Embedded Files
November 22, 2012
Tagline: Trying to leave an affair that happened on vacation would be easier if it hadn’t happened with your business partner.
Burb: When Char receives the news that she has been promoted to partner, she should be ecstatic. Instead, she is in Puerto Rico, having fled there after finding her husband in bed with another woman, her dreams of starting a family shattered.
Andy, her boss, unaware of what has happened, tracks her down to bring her back home. Encouraged by the tropical heat, the peaceful surroundings and the unending allure of water, they are soon drawn to each other in a way they had never experienced before. Char knows that her marriage is over. She also knows that an office romance is not what she wants. Her heart and his actions, tell her otherwise.
Char consistently pushes Andy away, trying to keep some semblance of order in her now-crazy life. Getting through one last major account becomes her focus; then she can concentrate on her future and her independence. Her plans are on track, until she discovers an unexpected souvenir from Puerto Rico.
Excerpt: After the door slammed, Andy dialed Payton’s number.
“It’s about time you answer your phone! Where the hell is my wife?”
“I’m doing great; thanks for asking. How are you, Payton?”
“Cut the crap, Banker. Where’s Charlie?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’? Why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone? You with her?”
“She took off, jackass. I don’t know where she’s at, but I do know she’s okay. At least, she was last time I talked to her.”
“You talked to her?” He sounded desperate to know anything he could.
“A few days ago, yes. My guess is she’s cooling off. Just let her.”
“Don’t tell me how to handle my wife!”
“Fair enough. You want pointers on your tart?”
“I figured she’d bawl to you about that. Look—”
“Suck it, Payton. I’m not getting in a pissing match with you.
I’m not avoiding your calls; I just got my phone replaced and I saw that you called. Letting you know she was okay last I talked to her is as far as I’m going with you and trust me, that’s more than you deserve in my book.” Andy hit end.
“And what do I deserve?” Andy found Char standing at the doorway; she had been listening.
“Not his line of bull.”
“Really? Am I any better than he is? Look at us.” Her lip began to tremble as she walked towards the bed then sat down.
Andy sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her. “It’s not the same, Char.”
“The hell it isn’t.” Harshly, she wiped away a tear.
“Under any other circumstances, this would not have happened between us. We’ve been away on short trips before. Nothing has ever happened. I didn’t think you could even stand to be around me half the time.” He stood, picked up a box of tissues from the dresser then sat back down. She accepted a few and blew her nose.
She let herself laugh a little. “I couldn’t.”
“See?” he said with another one of his grins.
“So what now?”
“Water skiing,” he replied, matter-of-factly.
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