Read Online Lake Effect by Johannah Bryson - Free Book Online Page B

the big dog now looking at her expectantly, as if he had heard the entire conversation. “I will. Thanks for calling.”
    â€œMy pleasure. Talk to you tonight.”
    She hung up the phone already anticipating his evening call. She grabbed an apple out of the bowl on her kitchen table, sunk her teeth into it, and sat down with the package in hand. The cardboard envelope was the type she’d received documents in before but always from Rick’s office in Cleveland, not New York. Setting her apple down, she carefully pulled the perforated tab on the back and widened the opening, careful not to cut her fingers while doing so.
    She stopped chewing and felt her heart fall to her stomach. What spilled out from the envelope was not what she had expected. It was a group of newspaper and magazine pages showing Wyeth with woman after woman. Some were blondes, some were brunettes, some had jet-black tresses. These weren’t just any women. These were society women, models, long and leggy, perfect in every way. There were some famous faces in there too, an actress, a singer, good grief, wasn’t that one on a reality show about real housewives? There certainly wasn’t anyone who remotely resembled herself.
    Shelby looked down at her running shorts and tennis shoes. On her best day, in her best outfit, she wouldn’t hold a candle to any of these women. This was his world; this was what he liked. She could never compete with this. Whoever sent this knew that and was doing her a favor. Carefully she placed the clippings back in the envelope, examining it one more time for a hint of who may have sent it. She walked over to the space under the steps and, folding down the front of her desk, slid the envelope into one of the slots.
    â€¢ • •
    â€œLet me straighten your tie.” Wyeth smiled as Olivia straightened his already straight tie and brushed her hands over each shoulder as if he were heading out the door to school. “There, you look very handsome. Your father would be so proud of you.”
    â€œThank you, Mother.” He gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “You look lovely yourself. I’m sure there will be more than one man wanting a dance with you tonight, but remember, the first one is mine.”
    â€œIf I can get you a way from the women; as I recall there is generally a waiting list.” He frowned at her as he held the house door open. There was only one woman whose arms he wanted to be in and right now she was probably curled up in an overstuffed chair reading a book, five hundred some miles away.
    The benefit went like all these functions went: lots of mindless chatter, lots of posturing, speeches and cocktails. Finally, Wyeth was able to steal away to the front lobby to make his phone call. Shelby answered on the second ring but her voice sounded small and sad.
    â€œHey, what’s the matter?”
    Silence followed and then he heard her take a deep breath. “Nothing, everything is fine.”
    Wyeth had been around long enough to know that the words “nothing” and “fine” were code for “everything” and “it’s all your fault.”
    â€œYou sound a little down. Is it something with the house? Is it Norman? Is Len back in the hospital?”
    â€œNo. Really, everything is fine. How’s your benefit going?”
    â€œHonestly, I can’t wait for the damn thing to be over. I wish you were here.”
    â€œDo you?”
    Ah, now they were getting somewhere. Her tone was clipped and cold. Something most certainly had her angry. “Of course I do. There’s not a woman here who could hold a candle to you.” He loved the way she looked when she was all riled up, and he could tell from her tone that something had her that way. But, for the life of him, he didn’t have a clue what that was.
    â€œIs there something I’m missing here? Have I done or said something wrong? You’ve got to