Read Online Accidentally Yours by Bettye Griffin - Free Book Online Page A

number on the back of her business card, and he had been calling her at work, also, where she couldn’t screen him. “We have nothing to say to each other,” she had told him in an even, unemotional tone when he caught her at her desk.
    “ I’m really sorry about what happened. I had an emergency.”
    “ You could have called me, Gordon. You didn’t want to talk to me then. Let’s say I’m just following your lead, because I don’t want to talk to you now.” She had hung up, but he continued to call her every few days, usually at home. He was probably calling to find out if she was going to the dance. Well, he could eat his heart out. When he saw how good she looked he’d truly regret being so careless. Even if someone had died, he could have called…and she wouldn’t have felt so humiliated, getting dressed and made up to wait for a knock that never came.
    Vivian was pleased to see that the parking lot held a respectable number of cars. The event had begun at seven-thirty, but it was now nearly ten o ’clock. She didn’t believe in getting to this type of function too early. She supposed someone had to be the first to arrive, but on the other hand she didn’t believe in going in unless she knew it would be worth her while.
    Once she was parked, she reached under the armrest and pulled out her cell phone. She had the number to Glenda ’s phone installed in memory and held down the assigned digit. Within seconds the line was ringing.
    “ What took you so long?” she asked when Glenda picked up on the fourth ring.
    “ I had to feel for the phone. I couldn’t take my eyes off the road; this exit ramp is curvy.”
    “ Oh, so you’re just getting off the highway. That means you’ll be here in ten minutes.”
    “ How’s the crowd?”
    “ It’s good, from the looks of the parking lot I just hope they’re not all females. Listen, it’s too cold for me to wait for you out here. I’m going in to check my coat. I’ll meet you in the powder room.”
    “ You bet.”
    It only took a minute or two for Vivian to ensure that she looked her best. The chilly temperature of the February night kept her makeup fresh, and the hair stylist had applied so much spray to her short tresses that it would take an eighty-mile-per-hour wind to budge them.
    After her time at the mirror she sat at one end of the flowered sofa in the powder room, drumming her fingers impa tiently on its rolled arms. Ten minutes could be a long time to wait with nothing to do, and she became bored. Every woman who entered the lounge was with a friend, giving credence to the belief held by so many that grown women rarely went to the restroom alone, and she felt like an oddball. Besides, sitting in here where no one could see her was a waste of her efforts. Doggone it, she looked too good to be hidden away.
    She suppressed a smile, thinking of a catchy ditty used by an auto manufacturer in which the car ’s alter ego sang that it was too sexy for mundane things like the groceries, the drive-through, and the dry cleaning. She was humming the jingle as she left the lounge. It wouldn’t hurt to check out what was going on in the ballroom and get herself a drink. She’d still be able to spot Glenda when she arrived.
    “ Vivian! I was hoping I’d see you.”
    She frowned. She had had a feeling she might see Gordon tonight, but her hunch didn ’t make the reality any more pleasant. His sprain had had plenty of time to heal, and by now he was probably ready to dance till dawn. He’d have to find somebody else to play Ginger to his Fred; she wasn’t interested.
    “ Hello, Gordon.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to make a scene, so let’s just leave it at that. It was nice seeing you. Good-bye.”
    “ Vivian, I wish you’d listen to me.”
    “ I already made myself clear,” she hissed. “No one stands me up and gets another chance. Now, please excuse me.” She walked over to the bar, which had been set up against the wall about