She was begging him, like a teenager, or some love-starved chick who didn't know her own worth and was desperate for a man.
What had come over her? She tried not to tear up.
Edwin frowned just a bit and slowly shook his head.
“I have my trainer really early and a full day tomorrow, and after we have that get-together at Emily and Max's house,” he said and came back for a moment and kissed her stunned face good-bye.
He saw himself out, scooting out of her tiny bedroom, rapidly moving through her equally tiny living/dining area, and was out the front door of her apartment before she could move or respond. He didn’t even tell her that he loved her. Isis felt positively ill.
She remembered at dinner, feeling superior to another couple. She and Edwin had a lovely time. They'd had a gorgeous meal, flirted and enjoyed interesting conversation. Then Edwin had shared some concerns about work. She'd offered her opinion and he'd listened. She'd noticed a couple nearby bickering... and she'd felt safe and superior.
Sure, she'd felt bad when the woman got up and stormed out but she'd felt safe... those kinds of things didn't happen to her anymore. She didn't fight for her man's attention, to be taken seriously, the way she had in many of her previous relationships.
She'd thought that Edwin was the one, that it was only a matter of time before things got serious and they began the next phase of their life together.
But that wasn't happening and the way that Edwin had casually blown her off just then made her feel a burning shame. Was she wrong about them? Were they not a good couple? Were things not headed toward something serious... something permanent?
Was it her job? He was in a family firm and kind of had a high-powered career and all that. She had a job that she wasn't proud of really, it was a job like millions of other people had, necessary and useful. She worked in a hospital.
She didn't love her job but she wasn't ashamed of it. She had dreams of course, but the practicalities of life had meant she needed to pay the bills. It wasn't the race thing was it? The other woman book in the dream had a vanilla cover.
Realistically, though, the vanilla cover might not be about race. Isis knew that she was not an understated person. She could be dramatic and fun.
He had taste and certainly dressed well but her idea of dressing up, of beauty, wasn't understated elegance. It came across in her personality as well. She was more of a promoter, a cheerleader, someone who liked to motivate others and she talked a lot. Maybe he found her loud and thought that she lacked class, or something.
Isis felt confused. What was wrong with her and Edwin? She turned out the light and tossed and turned, really fretted about their situation. Finally, well after 2 AM and knowing that she'd be exhausted at work the next day, she frowned and, unable to stop herself, cried herself to sleep on her pillow.
Chapter 3
M AX ROMAN, all-American guy, blond and blue-eyed faced his wife Emily.
They were so alike physically that they could pass for siblings. With her long blond hair and bright blue eyes, that matched his, they'd once gone to a Halloween party dressed as Barbie and Ken dolls and had been a huge success.
They both loved sports, especially tennis, and cared about the same kinds of things. They'd gotten their graduate degrees in business at the same institution, competing for the top grades, always trying to outdo each other, although they hadn't been dating then.
They were in their bedroom. It was after midnight.
Max was irritated because Emily looked too tired, the room was strewn with baby stuff and other junk, and nothing seemed as organized or clean as it used to, and his wife did not appear to be listening to him.
He hated it when Emily acted like her thoughts were more important than what he was saying out loud. If he were to look closely at the emotion, he would notice that he feared being unimportant to others, especially to
What had come over her? She tried not to tear up.
Edwin frowned just a bit and slowly shook his head.
“I have my trainer really early and a full day tomorrow, and after we have that get-together at Emily and Max's house,” he said and came back for a moment and kissed her stunned face good-bye.
He saw himself out, scooting out of her tiny bedroom, rapidly moving through her equally tiny living/dining area, and was out the front door of her apartment before she could move or respond. He didn’t even tell her that he loved her. Isis felt positively ill.
She remembered at dinner, feeling superior to another couple. She and Edwin had a lovely time. They'd had a gorgeous meal, flirted and enjoyed interesting conversation. Then Edwin had shared some concerns about work. She'd offered her opinion and he'd listened. She'd noticed a couple nearby bickering... and she'd felt safe and superior.
Sure, she'd felt bad when the woman got up and stormed out but she'd felt safe... those kinds of things didn't happen to her anymore. She didn't fight for her man's attention, to be taken seriously, the way she had in many of her previous relationships.
She'd thought that Edwin was the one, that it was only a matter of time before things got serious and they began the next phase of their life together.
But that wasn't happening and the way that Edwin had casually blown her off just then made her feel a burning shame. Was she wrong about them? Were they not a good couple? Were things not headed toward something serious... something permanent?
Was it her job? He was in a family firm and kind of had a high-powered career and all that. She had a job that she wasn't proud of really, it was a job like millions of other people had, necessary and useful. She worked in a hospital.
She didn't love her job but she wasn't ashamed of it. She had dreams of course, but the practicalities of life had meant she needed to pay the bills. It wasn't the race thing was it? The other woman book in the dream had a vanilla cover.
Realistically, though, the vanilla cover might not be about race. Isis knew that she was not an understated person. She could be dramatic and fun.
He had taste and certainly dressed well but her idea of dressing up, of beauty, wasn't understated elegance. It came across in her personality as well. She was more of a promoter, a cheerleader, someone who liked to motivate others and she talked a lot. Maybe he found her loud and thought that she lacked class, or something.
Isis felt confused. What was wrong with her and Edwin? She turned out the light and tossed and turned, really fretted about their situation. Finally, well after 2 AM and knowing that she'd be exhausted at work the next day, she frowned and, unable to stop herself, cried herself to sleep on her pillow.
Chapter 3
M AX ROMAN, all-American guy, blond and blue-eyed faced his wife Emily.
They were so alike physically that they could pass for siblings. With her long blond hair and bright blue eyes, that matched his, they'd once gone to a Halloween party dressed as Barbie and Ken dolls and had been a huge success.
They both loved sports, especially tennis, and cared about the same kinds of things. They'd gotten their graduate degrees in business at the same institution, competing for the top grades, always trying to outdo each other, although they hadn't been dating then.
They were in their bedroom. It was after midnight.
Max was irritated because Emily looked too tired, the room was strewn with baby stuff and other junk, and nothing seemed as organized or clean as it used to, and his wife did not appear to be listening to him.
He hated it when Emily acted like her thoughts were more important than what he was saying out loud. If he were to look closely at the emotion, he would notice that he feared being unimportant to others, especially to
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