Tonight’s dinner had been more frustrating than enlightening unlike their last dinner. Nellie walked Veronica out and they stood at the top of the stairway just outside the door of Nellie’s town home. “Don’t walk me down, Nellie. I’m fine.” She turned to hug her friend. “I’ll see you again next week?”

“For sure,” Nellie squeezed her before pulling back and away. “Only we’ll go out somewhere again. Rick will be home next week.”

“Why is he in Tahoe again?”

“Celebrity golf championship.”

Veronica nodded. “Is he broadcasting?”

“No,” she said with that same smile she worn all through dinner when she spoke of all the progress he’d made these last few months. “It’s just for pleasure. He goes every year.”

“So how come you didn’t go with him?”

The smile lost some of its shine. “I have work.”

“So you take a few days off. I mean, Nellie aren’t you the tiniest bit concerned about this?”

“Roni?” Just as Veronica suspected she would be, Nellie was put off by her questioning. “It’s an annual trip he he’s been taking for years. And I have to trust him.”

“Why?” Veronica didn’t mean for it to come out so exasperated but it was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard. The man had cheated on her just a few months ago.

“Because he’s my husband and at some point I have to–”

“At some point but it’s only been a few months.” Veronica knew she was pushing it now but even when Nellie had told her the same story Courtney did about how Courtney caught Rick with that woman at the hotel, Nellie’s version had been completely toned down. She hated to think her best friend was putting up with Rick’s lies for the sake of losing this bastard who didn’t even deserve her. “He has to understand that this year, things should be different. This year maybe he should’ve taken you.” Suddenly all of the solo trips Rick had taken in the past and Nellie so happily stayed behind became suspect. “Nellie, how do you know this was the first and only time Ricks done this?”

Nellie stood up straight. Her puckered lips nearly twitched. Veronica knew she had done it now. “Because he said it was and I believe him.”

“But—”

“Veronica, I’ve made my decision to try and work this out with Rick. If you had any idea what I’ve been through these last few months maybe then you’d understand why I have to at least try to incorporate some of the tools given to me in the counseling sessions and retreats we’ve taken. This is all part of regaining trust. I couldn’t live with myself if I thought I had to be there next to him every breathing moment.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “And for your information, he did ask me to come, even said I should look into catching a flight out there and meeting him.”

Like a sudden flash, it hit Veronica. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard this. Every time in the past when Veronica had asked Nellie about Rick’s business trips she’d unwittingly hit a nerve and Nellie would somehow work it into the conversation that Rick had asked her to meet him on his trip, yet Nellie never had.

“Why don’t you?” Nellie started back to her front door and Veronica went after her. “Why, Nellie? Why haven’t you ever gone and met him?”

Nellie stopped at the front door and glared at her but there was more pain in her eyes than anger. “I told you. I have work.”

“Always?” Veronica pushed knowing she’d already pushed too far and hating Rick even more by the minute. How dare he do this to sweet Nellie? “Is it because you’re afraid of who you’ll find him with?”

Nellie walked in the door, the pained look in her flooded eyes killed Veronica. “You should leave.”

“I’m sorry!” Veronica cried out. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

“Just go.” Nellie closed the door just as the tears slid down her face.

Veronica leaned against the door and knocked softly. “Nellie, I’m sorry. Please talk to me.” After minutes of no response she knocked again as her own tears slid down her face. “Call me if you need anything, okay? I love you.”

She wiped the tears away as she made her way slowly down the steps. Even this made her think of Noah. All this time she’d pegged him as undependable and not serious boyfriend material because of his age. Rick was almost thirty, had seemingly committed to marriage yet he was turning out to be the biggest lying ass**le she’d ever known. The guilt weighed even heavier now. This time for so unfairly lumping Noah in the same category as Rick based solely on his age.

CHAPTER 22

The guys came over on Sunday and were there all day. It’d been a while since they’d had a virtual boxing fest like the old days. Noah checked with Roni first before okaying Hector to bring over his PlayStation3. They worked on changing the oil on Roni’s car all morning, then moved indoors for the boxing.

Noah told her she didn’t have to but Roni insisted on making them snacks and then lunch. She made sandwiches which she cut in half and piled high on a tray. Though the guys all said they weren’t hungry the pile of sandwiches were inhaled within minutes.

Her fussing over them had actually helped to distract her and get her mind off what she’d been moping about for days. She and Nellie were still on the outs and Roni was beside herself with guilt over having hurt Nellie’s feelings.