“Measures?”
“He says he used a specially designed virus to destroy the hacker’s hard drive.” Singleton cleared his throat. “I got the impression that the hacker won’t come out of this in good shape physically, either. But I didn’t want to go there so I didn’t ask any more questions. The bottom line is that I think we can be reasonably sure that Arcadia isn’t any more at risk than she was before this whole thing started.”
“Talked to Stagg?”
“He and Arcadia are on their way back from New Orleans. Got the feeling Harry Stagg wasn’t in a rush to return though. I think he may be enjoying his work.”
“Into every life, a little sunshine must fall, I guess.”
“Don’t think Stagg is a sunshine kind of guy. When are you and Zoe coming home?”
Home. It would have sounded very good if not for the fact that when this was over he was going to be faced with the end of another marriage. He had gotten through three previous divorces, he reminded himself. But he had a feeling that this one was going to be harder than the others. He was not looking forward to it.
“It’s getting late,” he said. “We’ll stay here tonight and leave after breakfast tomorrow. We should be back in Whispering Springs around three or four tomorrow afternoon.”
“See you when you get here,” Singleton said and hung up.
“The hacker didn’t get Arcadia’s file,” he said.
“Thank heavens.”
“She and Stagg are on their way back from New Orleans.”
She nodded and fell quiet for a moment.
“The meeting of the Cleland board is only a few weeks off,” she said eventually.
“Yeah.”
“And then we can get our divorce.”
“Guess so.”
“You’ll be free again,” she said a little too brightly.
“So will you.”
“Probably one of the shortest marriages in history.”
“Maybe we’ll get into one of the record books,” he said.
“I’ll be able to pay your full bill in cash in a few months after the merger takes place,” Zoe said.
He tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “Our deal was that you would do the design work on Nightwinds.”
“Well, yes, but that was back when we weren’t sure how this would turn out. I didn’t know if I’d have the money to pay you then. But now it looks like I will.”
“I’m satisfied with the original bargain.”
She flashed him a quick, searching glance. “You still want me to work on Nightwinds? Why? You told me yourself it would be a long time before you could afford a lot of major remodeling.”
“I know, but in the meantime, I could at least paint some of the rooms. Maybe pull up some of that orchid carpeting. I’ve got to do something. I can’t go on much longer surrounded with all that pink.”
She sat back in the seat. “Okay.”
He relaxed his hands a little on the steering wheel. The arrangement was a little weird and there was still the divorce to get through. But at least he would be seeing her on a regular basis for a while.
Something to be said for having your own private interior decorator.
They got back to Whispering Springs at three-thirty the following afternoon. Ethan parked in front of Zoe’s apartment building, opened the trunk, and removed her suitcase. Another wave of uncertainty went through her. She had been tense and edgy ever since she had gotten out of bed this morning and things were not improving.
Ethan’s mood was just as prickly. They had both been overly polite in an attempt to avoid snapping at each other during the trip home.
Now what? she wondered, twisting her key in the gate lock. She could invite Ethan to join her for dinner this evening, but she was not so sure that was a swell idea. He had other obligations. There were Theo and Jeff and Bonnie to consider. Also, he did have a business to run. He would probably want to check his messages and go through the mail.
He would no doubt appreciate some space, she thought. They had been living very closely together for the past few days. The man did have a private life. In spite of what he kept saying about that damned wedding license, it wasn’t as though they were really married. They were involved in an affair that just happened to have a fancy piece of paper attached to it.
Ethan frowned as they went up the stairs. “You feeling okay? You’ve been acting strange all day.”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look so fine.”
“I said I’m okay.” She stopped in front of her door and rummaged through her tote for the heavy key chain. “I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”
“You’re tense.”
“I’m not tense,” she said evenly.
“I know tense when I see it. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“I’m not the only one who’s on edge here. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells around you.”
“I’m doing just fine,” he said. “You’re the one who won’t communicate here.”
“Don’t worry about me.” This was ridiculous. They were on the brink of a full-scale quarrel and there was absolutely no reason for one. “You’ve probably got things to do.”
“Sure.” He put the suitcase down with a thud, grasped her arm, and turned her around to face him before she could unlock the door. “Things to do. Like figuring out where the hell this relationship is going.”
That was too much. “Why ask me? How should I know where it’s going? I’ve never been in a situation like this.”
“Neither have I.”
“Look, the last thing I want to do is argue with you. Let’s talk about this later when we’re both in a better mood.”
He braced one hand on the door frame. “You know what? I think I want to argue about this right now.”
“Well, I certainly don’t.”
The door opened without warning. Singleton loomed.
“Better argue about it later,” he advised in low tones. “There’s a party going on in here.”
Zoe was so startled she nearly dropped the heavy key chain on her own foot.
Then she saw the large white banner draped across her tiny living room. CONGRATULATIONS ZOE & ETHAN was spelled out in big red letters accented with a lot of glitter. Arcadia, Harry Stagg, Bonnie, Jeff, and Theo were grouped around the banner. A small pile of packages wrapped in silver-and-white paper were stacked on an end table.
