Rebound (20 page)

Katrine woke up the next morning and a smile slowly spread across her face. She realized that she must have fallen asleep, and that a certain someone had carried her to bed. The person in question was lying beside her, curled into her back. His arm was slung across her waist.

Chapter 24

“Rub my feet.”

“No way!”

“Come on, I worked hard today, plus I have to wear those blasted heels day in and day out. Rub my feet!”

Xander put down the file he was looking over and placed it on the table beside his bed. They were lounging in his bed Tuesday night, after some very enthusiastic physical interactions.

“May I remind you, that I am the boss. You work for me.”

“Yes, that is true, but that ends as soon as we leave the office. And I am quite certain we are not in the office, and what we just did was most definitely not company business. So rub, minion!” She slapped down her small foot onto his lap. He smiled at her and indulged her request. 

“Now I’m rubbing feet, what’s next?” he said, as he shook his head.

Katrine shot him a big smile, sat back, and enjoyed the foot massage.

 Thursday had arrived. The girls were coming over tonight and she was really excited.

“What are you girls going to talk about?” Xander asked in a knowing voice, as he leaned back in his desk chair.

“Not you, if that is what you’re thinking. We have more important things to discuss.”

“Well, if you do speak of me, and you will, speak highly and largely of me.”

That made her laugh, “That just depends on if you are a good boy, now doesn’t it.”

“I am always very good, you can attest to that.”

“Could your head get any bigger?” Katrine said, rolling her eyes.

“See there you go, that is a perfect example of what you should say.” He was giving her his best roguish smile. 

“You, have a good dinner meeting. I will see you tomorrow.” She turned to leave.

“Excuse me, Ms. MacNamara, I have not given you permission to leave. I have one more thing I need you to finish.” She had a good idea what that one more thing was. But she humored him.

 “What can I do for you, sir?” 

He got up and walked over to her, “You weren’t going to leave without giving me a kiss goodbye where you?” He gave her a sexy lopsided grin.

“I have to go, so it has to be a quick kiss.”

She barely got the word kiss out of her mouth, before his tongue was inside of it. His hands were starting to untuck her silk blouse when she pulled back.

“Xander, as much as I want this to continue, I have to go. I will have a group of hungry women at my house in an hour. I need to go, I’m sorry. But I promise I will make it up to you.” she said as she played with the buttons of his shirt then she bit his lower lip gently. She knew that drove him crazy.

“I am going to hold you to that, Katrine.” He said her name in the husky way he knew drove her crazy. “I was left high and dry on Monday,” he said, pretending to pout.

“I think I made amends last night and Tuesday for that matter,” she said seductively. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips as she looked him in the eyes. 

“Go, before I bend you over my desk.”

“Can I get a raincheck on that, sir?”

“You bet your sexy ass you can.”

She got home with enough time to call Teddy, throw some apps together, and change her clothes. What she threw together was a lovely display of cheeses accompanied by assorted gourmet crackers and two bunches of tiny grapes, one red and one white. She arranged it elegantly on a large wooden board. She also hollowed out a large red pepper filled with parmesan spinach dip. The pepper was surrounded by crostini and crudités. She had two bottles of red, one Malbec and one Pinot. She knew each of the ladies would bring a bottle and probably some nibbles as well. They would have more than enough wine and plenty of food. It was a rare occasion when everyone was available for an impromptu get together, so there was almost always someone missing. Tonight it would be Izzie. She was in San Francisco on business. But Maddie would be here, probably late, but she would be here. Maddie was chronically tardy. If you told her to meet you thirty minutes before you were actually going to be there, then she would arrive twenty minutes after you arrived. So, Katrine was pretty surprised when her sister arrived first. 

“Hey sis!” Maddie said, and gave Katrine a big hug.

“Hey Mads, I wasn’t expecting you so early.”

“You said 6, so I am here on time, as requested, for once.” She sounded proud of herself.

 “Well, I said 7 and it’s 7:15.” Katrine said, looking at the clock on her wall.

“Oh, good, so I am right on time.” She grinned and pushed past Katrine and went into the kitchen.

Paige and Charlie came together since they both lived out in the burbs. Jane arrived last.

