Rundown (Curveball Book 2) (28 page)

Following
cocktails and a short presentation on the goodness afforded to the
Boston school districts because of the night’s attendees, we’re
ushered to another room for dinner.  Once we’ve had our fill,
we return to the ballroom where we dance and mingle for a few hours.
 Blisters forming on my feet remind me why I don’t wear shoes
like the ones I currently have on.  I’m about to suggest we
leave when a familiar laugh grabs my attention.  Turning around,
my eyes lock with Vivian’s.

“
Breanne!”
she exclaims.  She seems surprised to see me.  “How
lovely to see you out socializing.”

“
It’s
good to see you too, Vivian.”

“
I
had no idea you’d be attending.”

“
Drew
has been very involved with this charity.  What brings you
here?”

“
You
know how I like to give money away for a good cause,” she
practically purrs.  She places her right hand over her heart for
effect, and in the process practically blinds me with her necklace
that spells out ‘VIV’ between two lines that sit in the middle of
a circle, all of which is made up of diamonds.  “Plus, being
associated with this specific charity has provided me with several
influential connections.”

“
Speaking
of connections,” I begin. “I ran into my former assistant,
Cassandra, tonight.  Do you remember her?”

Vivian
squints her eyes as if she’s trying hard to recall the name.
 “Vaguely.  How is she?”

“
She’s
good.  We were catching up on events and she mentioned that you
helped get my seat on Innovation Airways.  Why didn’t you tell
me that?”

Her
expression falters.  “Do I really need to say it?  I felt
responsible for what you went through.  How do you tell one of
your closest friends that trying to be nice almost got her killed?”

I
sigh.  “You couldn’t have known the plane was going to be
ambushed.  Besides, it worked out alright.”  She follows
my gaze over to Drew.  

“
Decided
to give him another chance, did you?” she asks, changing the
subject.

“
Excuse
me?”

“
Last
I knew, Drew was keeping busy with a few women while in California.
 He’s a looker, don’t get me wrong, but I have to say I’m
surprised you found it in your heart to forgive him.”

It’s
moments like these that I forget that the outside world is blind to
reality, making the lies spewed by the media the truth in their eyes.
 I can’t wait for the day when our relationship is completely
transparent so there isn’t any misconception over things like
faithfulness.  

“
It
wasn’t anything like the media portrayed.”

Vivian
raises an eyebrow.  “What was it like then?”

Oh,
you know.  He was drugged and left in a seedy motel while his
sister’s house was ransacked.  

“
I
can’t really say.”

“
And
why’s that?  Is he one of those controlling types?  You
know that’s not healthy, right?”

I
try telling myself that her concern comes from a good place.  Yet,
I’m finding it very difficult not to strangle her.  
How
dare she?
 Vivian has no idea what we’ve been through and
just because she isn’t privy to all the details, doesn’t give her
the right to judge Drew or me the way she is.

Breathe.

“
Just…let
it go.  Drew has never been unfaithful.  It was a
misunderstanding.”

“
Breanne,
as happy as I am that you’ve moved on, it doesn’t mean you have
to stay with him after he humiliated you like that.  Everyone
knows about the other women, dear.  And is it true that he tried
to bring something illegal on the plane?”

Yes,
the spin the media put on Drew being escorted from the security area
of the airport was the proverbial cherry on top.  I want to
scream.

Get
your emotions under control.

“
The
public can think what they want.  He and I know what really
happened. Trust me, it’s not what you think.”

“
If
that’s what you want to believe.”  Her tone is condescending
and her words are nasty at best.  

“
It’s
a fact, not that it matters.”

I’m
officially pissed.  

No.
 

I’m
seething.  

Who
does she think she is?
 

“
He
didn’t shack up with those two women.  He was attacked and
drugged.”  The words stumble out too fast.  

Can’t
take that back now, can you?

“
Is
that what he told you?”  

Why
can’t she shut up?
 I tell myself to walk away but I’d
rather stay and defend my man.  Hell, I’ve already spilled
top-secret information.  “His security detail was drugged as
well.  One of them died as a result.”  Vivian looks
stunned.  “I told you it wasn’t what you thought.” 

“
Who
would do that?” she asks skeptically.

Walk
away!  Stop letting her goad you.

“
Probably
the same people that killed Mark.”

At
that Vivian rolls her eyes.  “I thought you’d put that idea
to rest.”

“
Things
were taken from Drew’s sister’s house,” I continue.  “Things
that link Mark and I with Drew’s sister.”

This
seems to get her attention. “How do you know there’s a link if
the items were taken?”

