menu.
Olivia felt bad. Who would sit at a bar and not drink?
Someone who was spying on her boyfriend while he was on a date, that’s who.
It was early enough that the bar wasn’t crowded, but there was still a sprinkling of people. Olivia recognized one of the waitresses, Jennifer, sitting at the end of the bar between two men she didn’t recognize. A couple of guys were trying to flirt with Andrea, and there was a pretty brunette sitting by herself, nursing a glass of wine.
Wishing that she could get close enough to hear what was going on at their table, she returned her attention back to Andrew and Hannah.
Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Jackie.
So? What’s happening?
Olivia quickly texted back. They’re here. She’s pretty, so I hate her. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but he brought her a single rose. Red.
Jackie’s response was immediate. Maybe he’s going to try his hand at gardening, and she’s an expert?
Olivia snorted. She appreciated her friend trying, though. Sure. Because in the past two years, all Andrew has talked about is starting a freaking rose garden.
For a moment, her phone lay quiet and textless in her hand, and Olivia knew that Jackie was trying to figure out what to say.
Then it buzzed again. Are you going to confront him?
Olivia was asking herself that very same question. She wanted to storm right up to the table and demand to be told what was going on—but not only did Olivia hate confrontation, she also still had hope that there was an explanation for everything. Deep down, Olivia knew that Andrew would never do anything to deliberately to hurt her.
I haven’t decided yet.
“God, look at Hannah.” Olivia immediately whipped her head up. Jennifer and the two men were staring at Hannah and Andrew, and Jennifer was gossiping anything but quietly. “I heard she was in here with Tommy last week. I bet she was the woman he was seeing.”
“You don’t know that Tommy was seeing someone,” one of the guys told her.
“A woman always knows, Larry,” Jennifer said as she rolled her eyes. She touched her ring finger, and Olivia could see the sadness in her eyes. “I knew that Tommy was cheating. I just didn’t want to believe it.”
“You broke up with him without proof,” Larry said as he shook his head. “No offense, but some women just start to obsess when they get a certain idea in their head. They turn ever
y little thing into imaginary evidence. Tommy loved you, and I think you should have held off.”
“Rafe?” Jennifer prompted. “She’s your cousin. What do you think?”
Rafe shrugged and sipped his beer. “Hannah has always been a free spirit, but we’re not close. I don’t know who she’s dating.” He put his beer down and wiped at his upper lip. “Do you recognize the guy that she’s with?”
Olivia held her breath. If they recognized Andrew, then it stood to reason that the town might start to talk.
Jennifer shook her head. “No, I’ve seen him in here a few times, but he comes in with different people.”
Different people? Like different women? Olivia was feeling even more despair when the bartender returned with her soda and chips and salsa. Immediately, Olivia started eating.
Great. Now she was probably going to be fat as well as abandoned before it was all over with.
She turned her attention back to Andrew and Hannah. The woman was looking really upset now, shaking her head vehemently. Her lips were pressed in an angry line.
Whatever was happening, it looked like the date was going downhill fast.
She watched as Andrew spread his hands out and leaned back, but whatever he said caused Hannah to widen her eyes and jump up from the booth. Every line of her body looked pissed as she stalked toward the door.
Andrew stood as well and reached for his wallet. Eyes wide, Olivia watched as he tossed some money on the table, picked up the rose, and followed Hannah out. Panicking, she hooked her finger on the edge of the basket of chips and tipped it over. Chips tumbled to the floor. “My bad. I got it,” she squeaked as she ducked behind the bar.
“Oh, I can clean it up,” Andrea called out, but Olivia didn’t dare raise her head. Instead, she slowly collected the chips. As she swept them in a pile, she reached up and felt the bar until she grabbed the napkins. Still hiding, she started wiping up the salsa.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt ridiculous. Why was she hiding? She hadn’t done anything wrong!
“Seriously, it’s okay,” Andrea said as she came around the bar with a broom and dustpan. “Let me clean this up, and I’ll get you another basket.”
“No, I don’t deserve another basket,” Olivia said miserably as she glanced up over the bar. Andrew was nowhere in sight. “Actually, I’m probably just going to go. How much do I owe you?”
The bartender studied her carefully. “I’ll print out your ticket. Are you okay? You look like you just got some terrible news.”
“Bad day,” Olivia managed. Her eyes swept over the bar, and she was relieved to see that only the pretty brunette remained. She didn’t want anyone witnessing her meltdown if she broke down and cried.
After paying for her soda and chips, Olivia slowly walked out. She didn’t want to see Andrew in the parking garage, so she walked in the other direction to help clear her head. By the time she got home, she was just in time for the last dog walk of the day.
Despite the dogs’ antics, she just couldn’t find the strength to smile. As much as she wanted to believe that Andrew wasn’t dating, she couldn’t keep lying to herself.
If it walked like a duck, and it quacked like a duck, it was probably a duck.
The question now was—what was she planning on doing about it?
4
Biting her thumbnail and pacing in her apartment, Olivia waited for the telltale signs that Andrew was home. His car had been gone by the time she got to the parking garage, so she knew that he’d gone somewhere, but he still wasn’t home when she got there.
Was he hanging out with Brett and talking about his awesome date?
“Not awesome date,” she reminded herself. If there was one small comfort, it was that the date had obviously ended in disaster.
Any small comfort at this point was better than nothing.
