Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 26

Nathan’s insight surprised me. He seemed to know me better than I’d realized.

“Have you been checking up on me?” My smile faded. The collapse of my marriage was painful enough without strangers poking through the remains.

“Sorry, I overstepped,” Nathan blurted out, uncharacteristically flustered. “Just heard some things in passing. No background checks, I promise.”

“Lovely meeting you.” I gave him my best polite dismissal and walked away.

Nathan stayed frozen where he stood.

Back at our table, Melissa was still nervously eyeing the handsome stranger at the other table, clearly working up the courage to talk to him.

“Melissa, ready to go?” I asked, already gathering my things. Nathan’s lingering gaze and that unsettling confession had me suddenly desperate for an exit.

She rose with obvious reluctance, just as Nathan came back inside.

I pulled Melissa forward. “Mr. Hallman, meet Melissa–legal genius and my best friend. Keep her number handy for when you inevitably need a lawyer.”

“Victoria…” Melissa hadn’t expected me to be so forward. She turned bright red, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

I shot her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. Mr. Hallman and I know each other.”

Nathan handed Melissa a business card. “Ms. Jenkins, my company could use legal counsel. If you’re interested, reach out to my assistant, Zachary Chandler.”

“Hello,” said Zachary, the handsome guy across the table, raising his hand. He slid his card toward her. “Just give me a call.”

Melissa took both cards, her face burning. “Nice to meet you,” she murmured, and then yanked me out of the restaurant at lightning speed.

her tomato–red cheeks and burst out laughing,

her foot. “How could you just ask for their contacts

“You’ve got their cards now. It’d be

something strange and grabbed my arm. “You know Mr. Hallman? How?

you two meet?”

caught off guard by

Mr. Hallman like you?” Melissa squinted. “Don’t even try denying it. I can see it in his

want to hide things from her. So I told her everything–about volunteering at the

She’d seen his business card–the same guy I’d helped was now

star who was killing it in

didn’t even know who he was. Back then, people talked about this genius kid- how his family went bankrupt and how his dad died following

with the Holcombs‘ charity work at the time. When I heard his story, I donated 250

investments. Your instincts are spot–on,”

gave a wry smile. “It was Jared’s money, not mine. If anyone

her knee. “This is perfect. Jared financed his own romantic competitor.

down. If

you’re really divorcing Jared? Need me

expression made me laugh. “Alright, draft something up for

will give you half?” Melissa asked, her eyes alight with

Even ten percent of his fortune would last me a

probably hand over whatever you needed

ever think it would end in divorce?” For all her

said bitterly. “We were all in,

interrupted. “Truth is, it’s just a partnership. Pick right, you’re golden. Pick

your losses early,”

smile. “Exactly.

head. “I’m done with relationships. Men and women are all the same. The magic always fades. Why not just keep dating? Always have