“
Not
everything was taken.  Drew saved one piece of evidence and it
was very telling.”  Vivian noticeably recoils.

“
What
is it?” she questions.

I
shake my head.  For reasons I can’t explain, I won’t divulge
this piece of information.  “I can’t say.”

Vivian
chews on the inside of her cheek, eyeing me curiously.  “Why
hasn’t this been front-page news?  Do they have any idea who
tried to hurt him, or why?”

“
The
incident is still being investigated.” 

“
Oh. 
Well do you at least know what the people behind this were after?” 
Vivian asks.  “Has Drew been able to identify anyone?”

“
Drew
doesn’t remember anything from that night.  Doctors think it
may be temporary though.  They said something could eventually
trigger his memory.”  Vivian seems lost in thought.  “We
believe it’s linked to the takedown of the plane.  Drew’s
sister worked for the airline before she died and you know Mark was
working on a deal related to the airline.  Drew thinks it’s
all connected.”

She
cocks one eyebrow, encouraging me to continue, though she’s white
as a ghost.  The thought of Mark being murdered must be hard to
process.  Despite being charged up and the champagne clearly
having gone to my head, I decide to shut this down before it goes any
further.  I’ve already said too much.  If this gets
leaked to the media it could impact the investigation.

“
I’m
sorry, Vivian.  I’ve said too much already.  The
investigation is ongoing.  I shouldn’t have said anything. 
You can’t mention this to anyone.” 

“
Breanne,
as one of you and Mark’s oldest friends, you can trust me. 
And if you need anything, call me.  I’m sure not having anyone
you can confide in must be eating at you.  You can always speak
to me in confidence.” 

“
I’ll
keep that in mind.” 

Drew’s
arm wraps around my waist.  “Who’s your friend?” he asks.

“
This
is Vivian,” I introduce them and the two shake hands.  

Drew
scrunches his face, sizing Vivian up and down.  At the same
time, I sense Vivian evaluating Drew in a different way.  

“
Where
do I know you from?” Drew asks.

Vivian
laughs.  “I’m sure I would remember if we had met before.
 I’ve seen you on TV but we haven’t met in person.”

I
turn my head back to Drew who clearly thinks differently.  He
shakes his head, looking off in the distance.  “No.  We’ve
definitely met before,” he replies quietly.  “That’s
right,” his head snaps back to Vivian.  “We met at a bar.
 The Corner.  A few months ago.”

“
Drew,
as flattered as I am, you must be thinking of another redhead,”
Vivian replies.  “It was lovely seeing you, Breanne.  Nice
meeting you,” she tells Drew and then disappears into the crowd.

“
She’s
not really the type to hang out in a bar,” I say.

“
It
was definitely her.”  Drew says the words so quietly I’m not
sure if he’s talking to me or not.

“
What
makes you so sure?”

“
There’s
something familiar about her…and that necklace she had on.  This
is going to sound awful, but she’s not really the type of person I
picture you being friends with.”

“
She
was more Mark’s friend than mine, though she’s been there for me
a lot over the last few years.”

“
I
guess she can’t be all that bad then.  Are you ready to
leave?”

“
Thank
God,” I say, taking a few steps.  “Listen, I did something I
shouldn’t have.”

Drew
stops and faces me, curiously awaiting my confession.

“
I
told Vivian a little about what happened.”

He
says nothing, but his eyes go wide.

“
I
know I shouldn’t have said anything but I couldn’t stand it.  She
was judging me for staying with you when everyone knows what a
womanizer you are.  I shouldn’t feel the need to defend our
relationship, but I do and I’m sick of not being able to say
anything.  It’s ridiculous and I’d had it.  I’m
sorry.”   

Drew
smiles.  “Don’t worry about it.  If she’s been that
good of a friend, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

God,
I love this man.

The
following day, I return from getting groceries to find several
packages from Vivian: stuffed animals for the kids and a new
picture frame line the kitchen counter.  The accompanying
letter, which apologizes for her behavior and instructs me to fill
the frame with a picture of Drew and me, oozes pity.  Even so,
the thought was nice.  I take a picture of Drew, the kids and
me, from the bulletin board, put in the frame and set it on the
mantel above the fireplace.  Next time she asks I won’t have
to hear her complaints about the frame not being out.

The
afternoon flies by.  I sit down to catch my breath from running
the kids around and cleaning when Drew walks in and tells me that
he’s arranged for us to spend the weekend together.  The man
needs a break—he’s been practicing non-stop.   Still,
it’s almost time for him and the team to travel to Florida for
spring training, so I’m surprised that I get him for almost a full
48 hours.