CHAPTER NINETEEN #3
“Blair doesn’t mind,” Scott assured everyone. “She doesn’t care that much about jewelry and Scarlett really loves it.” He presented the jewelry to the blonde woman, who clapped her hands with delight and leaned in to kiss my husband’s cheek.
“Thank you,” she said, and I swear there were tears in her big blue eyes.
“Well, you’d better be careful, son,” the man admonished, looking at me. “If I’d done that to my wife, she’d have filed divorce papers the next day. Men that make boneheaded moves like you don’t get to hang onto beautiful wives for very long,” he warned.
Scott frowned, then really looked at me. It finally registered that I was upset. He looked taken aback. He leaned in and whispered, “Did you really want that stuff?”
I gazed at him, almost speechless. “You know I did. I specifically told you I did.”
He winced. “Sorry. But it really is a great gift for Scarlett. She’s done such a great job at the office…
” he droned on, but I wasn’t listening. I was doing everything I could to keep from crying.
I felt humiliated as the whole room watched my husband help his office manager put on her new jewelry while I watched.
Terrence grabbed my hand and squeezed. “He’s a moron,” he said.
“You’re sweet,” I forced a smile.
“I think they’re wrapping up,” he said. “Will you save me the first dance?”
After the auction, the night always progressed to dancing, with most people stopping by the open bar frequently.
“I’d love to,” I said sincerely. There was no way I wanted to be anywhere near my husband right now.
“We always save the donation that received the most bids to be the last auction item of the night. It does me a great deal of pleasure to announce that tonight’s most popular auction item was the gourmet cookie basket provided by That Cookie Lady, which we all know is Blair Hastings’ business.
Blair, would you please come up and accept your award?
” Jack looked proud of me, which was more than I could say for Scott. He just looked confused.
Everyone was clapping extra loudly, and I tried not to think that it was because they’d all seen my husband treat me like garbage compared to his employee.
I made my way to the stage and accepted the plaque he handed me as well as a gift basket full of wonderful goods from the many local artisans of Indigo Falls.
Jack motioned for me to step to the lectern.
“Oh, I didn’t know I’d have to speak,” I said, and the audience laughed and clapped.
“I really appreciate that so many of you bid on my cookie basket.” I cleared my throat as emotion suddenly choked me up.
“Many of you know I’m working towards having a store-front someday, and publicity like this makes that dream just a little more realistic.
Thank you so much.” I started to step away, but Jack indicated I should stay.
“No, my dear,” he said, linking arms with me. “You don’t get to sit down just yet. You need to present the basket to the winner.”
“Okay, then,” I said and chuckled as I looked down at the name in front of me. “Aw! Well, this is just too perfect. Sadie Summers, come get your prize!”
Everyone clapped and Sadie hurried over, a vision in a pink gown. “I’m so excited,” she enthused, “I never win anything.”
“She might not actually want this, though. She’s been one of my official taste testers of each new cookie flavor,” I said. “She’s probably sick of them by now.”
“Never,” Sadie said dramatically into the microphone. “Blair’s cookies are to die for.” She pulled me in for a hug. Jack gave her a head nod, and she said, “Now it’s time to hit the dance floor everybody!”
The whole room seemed to move en masse to the ballroom, leaving Sadie and me a minute to catch up with each other.
“You okay?” she asked, squeezing my hand.
“I guess,” I answered honestly. “I just… can’t believe he did that.” I didn’t have to tell her I was talking about Scott giving Scarlett the jewelry he’d won for me.
“None of us could believe it, either.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what the hell he’s thinking, sometimes. I really don’t. I know you love him, and because of that, I’ll love him, too. But he makes it hard sometimes.”
I sighed. “He does.”
The two of us walked off the stage together, and I soon found myself in Terrence’s arms, enjoying the jazz band.
I spent the rest of the evening trying not to notice how often Scott danced with Scarlett.
***
“I just don’t understand why you’re so angry,” Scott said. “You clammed up for the entire car ride and wouldn’t talk to me because I gave Scarlett some trinkets?”
We were standing in the middle of the living room, our evening wear still on.
I didn’t feel like explaining it for the tenth time.