Ethan frowned at the sign. “What the hell?”
“Surprise, Uncle Ethan,” Theo called.
“We got a giant cake,” Jeff said proudly. “They put your names on it, too.”
“And ice cream,” Theo said.
Singleton smiled benignly. “It was all Jeff and Theo’s idea.”
“It’s not my birthday,” Zoe said blankly.
“This isn’t a birthday party,” Arcadia said dryly. “It’s a wedding reception.”
Chapter Thirty-six
Bonnie sank deeper into the bubbling spa pool and gave Zoe an apologetic look. “Sorry about catching you by surprise yesterday. Jeff and Theo came home from school bubbling over with the party concept. Apparently one of their classmates got to be a ring-bearer in a major production last week, and the kid went on and on about the big reception after the wedding.”
“Don’t tell me—let me guess,” Zoe said. “Jeff and Theo got into the competitive mode, right?”
“Something like that. They concocted the notion of throwing a surprise party for you two. Unfortunately, they talked to Singleton about their scheme before they brought it to me. By that time they had Singleton on their side. I was outnumbered.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Zoe said. At some point she had decided to adopt a mature, philosophical stance toward the whole thing. “They meant well. It was just one of those little awkward social moments that happen in life.”
“Speaking personally,” Arcadia murmured from the other side of the simmering spa pool, “I had a lovely time. Great
cake.”
Bonnie chuckled. “Chocolate with Zoe’s and Ethan’s names spelled out in red frosting. Definitely a culinary statement.”
“It was quite dramatic,” Zoe said. “Not your usual wedding cake.”
Bonnie was amused. “You can say that again.”
Zoe leaned back and put her hands out to either side on the underwater bench to brace herself. The roiling waters felt good. She had not realized just how tense she had been during the past forty-eight hours.
Arcadia was the one who had suggested that they all meet at her health club that afternoon. Bonnie had jumped at the invitation and promptly made arrangements to pack her sons off to Nightwinds with Ethan. Zoe had joined the other two women because she needed the company of women for a time. Life with the male of the species had become tricky.
The interior of the elegant spa room was a vast, elaborately tiled and delightfully decadent space. The club was heavily into water features. A variety of small- and medium-sized hot and cold pools were grouped around a larger one. Waterfalls and fountains splashed in the corners. Fluffy white towels were stacked in convenient locations.
Women, some nude, some in swimsuits, lounged in the waters. In the alcoves, others stretched out on padded massage benches, allowing themselves to be pummeled into a blissful state.
“To be perfectly honest,” Bonnie admitted, “I didn’t try very hard to shut down the party planning.”
“It’s okay,” Zoe tilted her head back. The philosophical thing was working, she thought. “I know you’ve been taken with the idea of seeing Ethan married again.”
“What I’m taken with is the notion of you and Ethan giving this marriage a chance,” Bonnie said seriously. “I mean, you’re already having an affair and you’ve got the license. Why not just, you know, let things go along as they are for a while? See what happens?”
“She’s got a point,” Arcadia said. “Divorce is expensive, even when no one wants to fight over the assets. Neither you nor Ethan need a lot of lawyers’ bills right now.”
“I’ll be able to pay for the costs of the divorce when I cash out my shares in Cleland Cage,” Zoe said quietly. “I certainly don’t expect Ethan to have to pay to get out of this situation.”
“Ethan will insist on covering his half of the costs,” Bonnie said. “I can guarantee it. It will be a point of honor for him.”
“This isn’t a matter of honor. It’s business.”
Bonnie moved her legs under the surface of the water, scissoring them languidly back and forth. “Maybe Ethan doesn’t want to be rescued from the marriage. Have you talked to him about it?”
“Of course he wants out.” In spite of the soothing waters, Zoe could feel the place between her shoulders tighten. On top of that, she was getting cross. So much for her new-found philosophical approach to the situation. “Why on earth would he want to be trapped in this marriage?”
“Because it’s very convenient for him?” Arcadia raised her platinum brows. “After all, you two are sleeping together, so what’s the big deal with staying married until you’re both ready to split?”
“Believe me, it’s a big deal,” Zoe retorted.
“Why?” Arcadia asked.
Zoe drew up her knees under the water and wrapped her arms around them. “It just is, that’s all. Marriage is always a big deal.”
“I’m not so sure Ethan is looking forward to another divorce,” Bonnie said. “When you get right down to it, he’s a little old-fashioned about some things.”
“Old-fashioned? Ethan?” Zoe asked in amazement. “The man’s been married four times.”
“Probably just a long run of bad luck,” Arcadia said. “Hey, it can happen.”
“You’re attributing all four marriages to bad luck?” Zoe was starting to feel cornered. “That’s a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”
“I’ve explained the first three marriages to you,” Bonnie reminded her. “And you know the circumstances surrounding the fourth. This one is not exactly Ethan’s fault.”
“What do you mean?” Zoe shot back. “It was his idea.”
