It was stupid to think otherwise. He’d always been honest—he wanted her for an affair. He’d never said anything about love.
Tears threatened again.
“You didn’t have to go that far,” she said aloud. Two people looked at her oddly as they passed.
She’d believed something special was building between her and Josh, certain that the strong feelings she experienced couldn’t have been totally one-sided.
Yet she’d obviously seen only what she wanted to see.
He didn’t even care enough for her or their deal to complete the search for her father.
Anger burned at his callous disregard toward their deal. She’d never have left him in the lurch. She wasn’t Sylvia. She wasn’t anyone except herself, Michelle Talmadge O’Malley.
The afternoon sun beat relentlessly on her as she walked. When she realized how hot she was, she took stock. Instinct, she thought, when she recognized where she was. Only a few blocks from Abby’s place. Quickly she headed for her sister’s apartment, trying to remember if this was one of her days off. She needed family now. The time for pretending she’d found happiness with Josh was over.
She didn’t know what they’d tell Caroline, but for now, she needed someone to talk to, to confide in. Someone who wouldn’t betray her for his own selfish interests. Who wouldn’t lead her on and then let her discover it was all for his own purpose with no consideration for her own feelings.
How could she have fallen in love with a man who used people? How could she still wish he could explain. If he’d just said it was misplaced, she’d probably believed him.
Abby opened the door when Michelle rang the bell. Thank goodness for rotating shifts.
“Hi Michelle, you just caught me.” Taking a closer look, she reached out to gently grasp Michelle’s arm and draw her into the cool apartment. “You look awful. What’s wrong?”
At her kind tone, Michelle burst into tears.
“Gee, I guess this isn’t a friendly little visit in the middle of a work day,” Abby said hugging her sister. “Come and sit down. Tell Abby all about it.”
Grabbing a handful of tissues in passing, Abby led her to the sofa and urged her to sit. Stuffing the tissues into one hand, she took the folder and dropped it onto the coffee table.
“Sorry, I don’t usually lose control like this,” Michelle said as she tried to dry her eyes. “It must be the heat.”
“Uh-huh,” Abby agreed.
“Or the humidity.”
“Uh-huh.”
“It’s Josh,” Michelle said, giving up all thought of further pretense.
“Figures.”
“What?” She looked up, drying the last of the tears. He was not worth crying over!
“Well, you’re usually composed and handle things fine. To be in such a state, I figured it had to be your husband. What happened, you two have a fight?”
“No. But I found out he’s not the man I thought he was.”
“Who is he, then?” Abby asked, surprised.
“He's a lying, deceitful, selfish, self-serving man. He does nice things, but not to be nice, just to lure me in, make me feel comfortable. To give me hope. Then he stops for no reason except he thinks I’m like his first wife. Which I’m not, but would he let me prove it, oh, no, he made all the decisions and hid everything from me until I found out. Then he didn’t lie, just kept looking at me like he wanted to make something up, but of course he can’t by now, could he?”
Abby blinked, and sat down on a chair. “I’m not following this, Michelle,” she said slowly.
“The proof is in the folder. The one from the inactive pile.” Michelle picked up the folder and tossed it to her sister. “I can’t believe I let myself believe him. Pretended it might all come right one day. That a man like that could really fall for a woman like me.”
“Huh? Now what are you talking about?” Abby asked as she skimmed through the various sheets in the folder. “Has Josh located our father?” she asked excitedly.
Michelle surged to her feet and began to pace. “Is that all you can say? My heart’s broken and you ask if he’s located our father?”
Abby’s head snapped up at that and she stared at Michelle. “Why is your heart broken?”
“I just explained!”
“No, you didn’t. Sit down and tell me, and go slow. I haven’t understood a word you’ve said since you arrived.”
Michelle tossed the spent tissues into a wastebasket and calmly sat on the sofa. Explaining to Abby proved harder than she’d expected. But she covered the entire situation, from the earlier attempts to hire a private investigator until she found the folder. Except for last night. That was too personal.
“Wow, Michelle. I’d never have expected it of you. Good going!”
“What?”
“That was brilliant, getting him to search for our father. And the cover up was super. I never suspected, and I know Caroline didn’t doesn’t whatever. So what’s the problem?”
“He stopped looking for our father.”
“Temporarily, he said. Just tell him you’ll stay until Penny’s set and he’ll resume where he left off.”
“He should have known I’d stay. I said I would.” Especially after last night, she’d stay.
Abby looked at her a moment. “Uh-oh, I just had a thought. Penny won’t stay your stepdaughter when you two separate. Darn, I really like that little girl.”
“Me, too,” Michelle said, wondering if the tears would overtake her again.
“I think Josh likes you,” Abby said gently.
Michelle shrugged, suddenly listless. She leaned back against the sofa cushions. She couldn’t believe she’d gone from feeling on top of the world this morning to feeling used and discarded this afternoon.
The phone rang.
Abby picked it up and spoke briefly. Michelle didn’t pay attention. She was trying to figure out what to do next. Maybe she could room with Abby until the sublet was up on her apartment. She’d have to come up with some story for Caroline, but she could figure that out later.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Michelle looked at her as Abby hung up.
“Who was that?”
“Josh. He’s coming here to see you.”
“No!” She
