Insecurity and a Bottle of Merlot

by Bria Marche

  INSECURITY and a BOTTLE of MERLOT

  LIKE SISTERS, BOOK TWO

  BRIA MARCHE

  Copyright © 2014

  All Rights Reserved

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  This book is a work of fiction by Bria Marche. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used solely for entertainment. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Bria Marche is a freelance writer, relationship e-book author, and a member of numerous writer's organizations including, Fiction for All, Fiction Factor and Writers-Online. She currently has a series of Contemporary Romance novels in the works. She lives in the Midwest and enjoys travel, all forms of art, especially creating her own designs when she isn’t writing, and bicycling the countryside.

  Book three in Like Sisters Series is available now at:

  http://briamarche.com/books/

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  http://briamarche.com/newsletter/

  Visit my website at:

  http://briamarche.com/

  Table of Contents

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty One

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Chapter Thirty Three

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Chapter One

  He sat in the car, fidgeting as he watched, even though he was well hidden by the shade of the ancient oak trees along the curb. His vantage point was perfect. The house was only half a block ahead on the left. Completely out of his element, he waited. It was so beneath him, but he was angry, and had to seek revenge against her somehow. She ruined his career and life. Everything he ever wanted was at his fingertips just a few nights ago, but now? Now, he had nothing, not even a place to live. In an instant of public, brutal humiliation, she snatched it all away. She’ll pay, the bitch. They’re all going to pay.

  She walked out the front door with Reggie at eight o’clock sharp.

  Must be morning walk time, he thought, as he peered through the binoculars. He didn’t see a set of keys in Mia’s hand. Maybe he would get lucky after all. Jack waited for them to turn the corner, then exited his car. He cautiously approached the house. Why am I worried? The neighbors don’t even know what happened. He turned the knob, hoping the front door was unlocked. It swung open. He smiled. He didn’t have the luxury of time on his side, so he went directly to the spot her keys always hung. There they were, on the rack in the foyer. Her purse sat on the bench below, like it had every day since he moved in. Mia was a creature of habit, that, he was certain of. A singular key hung next to the set Mia used daily. He compared it to the new house key on her ring. It matched perfectly. He tried it in the front door, and the lock turned. Good, it’s the spare house key. That’s going with me. Thanks, Mia for being so predictable, and making this like taking candy from a baby.

  The absence of his belongings was obvious, as he did a walk-through of the house. Mick wasn’t too pleased when a moving company left a message on his phone Monday morning, wanting to know when they could drop off Jack’s belongings. Jack hadn’t told his brother about the break-up yet, being too preoccupied with a way to seek revenge on her. His wife. The bitch.

  “Hey Mick, it’s Jack. Sorry about the movers. I’ll take care of it. That was Mia’s doing. I need to talk to you, bro. Give me a call when you get off work. I’m not moving back to New Rochelle, but I may have to camp out with you for a few weeks, if that’s okay. I’ll start looking for a place to live in the city right away. It will make job hunting much easier. Anyway, like I said, give me a call, I’ll take you out to dinner and explain everything. Thanks, bro, see ya.”

  Jack had a lot of explaining to do. He wasn’t particularly close to his brother, Mick. Jack didn’t make time for family or friendships. He was only interested in climbing the corporate ladder. He was going places in a hurry until Mia threw a wrench in everything. Now he had to grovel for a place to stay. Mick could see right through Jack’s facade of seeming to care, they both knew it. They hadn’t seen each other in over a year, even though they lived less than thirty miles apart.

  ***

  The heavy weight on Mia’s shoulders for nearly three years was gone. No more anxiety, no more drama, no more Jack. I wasted three years of my life with that jerk. I can start fresh with a new focus. I know exactly what I want, she thought, as she walked her beloved dog.

  Aaron Daniels was Mia’s new focus and vise-versa. He loved her for years, and Mia finally realized he was indeed the right one. He always had been. She just needed a two-timing jerk of a husband to make it crystal clear. Jack was out, and Aaron was in.

  “C’mon Reggie, let’s go home.”

  Mia had a full day planned already. Shopping with Vic, Tina, Karen and Sasha in the city until three, and a fiftieth wedding anniversary portrait to take, to be placed in the Tarrytown Daily Voice, at five-thirty. She’d stop by Aaron’s house later. Mia wasn’t sure if being public with Aaron this soon was appropriate, living in a small village like Tarrytown. Dinner at his house privately was smarter for now.

  Mia returned home, showered and dressed. Today she would take time to blow dry her hair and style it nicely. Dress shopping and photography filled her agenda for the day. Vic needed something snazzy for her cousin’s wedding next weekend. Of course, her real objective was to look hot for the man on her arm at this event. That man was none other than the sexy Max Cole. Somebody like Max needed the in front of his name, for emphasis. Max, according to Vic, was the hottest, sexiest, hunk of manflesh she’d ever laid eyes on. With Mia’s blessing, Vic invited Max to join her at the wedding. He accepted her invitation, and now Vic was on a mission to find the dress of the century.

