Read Online The Procedure by Tabatha Vargo, Melissa Andrea - Free Book Online

only on Roman, who seemed to forget he hadn’t arrived here alone. The two other men stared at me like I’d just arrived on a spaceship from another planet. As if realizing for the first time that he wasn’t alone, Roman turned toward the two men.
    “I’m sorry. Rick, Jerry, this is Samantha Aldridge. Samantha, these are two of my colleagues.”
    “It’s very nice to meet you two.”
    “Aldridge? As in Michael Aldridge?” the one named Rick asked.
    He was the shorter of the three men, and possibly the youngest.
    I smiled, and there was a source of pride behind it. I’d always felt it whenever someone recognized Michael and his accomplishments, for all the hard work he done to get where he was. It made me feel proud to be his wife, the one who had stood by him for all those years and the one who still stood here. But now, with that feeling also came the humiliation that they knew everything I was standing by.
    “Yes. That’s my husband.”
    “He’s a good man. A damn hard worker, too.” The older man, Jerry, smiled at me. He didn’t seem to know my husband’s history, so there was no added sympathy in his smile. “But I always say that behind every hardworking man is a damn good woman.”
    I was sure that I’d never smiled so big in my entire life. Jerry didn’t realize the strength it took not to get up and kiss him for his words or how much I desperately needed to hear them.
    “I will definitely be sure to tell him that.”
    They all laughed, although Roman’s didn’t seem as genuine.
    “Why don’t you gentlemen go on in and get a table? I’ll be right in,” Roman said to his colleagues.
    When the hostess took the others inside, Roman turned toward me once they were out of view. I flushed as he gave me a complete once over.
    “I like the new look.” His eyes moved past my chin and slowly over my neck and chest before his eyes clashed with mine again.
    “Thank you. It was much needed. When I went to pay for my day at the spa, the bill had already been taken care of. Please let me...”
    “No,” he said sternly. I bit my lip, wanting to argue, but the way he said the one word made me think twice about arguing with him. “So the ladies there took good care of you?” he asked, changing the subject.
    “Well, it was actually the hands of Marcus, but yes, everyone there took very good care of me.”
    “Ahh, yes, Marcus. I forgot he still worked there.”
    I knew I was being silly thinking I heard a trace of jealously there, but I let myself enjoy the feeling even if I knew it wasn’t true. “Kind of like you forgot to mention your grandmother owns the spa.”
    “Guilty. She didn’t drill you with inappropriate questions, did she? She forgets to mind her own business when it comes to my love life or lack thereof.”
    “She was lovely. In fact, we made plans to have lunch.”
    He groaned. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”
    I laughed. “Honestly, she was perfect.”
    “Sounds like the making of a friendship.”
    I nodded. “I hope so.”
    “And if memory serves me correctly, isn’t there supposed to be a friend involved here?” He moved his fingers, gesturing toward my table, and his eyebrows lifted as he stared down at me knowingly.
    “Yes, I suppose there is, but that’s where the problems lies.”
    Without asking if he could join me, he moved around the gate and slid into the seat across from me. “And what problem is that?” A small smirk moved across his thick lips.
    I took a deep breath. “Well, I don’t really have any friends. As sad as that sounds, I can be honest.”
    His smirked instantly transformed, his brows pulling in, and a look of sorrow transformed his face.
    “It’s okay,” I said with a fake smile and an even bigger phony front. My hands fell into my lap, but I sat up a little bit taller and avoided his sympathy. “Trust me, I’d much rather enjoy my time alone than be here with one of the stuck-up ladies I’ve had some of the most