When ten o’clock rolled around and he still wasn’t home, Olivia was close to tears, so when Janelle texted her to tell her that there was a crisis happening in the bakery, she was more than ready for the distraction.
Hurrying down the stairs, she burst into the bakery to find Janelle glaring at her husband, Patrick.
Patrick Allendale was a low-key kind of guy. He and Janelle had married right out of college, and Olivia knew that Patrick didn’t always approve of her. Admittedly, Olivia had tried to talk her sister out of the wedding, stating that she was far too young, but she had to admit now that Patrick was good for Janelle. Although her sister usually had a level head, she could sometimes get a little whipped up for no reason.
This seemed to be one of those times.
As if she were approaching a wild animal, Olivia cleared her throat so as not to scare anyone. “Hi. I’m here. What’s up?” She kept her tone cheerful because she knew that look on Janelle’s face all too well.
Her sister looked ready to murder someone.
“I think that I should get rid of my office completely so I can add three ovens,” Janelle said, her eyes narrowed at her husband. “But Patrick seems to think that it’s a bad idea.”
Though the words I agree were right on her lips, Olivia managed to clamp her mouth shut just in time. A lot had happened today, and she didn’t want to immediately alienate her sister. She turned instead to her brother-in-law. “Patrick, why do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“Because she already asked the historical society if she could do that, and they told her it would probably be a fire hazard,” Patrick said calmly. “Not to mention that she needs an office. She can’t keep the safe at the house.”
“I’ll keep it in Olivia’s office! It’s not like she has a lot going on up there,” Janelle said quickly. “I can use her office, too, during the day. And just because it might be a fire hazard doesn’t mean that it will be. I’ll be careful.”
“You’re not using my office,” Olivia said quickly. “There are dogs up there, and you’ll get dog hair all over you! And then you’re going to go downstairs and try to bake . . .?” She made a face and then scrambled to marshal more arguments. “Also, I don’t think being careful is going to be good enough. If you can’t fit another oven, why are you even trying? Didn’t we decide that two more will be sufficient?”
Patrick openly glared at her, but it was Janelle who verbally attacked her. “What would you know?” the older sister snapped. “Your idea of cooking is box macaroni and cheese!”
“Janelle, just last month you didn’t even have enough staff to take care of the customers that you do have. If you branch into catering, you’re going to have to hire more people, plus delivery vehicles and drivers. It’s just not something that you need to be doing right now,” Olivia said as she crossed her arms and popped out her hip.
Patrick immediately positioned himself between the two women. “Janelle is a resourceful woman.” He cast an uneasy look back at his wife. “In fact, she’s Wonder Woman. She can do it all, if she has a mind to. I just don’t want her to turn the brownstone into a matchstick.”
Lifting an eyebrow, Olivia decided to plow ahead and be the voice of reason. It was such a rare opportunity for her. “So you think that Janelle can start a family, keep her business running, and expand into catering?”
“There isn’t going to be a kid!” Janelle suddenly yelled. “So we’re just going to take that off the table right now. No kids. My business is everything!”
“And your husband,” Olivia said softly.
That stopped Janelle’s tirade, and she deflated. “And my husband. And my sister. I’m sorry. You guys are right. Two additional ovens will be all I need.”
“And hey, as you pointed out, I never use my kitchen, so you’re welcome to steal my oven any time you need it,” Olivia said with a smile.
Patrick visibly relaxed and shook his head. “Great,” he muttered. He turned and dropped a kiss on Janelle’s cheek. “I’ll see you at home.”
Janelle watched her husband walk out, and she sighed. “That poor man. I don’t know why he puts up with me.” S
he shook her head, then rubbed at her forehead. “Olivia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you down here for this. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, lately. I’m so stressed and overwhelmed.”
“I needed the distraction,” Olivia sighed as she pulled up a chair and sank down on it. “I tailed Andrew on his date.”
“Andrew went on a date?” Janelle said, confused, and then realization dawned. “Wait, what? On a date, but not with you?”
Quickly, Olivia filled her in.
Janelle fixed a disapproving look on her. “Have you lost your mind?” she grumbled. “That man is a sweetheart, and you’re—seriously—stalking him?”
“You don’t even want to know what I saw on the date?”
“No, I don’t. I’m sure whatever you saw has a plausible explanation. You are not dragging me into your insanity. Not this time. You’re probably just going crazy because you don’t have some mystery to stick your nose into, so you’re making up trouble,” Janelle said with a wave of her hand.
“Really?” Olivia said dryly. “He brought her a rose.”
“No!” Janelle put up her hand like a crossing guard holding up traffic. “We’re not going to talk about this. Whatever is happening is just getting twisted up in your head.” She eyed Olivia sternly. “You need to talk to Andrew like a responsible person. Only then will you get to the truth.”
Studying her older sister, Olivia leaned forward. Not only was it unlike Janelle to eschew insinuating herself into Olivia’s business, but Janelle was definitely avoiding eye contact. “I don’t buy it,” Olivia said slowly. “Since when is talking your best solution?”
“Talking is always the best solution.”
Feeling like her sister was hiding something from her, Olivia set her jaw. It was one thing to think Andrew was doing something behind her back, but now it felt like even Janelle was hiding something from her.
Squinting toward the kitchen, she slowly stood and pushed her chair in. She knew that there could be no combination of spit, sweat, or fully vetted business plan that would allow Janelle’s kitchen to advance into a large-scale catering business. “I guess we both have some thinking to do,” she said slowly.
All Bark and No White Knight Page 3