“It’s not that hard. I wanted that jewelry.
You won it. Then, in front of the whole town, you took it away from me and gave it to another woman.
The same woman, I might add, that you flirted, talked, laughed, danced, and drank with all night.
” I glared at him. “If you can’t figure out why that’s a bad look or how it could have hurt my feelings, then you need serious help. ”
I turned on my heel and started to walk away. He grabbed my elbow before I could get away from him. “Wait,” he pleaded. “I’m… sorry. When you explain it like that, it makes more sense to me. I just… well, I didn’t think you’d care so much about costume jewelry.”
I stared at him. “Are you serious? You think that was costume jewelry? Carolyn B’s jewelry is a very big deal.
It’s in major department stores now, and a Hollywood actress wore some of her pieces to the Oscars this year.
” I stepped closer to him. “And the ‘trinkets’ you ripped out of my hands? That set is worth well over five thousand dollars.”
Scott’s face went pale. “Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Jesus. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“I literally stood by you and told you to bid on it because I wanted it.” I shook my head. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
“What about what we promised each other earlier?” He was already over any discomfort he’d briefly felt. A wicked smile crossed his face as if none of what I’d just said had sunk in. He’d been thinking about sex.
“There’s no way I want to sleep with you right now after what you did tonight.
” I started up the stairs. I turned halfway up.
“You need to watch out, Scott,” I warned.
“That woman wants you. She doesn’t care that you’re married, that you have kids, or that you’re her boss. You should be very careful around her.”
He made a face as he loosened his tux tie and let it hang down on his chest while he unbuttoned enough of his shirt to get comfortable. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, I assure you. There’s nothing between Scarlett and me but friendship.”
I looked at him doubtfully. Could he possibly really think that? Then a thought occurred to me. “How did Scarlett afford the tickets, anyway? Are you paying her that well?”
His eyes darted away from mine. “Um… she told me she wanted to go. I bought the tickets out of funds for professional development I set aside at the practice.”
My heart sank. “You bought her the tickets.”
“I mean, indirectly, yeah.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and did his best not to look a little guilty.
“Indirectly, huh?”
“Yes,” he insisted, hearing the doubt in my voice.
“Who handed her the tickets?”
His eyes shot to mine. “I did.”
“So… you want to clue me in on how that’s being ‘indirect?’”
He didn’t say anything. “I see that might’ve been an error. I thought it was professional development,” he defended himself. “The more people she knows around Indigo Falls, the better. A lot of my patients haven’t really warmed up to her. I thought this would be a step in the right direction.”
“That’s… an interesting take, I guess. Did she tell you she wanted to go before you bought the tickets?”
“Yes. What does that have to do with anything?”
I suddenly felt very tired. “She wanted tickets; you bought them for her. She wanted the jewelry set; you took it away from me, your wife, to give it to her. You ignored me through dinner, choosing to talk to her instead. You danced with me twice. Every other dance was with her. You figure it out, Scott.”
He shrugged, not seeming to think there was anything wrong with anything I’d said.
I thought the night couldn’t get any worse.
I thought wrong.
“Hey,” he said, like it was an afterthought. “That was funny about your little cookie donation being the most bid on item of the night.” He laughed. “It must’ve been a lot of your friends and family or something.”
I stared at him until the smile left his face. “You think the only reason I won that award was because people like me? Not my cookies?”
“Yeah,” he said as if it was obvious. “You grew up here; everyone knows you. They wanted to show their support.”
“It wasn’t because they wanted the cookies.”
Finally, he seemed to understand that he had screwed up yet again. “No. I mean, yes, I’m sure they wanted the cookies. But anyone can get a homemade cookie. They don’t need to bid on them like they’re amazing or something.”
I stared at him. Was he this clueless? “Right.” I climbed the rest of the stairs to our bedroom, glad he wasn’t right behind me.
I heard the TV click on before I closed the door.
Tears clouded my eyes. This is what he thought of me.
I was some silly housewife who didn’t deserve pretty jewelry or awards for how much people liked my cookies.
He didn’t seem to think he’d done anything wrong.
I laid awake a long time, beginning to believe our marriage was dying a slow death.