  Mia met the girls at the train station. They planned to shop at Saks, Bergdorfs and Bloomies today. There wasn’t time to go anywhere else, and if Vic couldn’t find what she wanted in one of those stores, she wouldn’t find it anywhere.

  Vic went on to describe Max Cole to her captive audience during the train ride into the city. “You guys, he is the hottest thing next to the sun, I swear to you. You have to meet him before we leave for the wedding. All of you be at my house Saturday at eleven sharp. I’ll act like you were helping me get ready. That way you can see what I’m talking about. Just keep your hands off, or honest to God, I’ll kill you all.”

  Mia laughed at
Vic’s enthusiasm. “I can’t make it, but tell Max ‘hi’ for me, okay?”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Tina asked. “Aren’t you curious to see what he looks like?”

  “Mia is friends with Max already,” Vic piped in.

  Three heads spun like tops toward Mia.

  “Jeez, Vic, thanks.”

  “Oops, sorry, Chica, my bad.”

  “Okay spill,” Karen said. “How do you rate meeting this guy before the rest of us?”

  “Mia knew Max before I did,” Vic said, while Mia shot the shit eye at her again. “Just tell them how you became friends so I can stop putting my foot in my mouth,” Vic said, becoming exasperated.

  “Oh for crap’s sake, Vic. Fine, since you have diarrhea of the mouth, I’ll tell them. Max is the wilderness guide for the Boy Scout’s yearly outing at Putnam Valley. He’s the one who drove my car home for me after I sprained my ankle.”

  “And Vic met up with you when you got back to Tarrytown? Didn’t you get home on a Thursday while we were at work?” Tina asked, suspiciously.

  “No, you goof, I met Max last week. Obviously, I made quite an impression on him since he agreed to go to the wedding with me,” Vic said.

  “So what am I missing here?” Tina asked. “Your time lines don’t jibe.”

  “Okay, I’m only telling you this so we can get off the subject. Max stopped by my house last week unexpectedly to see how my ankle was. That’s when Vic met him. She was instantly and shamelessly smitten, and asked him to go to lunch with her. The rest is her story since I wasn’t there.”

  “I can meet him too, right? Am I invited to your house, Vic?” Sasha asked, grinning.

  “Yes, Sasha, you can come too. The train is slowing down, let’s go. We have some serious shopping to do.”

  They struck out at Saks and Bergdorfs, so after lunch they headed to Bloomies. There, in the window, in Vic’s face, was the dress of the century. She gasped, let out a high pitched squeak, and ran like a track star for the entrance. “It’s here, it’s here,” she yelled back at the girls taking up the rear. She disappeared into the massive store with the rest of them trying to keep up. Vic didn’t care about impressing anyone but Max. She couldn’t believe her good fortune to have the Max Cole for an entire day and into the night at the reception. I wonder if he can dance. He’s got to be a beer kind of guy. Wine doesn’t sound like something he drinks. Too foo-foo for him. Vic wanted to be the perfect date. Nothing was going to surprise, or get past her Saturday night. It would be a night to remember.

  Chapter Two

  The kitchen buzzed with activity. Mia arrived at Aaron’s house at seven, with Reggie in tow. Aaron gave her a set of his house keys, just because. With any luck, Mia’s house would go on the market soon and she and Reggie could move in with Aaron. This would be the house she’d call home. She’s always loved Aaron’s house, being in the most beautiful and historic neighborhood of Tarrytown. Her dreams were coming true. They would make this place, not only a beautiful, cozy house, but a home filled with love and happiness. In a few years, after she and Aaron marry, there would be kids running around. Mia smiled as she played out the daydreams in her mind.

  She tossed the salad and set the table on the patio. The grill, already fired up, waited for Aaron’s expertise. He proudly acknowledged the fact that he made the best bar-be-cue chicken in Westchester County. It was all about the secret sauce handed down from his own mother. Only the Daniels’ family was privy to the special ingredients. Sometime soon, Mia would be told.

  “Hey, beat it,” he said, laughing, as Mia peered over his shoulder at the stove to see what ingredients he stirred together. “Isn’t there something you need to do, like sit down and enjoy a glass of Merlot?”

  “Okay, but someday, mister, I’ll find out what that secret ingredient is. First you get a kiss, then I’ll sit.”

  “You know what that means, don’t you? Only the Daniels’ family has the secret ingredient. You need to be one of the clan before we can share something that guarded with you,” Aaron teased.

  “When the time comes, that better not be your proposal,” Mia said, as she poured each of them a glass of wine and sat at the table.

  “So what’s going on with Jack? Have you heard from him?”

  “Only the messages and texts he sent me after the ordeal last Friday night. He was really pissed off, Aaron, almost to the point of sounding scary in the text I read.”

  “So you didn’t listen to, or read everything he sent?”

  “Nope. I was so relieved the night was over, I didn’t want to hear his ranting. I read one text and deleted everything else.”