Bonnie ignored that. “Speaking as his concerned sister-in-law and the one person who knows him better than anyone else in this spa, I don’t think it would be good for Ethan to go through the stress of a fourth divorce. Not right now, at any rate.”
“Don’t worry,” Zoe muttered. “Ethan can handle the stress factor.”
“I’m not so sure. He’s vulnerable.”
“Ethan? Vulnerable?” Zoe made a face. “Give me a break.”
“This is a rough time for him,” Bonnie insisted. “Starting up a new business is always difficult. You know how it is. He’s got some serious competition with Radnor to worry about. He has to establish new contacts in the local police department and on the street. And then there’s the problem of attracting paying clients.”
“Hey, just a minute here, I’m a paying client.” Zoe broke off. “At least, I will be very soon.”
“Maybe, but in the meantime, you have to admit he hasn’t seen any profit on this job. In fact, you’ve cost him a bundle out of pocket.”
“And forcing him to pay his share of the divorce costs will definitely be an added financial burden that he doesn’t need right now,” Arcadia said.
“Aaargh.” Zoe glared at her companions. “I don’t believe I’m hearing this. You duped me into coming here today, didn’t you? It was a plot. I thought I was going to be able to relax and instead I get ambushed.”
“Take it easy,” Arcadia said. “All Bonnie and I are saying is don’t rush into anything. Where’s the harm in letting the situation ride for a while?”
“We’re talking about marriage here,” Zoe said. “This is serious stuff. Maybe not to someone who has been through it four times, but it certainly is to me.”
“Ethan took every single one of his other marriages seriously,” Bonnie countered. “In fact, it’s my guess that you’ll have to make the first move to end this one. I doubt if he will.”
Zoe swallowed. “Then I’ll do it.”
Arcadia extended one foot above the bubbles and examined a platinum toenail. “You want out that badly?”
Zoe hesitated. “I don’t want to feel like I’m holding him in a cage.”
Bonnie laughed. “If and when Ethan wants out of the cage, you’ll know it. Trust me on this.”
Zoe gave up. Time to change the subject. She pinned Arcadia with a look. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about you.”
“What about me?”
“How was New Orleans?”
Arcadia slowly lowered her foot back into the water. An odd smile curved the corners of her full mouth.
“New Orleans was good,” she said.
They sat in the shade of the patio and watched Jeff and Theo bounce a giant, inflated ball around the pool.
Stagg reclined on the lounger. Singleton occupied a webbed chair. Ethan sat on another chair, leaning forward a little, forearms resting on his knees, hands wrapped around a can of soda. He watched the boys splash exuberantly in the water.
Earlier, he had put out a bowl of chips and pretzels and a cooler filled with iced pop. He knew Bonnie would not be thrilled with his choice of after-school snacks, but he consoled himself with the thought that Jeff and Theo were working up a healthy appetite for dinner. He figured he’d done his duty by reminding both boys to put on plenty of sunscreen.
“Don’t see why you gotta rush this divorce thing.” Harry Stagg leaned back in the pink padded lounger. “Looks to me like the two of you are getting along okay. Besides, divorces cost money. I got one once a long time ago. I still remember writing the check to pay off the lawyer. It was painful.”
“The man has a point.” Singleton leaned a little way out of his chair and helped himself to a handful of potato chips. “You don’t need any extra expenses right now. Got enough as it is. Start-up phase of a new business is always dicey. You need to conserve your cash.”
“It’s not the money
,” Ethan said. “It’s more complicated.”
“You sure?” Harry was clearly skeptical. “Has Zoe told you that she wants a divorce?”
“Not yet,” Ethan admitted. “But I’m sure she’ll bring it up after the board meeting.”
“You looking forward to a fourth divorce?” Singleton asked around a mouthful of chips.
“No,” Ethan stated. “Been there and done that three times. No matter what they tell you, it’s never simple. It’s always messy.”
“Right.” Singleton downed a mouthful of pop. “So why push for it? Like Stagg said, you and Zoe are okay together right now. When things are no longer okay, you can worry about filing for a divorce.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” Ethan said.
“Arcadia says Zoe agreed to do up some new interior designs for this house,” Harry remarked.
“Yeah.” Ethan ate some chips. “Part of our business arrangement. So what?”
“Well, you sure as hell don’t want to go through a divorce while she’s working on this place,” Harry said. “She might get distracted and that could be dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Ethan elevated one brow. “How?”
“Stagg’s right,” Singleton said, munching. “Wait until Zoe finishes her design work before you start talking about a divorce. People get emotional in the middle of a divorce. They become weird and unpredictable.”
Ethan contemplated his previous three divorces. No doubt about it, there had been some weird and unpredictable aspects. And those had been what people liked to call good divorces.
“You don’t want to jeopardize the remodeling here,” Harry said. “I mean, let’s face it, you gotta do something about all this pink.”
“Right. A man can’t live with this much pink,” Singleton said. “Not for long, at any rate. It’s not healthy.”