another wanted to cry. She and Luke had shared a lot of good times, but after the first couple of months, he was about as romantic as a plate of pickled herring. Making love before suppertime, flickering candles in daylight, the mournful poetry of a French chanteuse—definitely not on Luke's list of priorities. She sighed, shrugged off what could have been, and headed out. 67
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
Chapter Six
IT WAS ALMOST 7:30 p.m. when Caroline found a parking space at the Marina. She'd stopped for gas and picked up a bottle of wine and some snacks at a deli not far from the complex. She might not be drinking, but she hoped everyone else was and remembered an old war slogan she'd heard somewhere: Loose lips sink ships.
Caroline had no problem finding the party. She followed the noise—laughter, music, and a loud splash made by someone who'd belly-flopped into the pool.
At the entrance to the clubhouse, a woman called out,
"Hey, Caroline, over here."
She looked through the crowd of about forty—all ZyQyx singles, some older than she, and some younger. Caroline didn't remember everyone's names, but she recognized all of the faces.
"Hey, she made it, Larson," Brian shouted to one of the guys from Accounting who stood at the other end of the pool table. "You owe me five bucks."
"After that shot, you owe me ten," Larson countered. Caroline noticed he didn't make eye contact as he waved hello.
Hmmm. Accounting. The right department for financial intrigue.
"Caroline, over here." Ramona Carini stood next to the bar at the far side of the room, waving while she looked out from behind a row of wine bottles and sodas.
68
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
"Are you hiding?" Caroline set her bag of treats alongside several unopened bottles.
"As a matter of fact, I am. Brian loves to party. I hate it." Taken aback, Caroline said, "Why come with him?"
"Because I love Brian, and Brian loves to party." Oh lord, Luke's dream woman. Stand by your man, always put his wishes ahead of your own.
With a bright smile, Ramona said, "What can I get for you?
We have everything."
"A soda for now. I like to start slow." Ramona handed a can of cola to Caroline and took a hearty swallow of Bud Light. "Let's go over there where it's quieter."
Interesting. She barely knew Ramona, yet she had the distinct feeling Brian's fiancée had something very specific to share.
"This is much better," Ramona said once she sank down into a deck chair outside the party room. Caroline sat down in the chair beside her. "So, Caroline, how do you like Mecca?"
"Mecca?"
"You know, ZyQyx headquarters. Instead of out there." Ramona waved at infinity. "Wherever Ian said you worked."
"I like it a lot. Nice to put faces to names."
"How long have you worked for Ian? Did you know him before that?"
Careful, Caroline, careful. "I've known Ian for quite some time."
69
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
Ramona finished her beer, then popped the top on another can Caroline hadn't seen her bring along. "Was he always like he is now?"
She cocked her head to the side. "Like what?"
"Um ... you know, so ... so ingratiating."
"He's always been the same with me." Not really a lie, she reasoned. She'd been around him five days, and his behavior had been consistent.
"I don't know," Ramona continued. "Sometimes he creeps me out—like he wants to be one of us."
"You mean an employee rather than the boss?"
"Yeah that too, but I think he'd like to be more like us personally."
Caroline stopped herself from responding too quickly. This conversation was headed in an interesting direction. "I don't know what you mean by 'personally.'"
"Okay, I'll say it even though Brian would kill me if he heard me."
Caroline held her breath.
"I think Ian wishes he were a Mahoney." That was the last thing she expected to hear. Foy openly disdained the Mahoneys. Had Ramona had that much to drink? "I really don't know the Mahoneys, but—"
"Sure you do," Ramona insisted.
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
Chapter Six
IT WAS ALMOST 7:30 p.m. when Caroline found a parking space at the Marina. She'd stopped for gas and picked up a bottle of wine and some snacks at a deli not far from the complex. She might not be drinking, but she hoped everyone else was and remembered an old war slogan she'd heard somewhere: Loose lips sink ships.
Caroline had no problem finding the party. She followed the noise—laughter, music, and a loud splash made by someone who'd belly-flopped into the pool.
At the entrance to the clubhouse, a woman called out,
"Hey, Caroline, over here."
She looked through the crowd of about forty—all ZyQyx singles, some older than she, and some younger. Caroline didn't remember everyone's names, but she recognized all of the faces.
"Hey, she made it, Larson," Brian shouted to one of the guys from Accounting who stood at the other end of the pool table. "You owe me five bucks."
"After that shot, you owe me ten," Larson countered. Caroline noticed he didn't make eye contact as he waved hello.
Hmmm. Accounting. The right department for financial intrigue.
"Caroline, over here." Ramona Carini stood next to the bar at the far side of the room, waving while she looked out from behind a row of wine bottles and sodas.
68
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
"Are you hiding?" Caroline set her bag of treats alongside several unopened bottles.
"As a matter of fact, I am. Brian loves to party. I hate it." Taken aback, Caroline said, "Why come with him?"
"Because I love Brian, and Brian loves to party." Oh lord, Luke's dream woman. Stand by your man, always put his wishes ahead of your own.
With a bright smile, Ramona said, "What can I get for you?
We have everything."
"A soda for now. I like to start slow." Ramona handed a can of cola to Caroline and took a hearty swallow of Bud Light. "Let's go over there where it's quieter."
Interesting. She barely knew Ramona, yet she had the distinct feeling Brian's fiancée had something very specific to share.
"This is much better," Ramona said once she sank down into a deck chair outside the party room. Caroline sat down in the chair beside her. "So, Caroline, how do you like Mecca?"
"Mecca?"
"You know, ZyQyx headquarters. Instead of out there." Ramona waved at infinity. "Wherever Ian said you worked."
"I like it a lot. Nice to put faces to names."
"How long have you worked for Ian? Did you know him before that?"
Careful, Caroline, careful. "I've known Ian for quite some time."
69
Sweet Caroline
by Micqui Miller
Ramona finished her beer, then popped the top on another can Caroline hadn't seen her bring along. "Was he always like he is now?"
She cocked her head to the side. "Like what?"
"Um ... you know, so ... so ingratiating."
"He's always been the same with me." Not really a lie, she reasoned. She'd been around him five days, and his behavior had been consistent.
"I don't know," Ramona continued. "Sometimes he creeps me out—like he wants to be one of us."
"You mean an employee rather than the boss?"
"Yeah that too, but I think he'd like to be more like us personally."
Caroline stopped herself from responding too quickly. This conversation was headed in an interesting direction. "I don't know what you mean by 'personally.'"
"Okay, I'll say it even though Brian would kill me if he heard me."
Caroline held her breath.
"I think Ian wishes he were a Mahoney." That was the last thing she expected to hear. Foy openly disdained the Mahoneys. Had Ramona had that much to drink? "I really don't know the Mahoneys, but—"
"Sure you do," Ramona insisted.
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