  “Did you call a divorce attorney yet?” Aaron asked. He stirred the sauce on the stove. Concern for Mia furrowed his brows.

  “I called on Monday and met with him this morning. He drew up the papers for me, and sent copies to Jack’s brother’s house. That’s the only address I’ve got. I might be wrong, but I assume that’s where Jack is staying. I’m glad I found an attorney right here in town. Everything should go faster working with a local attorney rather than one in the city. Oh, and by the way, I want to give you my spare key. I’m not going to leave one outside anymore. Jack knew where my hiding places were.”

  “Good idea, sweetheart. Better safe than sorry. I’ll be happy when all of this negative stuff is behind you and we can tell everyone we’re a couple.”

  “Me too, Aaron. I love you and your bar-be-cue chicken. Let’s eat already, I’m starving.”

  ***

  Vic tossed and turned all night with excitement. Damn it, I need to sleep! I can’t go to this wedding tomorrow with bags under my eyes. She barely dozed, then finally got up at seven-thirty, irritated by her lack of sleep. She had a big day to get ready for. A strong pot of coffee brewed while she wrapped the wedding gift for her cousin. Who wouldn’t want a back massager, she thought, as she finished the box off with a large silver bow. At eight-thirty she called Tina. “Hey, girl, why don’t you and Sasha come over now? I’m going to need help with my hair and nails anyway, plus I’ll make breakfast. How about it, pleeease?”

  “Sure, we’ll be over at nine. Out.”

  Vic reclined on the couch with a pillow under her head and cucumber slices over her eyelids when someone banged on the door. “It’s open if you’re Tina and Sasha. Otherwise stay out,” she yelled from the couch.

  The door opened and Sasha walked in with Tina right behind her carrying a satchel of hair and makeup products. “Check out Vic,” Sasha said, laughing. “That actually works. Models do it all the time when they party too late.”

  Vic got up and welcomed her friends into the kitchen. “What do you guys want for breakfast?” she asked.

  “I’ll have dry toast,” Sasha responded.

  “The hell you will. Not in my house, chicky mama. We’re having pancakes with a lot of butter and maple syrup,” she said, as she smacked her butt. “I didn’t get this big ass from eating dry toast.”

  “Fine. I’ll have one pancake. Can I help you cook?” Sasha asked.

  “Of course, get over here. Have you ever been in a kitchen before?”

  “Yes, smarty pants. Oh, and guess what? Somebody put an offer in on my apartment. How exciting, right?”

  “That’s awesome, babe. It’ll be a riot helping you house hunt. Then, of course, we’ll hold a huge house warming party. Better start stocking up on the wine,” Vic said, winking at her new friend. Vic’s phone rang as she was flipping the pancakes. “Take over Sasha, I gotta see who wants me.”

  “I’m afraid, Vic,” Sasha whined, almost in a panic.

  “Let me do it. Remind me to teach you how to cook when we get home,” Tina said.

  “Thanks, Tina.”

  “Hey, Vic, how’s it going?” Max asked.

  “I’m awesome, of course,” she laughed.

  “Yeah, I know you are. I have a slight problem.”

  I bet his pants zipper is stuck, and he needs my assistance. I could only wish.
“That’s impossible, Max, you’re perfect.”

  Max laughed at Vic’s quick wit and comebacks. She was a fun gal, and he liked her a lot.

  “Anyway, here’s the deal. I have my Harley, which you’ve seen, and a pickup. Not the best options to take a beautiful woman, such as yourself, to a wedding in. Would it be too gauche if we took your car today? I have to bring my truck. I’ll end up with dead bugs on my clothes and teeth if I show up on my Harley. I’d love to take you out on my bike some other time though.”

  “So we’re going out again? Is that what you’re saying, Mr. Cole?” she asked, coquettishly.

  Max laughed out loud again. “Only if you want to, babe.”

  “Of course I want to,” she replied, with a fist pump.

  “Cool then. I’ll see you at twelve-thirty. Bye, hot stuff.”

  “Bye, Max.” Vic hung up and danced around the kitchen while her friends laughed.

  “Excited a little?” Tina teased.

  “Oh yeah… oh yeah… oh yeah. You’ll understand when you see Max Adonis. I guaran-damn-tee it.”

  The doorbell rang. “It has to be Karen,” they chimed in together, as Sasha ran to the door.

  ***

  That’s strange, Mia thought as she stood in the foyer staring at the key rack. Where in the hell is my spare key? There’s no other place I would have put it. I’m positive it was hanging here. Mia felt goose bumps forming on her arms even though it was perfectly comfortable indoors. She searched her purse, the house, her car. The spare key was nowhere to be found. I’m not going crazy. It was here, I’m sure of it. She continued searching for another thirty minutes before giving up.

  She called Aaron at the camera store. “Hi honey, it’s me.”

  “I hope so. I wouldn’t expect anyone else to call me honey,” Aaron joked. There was silence. “Mia? Is everything okay?”

  “Aaron, I know the answer, but I’ll ask anyway. Did I already give you my spare house key?”