“Sorry I’m late girls. My shipment came in late, so I had to help haul all of my new inventory into the storage room.” 

“No worries Jane. We were just getting started. How is the store doing? Every time I’ve been in there it has been absolutely packed,” Katrine said turning down the classical music that was playing.

“Business has been really good. I am so glad I decided to spend more for the busier, upscale shopping center. It was a really good move, if I do say so myself. I should have my loan paid off by the year 2050,” she teased.

Her store, called Next Door at Jane’s’ sold unique home decor, a wide array of cooking paraphernalia and gourmet food items like sauces and jams. Her store was the kind that made you happy, filled with things you didn’t really need, but could not resist. Katrine loved going there. She was so proud of her friend.

“Could you put a couple of my favorite lavender and verbena candles aside when they come in?” Paige asked.

“Sure sweetie. So, what did I miss?” Jane asked.

“Nothing yet. Katrine, however, is about to give up the goods on her new boss,” Charlie teased.

“What? The jerk? What is going on, spill, spill!” Jane urged. 

“Weeeeelllll, I sort of took the advice you all gave me and decided to have myself a little fling.” Katrine bit the side of her finger, waiting for them to react.

“What!!!! Oh my god! Details chica!” Jane was getting worked up. 

Katrine started at, where else, the beginning. Which she figured was the night of the gala. So she told them all of the details, from her bumping into Ian and David…everything. By the time she was done, they were all looking at her with their mouths open. It must have been more than they were expecting.

“For god’s sake say something. Charlie, this is the first time I have ever rendered you speechless, friend.”

“I just don’t know where to start. My mind is overloaded!” Charlie yelled.

“I know where to start, I am so sorry you had to meet
her
like that. That must have been horrible.” Paige said the word “her” with disgust, like it was lice or a yeast infection.

“Horrible doesn’t seem like a strong enough word. But yes it was. So much has happened in such a short time. I’m a bit overwhelmed. When did my life become so dramatic?” Katrine sighed and threw her head back leaning on the sofa cushion.

“I’m on team Ian!” Jane yelled.

“No way, team Xander! He is the rich, bad boy with commitment issues!” Paige chimed in.

Katrine just shook her head and chuckled.

“I have told Trine many times that I’m worried. I don’t think she can handle this situation without getting seriously mangled.” Maddie added finally joining in on the conversation. Poor thing had been through the worst with her sister and Maddie’s wounds were still fresh even if Katrine’s had scabbed over. And her caution was a direct result.

All the girls gave each other a look.

“What, you too? Guys, why would you say all of that stuff about ‘hot rebound sex’ if you thought I couldn’t handle it?”

“We were talking about a one night stand type of thing, not a two-month long affair with your gorgeous, unattainable boss!” Jane whined.

“Well obviously he wasn’t unattainable for our little Katrine,” Paige said as she winked.

“I guess you should have been more specific... Well, too late now. It might not be so bad. I’m trying to keep a handle on the situation. Guys please, don’t worry.” Katrine implored.

 “You have been through so much, we’re just worried about you,” Charlie added.

“Katrine, you know we support you no matter what. That is what friends are for, right?And if this turns out bad, we will be here for you, ugly cry stage and all,” Paige said with a smile.

“Yah, sis. Remember, you said after divorce you could handle anything! I believe you.” Maddie gave her a hug.

“And I go to New York all of the time. So if he screws you over, I can go by his office and slam his balls in his desk drawer! All you have to do is ask.” Jane said and smiled sweetly. They laughed and went into the kitchen for more wine. They usually spent most of their time in there anyway. Katrine often wondered why people bothered to buy living room furniture. Guests always hung out in the kitchen. It was just one of those things.

“So last night was ‘date’ night at my house, if you were wondering why I look so spent,” Charlie complained. Date night was code for the occasions when she had to have sex with her husband.

“Oh, come on Charlie, it can’t be that bad,” Jane said.

