The Weekday Brides 04 - Single by Saturday Read Free Page B

over?”
    Zach looked between her and Michael. “It’s OK, I—”
    “You’re staying here. Mom would kill me if you stayed at a hotel.” Michael’s tone was genuine.
    “Mom’s going to kill you anyway.”
    Michael nodded. “You’re right. No need to add to the ammunition. We have plenty of room.”
    “I don’t know.”
    Karen did what any wife would and took matters upon herself. “I’ll have Alice set up a room before she goes home.” She left their side and walked into the house.
    Gwen met up with her in the kitchen. The caterers had left boxed-up food that would all be going to the Boys and Girls Clubin the morning. The beauty of Hollywood parties was how well the kids ate once the festivities were over. The kids thought they got the leftovers. Only Karen and Michael knew that wasn’t the case. They always ordered more than they needed and had trays of food to serve to the kids.
    “I’m outta here, Karen,” Tony, Michael’s manager, said as he passed through the great room.
    Tony was short, Italian, and louder than any man should be.
    “Did you pour Tom into a limo?” Karen asked.
    Tony chuckled. “His car is parked to the side of the garage along with a few others. You’ll probably have assistants here bright and early to pick them up. Might just wanna keep the gate open.”
    Karen shook her head. “Not a chance.” The last thing she’d do was leave the gate to Michael’s estate open for maundering fans or paparazzi to help themselves to a photograph. “Thanks for the warning. I hope you managed to have a good time.”
    Tony always seemed to be working when he was in her and Michael’s presence.
    “I always do. G’night Karen, Gwen.”
    “Good night, Tony.”
    Before Tony made it out of the room, he turned and shouted, “Oh, and happy anniversary.”
    “Thanks.” Somewhere in all the excitement of the party, the fact that she and Michael had been married for a year escaped her for the past few hours.
    Michael loved flashy parties, where Karen was just as happy with a few select friends with honesty flowing between them. Because her friends knew the business of Alliance, they all knew the marriage was coming to an end.
    They’d only recently started talking about the Hollywood breakup and how it would go down. Irreconcilable differences without anything messy. Complete with a divorce party at some point.
    They’d go their separate ways and remain friends.
    “Where do you think Alice is?” Gwen asked as she leaned a slender hip on the center island, picked a fresh chocolate-covered strawberry from a tray, and nibbled on the ripe fruit.
    The house had some order to it. The waitstaff had left thirty minutes before with the majority of guests. Now there were only a few guests weaving out of the house, waving good-byes as they left.
    She seldom used the home intercom system, but Karen went to it and called Alice through the speakers. “Alice?”
    A few seconds passed and the woman’s voice came through. “Yes, Mrs. Wolfe.”
    “Can you make sure the spare room on the east side of the house is prepared for a guest?”
    “Of course, Mrs. Wolfe.”
    Karen plucked a strawberry off the tray and joined Gwen in her snack.
    “How are you feeling?” Karen asked, letting her eyes drift to Gwen’s slender waist.
    “I feel great. Samantha was so sick with both her pregnancies, I expected nothing different.”
    Karen grinned. “Not everyone has morning sickness.”
    Gwen positively beamed. “I’m so happy, Karen. And Neil’s beyond himself.”
    It was hard to picture Neil being anything but his big stoic self. But when he thought no one was watching, he looked at Gwen as if he would take a bullet to keep her safe.
    “It’s going to be great seeing a baby make Neil crazy.”
    Gwen laughed. “My poor husband won’t stand a chance.”
    “He’s going to be a good dad. And we already know you’re going to be a fabulous mom.”
    Gwen discarded the stem in a napkin and placed it on the