“Again, you under estimate the beat down that is my life, Jane... Men have needs, I get that. But Jesus Christ, he just would’t finish! He wanted all of this fucking dirty talk. ‘Oh it’s so big’, ‘that feels so good’, ‘You have me so hot’. Isn’t it enough that I am giving it up? Now I have to give him a pep talk on top of everything. Do I look like a cheerleader to you? Okay here is my cheer, “Get in, get off, and get out! How hard is that? I have to console, motivate, and take care of kids all day. Now I have to do the same for his penis? I say, no way, damn it, NO!” Charlie yelled.

“Everyone has to fake it sometimes, Charlie,” Maddie said.

“Oh, I never fake it... I make it a point never to reward bad behavior,” Paige said with a straight face. Everyone laughed.

They all knew Charlie was crazy about her husband and her kids. Her life was not as bad as she made it sound, but they enjoyed the show never the less.

“While we are bitching, I have something to get off of my chest. Maddie and Jane, sorry this one is for the moms,” Paige said.

“So last weekend I had to go to a business dinner with James. We went to this nice restaurant. I got all gussied up and looked pretty hot, if I do say so myself. I was so excited to be out having a grown up night, with grown up conversation. Anyway, the conversation covered various topics, politics, travel,  yada, yada… but I kept noticing that when they tried to include me in the conversation it would be about the kids or various motherhood type questions. The first few times, I thought ok, they are just interested. But it kept happening. And this was coming from both men and women. I finally came to the horrible realization that these people thought that is all I had, or wanted to talk about. I am with my kids all day long, do they really think I want to talk about them all freaking night too? I have a college degree, damn it! I have more to offer a conversation than potty training and kindergarten! I hate to be discounted intellectually because I decided to stay home and raise my children. Why in the hell does it make you smarter than me because you sit at a desk all day pushing papers? It doesn’t, you condescending jerks! Like I had a lobotomy with my episiotomy.” 

Paige grabbed her wine glass and drained the last bit of liquid that was left. She was done with her mini-tirade, which was quite mild in comparison to most of Charlie’s rages.

“I may not be a mom, but I totally understand where you are coming from. Just because I am beautiful, people think that’s all I want to talk about. I mean please, I like to talk about my body too... And just for the record, I totally think kids are all you fraus want to talk about.” Maddie said, smiling. Katrine threw a grape and pegged her right in the head.

“Hey, are you girls going to the baby shower for Eva next weekend?” Jane asked changing the subject.

“Hell no, I hate baby showers. Plus I don’t really know her and I wasn’t invited, so that would just be awkward.” Maddie joked.

“How could you hate baby showers? They are so sweet and those precious little clothes.” Jane said wistfully, she was in the throws of some major baby fever.

“That’s just it. You have to sit there for an hour watching someone else open presents, with all of the ‘aaaaaah’ and ‘isn’t that cute’. I mean please, after the fifth onesie and tenth blanket it all starts to look the same to me. Then the ‘when are you going to settle down’ shit starts to happen. I almost start my period at those things, the air is so thick with estrogen. No gracias! I’d rather get a Brazilian wax from Edward Scissorhands then suffer another one of those... Unless, it’s for one of you guys,” she added and looked at Jane. “Anyway, isn’t this like her third boy? How many pairs of dinosaur pajamas does she f-ing need anyway?” Maddie asked.

“My only gripe with baby showers are those stupid games. Baby bingo and word scrambles, who the hell cares. I say no more games, only mimosas and food! If your guests are buzzed enough they won’t care how many burp cloths you’ve received.” Paige said, raising her glass and taking a swig.

“What about you Charlie, you must have something to add?” Katrine asked.

Charlie looked down into her glass and then said in a voice much quieter than she usually used, “I actually love baby showers.”

They all looked at each other, and then at Charlie. When she said things like that, it always shocked them more than any of her other outlandish curse-filled outbursts.

“Ok, I need more wine. I want to be good and drunk when I get home so I can pretend to pass out. That way the hubs won’t get any ideas about making it two nights in a row.”

And in an instant the old Charlie was back, just the way they liked it. The sweet, sensitive Charlie made them a little nervous. And frankly, it was just a bit creepy.

They had a blast together as usual. Great wine and even better conversation. Having good female friends was so important to Katrine. She cherished and appreciated them and she knew they felt the same about her. She needed the distraction and it was nice not to think about Xander all night. But the sad truth was, he wasn’t far from her thoughts.