Thy Neighbor's Wife (16 page)

fused.

The next thing she knew, the whole team was bent over her.

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Alex’s face was the only one she could focus on, the worry clearly

etched across it. She gently brushed Jennifer’s bangs off her fore-

head.

“Rita!” Jackie shouted. “Ice!”

Okay, Jennifer thought. I heard that. Ears are working again.

That’s a good thing.

“Jennifer?” Alex asked. “Are you all right? How do you feel?”

“Did you happen to get the license number?” Jennifer replied.

Alex smiled with relief and Jennifer found herself thinking how

beautiful that smile was. “I feel like an idiot. I’m sorry.”

“For what? That ball would have taken down any one of us.

Let’s put some ice on that to keep the swelling down.” An ice pack

seemed to appear out of nowhere. Alex put one hand on the side of

Jennifer’s head and pressed the ice pack to her eye and cheekbone

with the other. She tightened her grip slightly when Jennifer

flinched from the cold, her thumb gently stroking Jennifer’s temple.

“Hey, can we finish the game?” an unfamiliar voice called.

Jennifer watched in fascination as Alex’s face hardened, her

nostrils flaring slightly, her lips a thin, straight line.

“Nikki, could you hold this for a second?” She gestured to the

ice pack. Nikki took her place, surprising Jennifer with her soft

touch. Alex was on her feet and moving.

“Alex, don’t!” Jackie’s calves flashed across Jennifer’s periph-

eral vision, along with some other feet she couldn’t recognize from

her vantage point, and she lifted her head to see what was going on.

That was a big mistake. The world tilted on her and she squeezed

her eyes shut, groaning as she lay back down.

“What’s happening, Nikki?”

Nikki launched into color commentary. “That was the big guy

who hit you who just asked about the game. Alex is right in his

face. Jackie and David are standing close enough to pull her away if

she gets out of control.” There was a definite smile in her voice,

which brought a grin to Jennifer’s face as well.

They could only hear snippets and bits of what was being said.

They caught Alex’s voice snapping off things like “recreational, you

shit” and “good sportsmanship.” The idea of Alex leaping to her

rescue made Jennifer feel warm.

“Okay, Jackie’s pulling her away now,” Nikki reported. Then

she laughed with a surprised chuckle. “The guy actually looks like

he feels bad. Like a kid who just got scolded.” Her voice held a tone

of amusement.

“I think I should get off the court,” Jennifer said, removing the

ice pack from her face. She suddenly felt foolish and embarrassed

by the whole thing.

“You’re sure?”

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“Uh-huh. You guys have to finish up and take game three.”

Nikki snorted. “You did get hit in the head, didn’t you?”

Jackie, Steve, and David all joined them, each holding onto

Alex in some way to keep her on their side of the net. Alex’s face was red and her eyes were flashing. “How we doing?” she asked

Jennifer, visibly calming herself and replacing Nikki by her side.

“My hero,” Jennifer teased.

“She wants to move off the court so we can finish the game,”

Nikki said.

“So you can win the game,” Jennifer corrected.

“Now that’s what I call team spirit.” Jackie laughed, taking

Jennifer’s arm and helping her to stand. The court picked that

moment to shift sharply to the left.

“Whoa. Okay. Hang on.” Jennifer stood between Jackie and

Alex, clutching tightly to both of them and waiting for the dizziness

to subside. It didn’t take long. “Okay. That’s better.” The three of

them walked slowly over to where Rita sat in a beach chair, her

brow furrowed with concern. Hannah came running up, looking

closely at Jennifer as she settled back down into the sand, her gym

bag propped behind her head so she could see the game.

“You got a boo-boo?” the toddler asked with concern, dropping

to her knees next to Jennifer.

“Yeah, just a little one.”

She squinted her big, blue eyes as she inspected the injured

party closely. “Ow. Does it hurt?”

“Yeah. A little bit.”

She leaned forward, her fine, blonde hair brushing Jennifer’s

face, and placed such a gentle kiss on her cheekbone that it made

Jennifer’s heart swell and her eyes mist. “Better?”

“Much,” Jennifer whispered, truly touched. “Thanks, Han-

nah.”

“Welcome.”

“You are the sweetest little thing in the world,” Alex said to the

little girl, her face beaming with pride. “You know that?”

Hannah merely smiled and scooted back to her sand toys.

Alex took Jennifer’s hand and placed the ice pack in it, then

gently pressed it to her face. “Twenty minutes, okay? Rita, keep an

eye on her, will you?”

“Go kick some ass,” Jennifer ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” Alex gently rustled Jennifer’s bangs, then was

up and jogging back onto the court.

Jennifer turned to catch Rita’s eye. The brunette looked far too

amused for her own good.

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* * *

“This is a really nice car,” Alex commented, nodding with cer-

tainty as she drove Jennifer’s Volvo home from the beach. After

much coaxing and more than a little insisting, the plan had been

settled. Alex would drive Jennifer in her car and Jackie would fol-

low in Alex’s, while Rita followed Jackie to pick her up and take

her home. On a normal volleyball night—one that didn’t include an

injury—the team would go out and have a few drinks to celebrate

its win or scowl over, then laugh about, its loss. On that night, how-

ever, the team had agreed as a whole that even though they’d won,

they couldn’t in good conscience go out and party without Jennifer.

She’d protested, as expected, but they decided they’d definitely go

out the following week, win or lose.

There was also the slight concern of a possible concussion. Jen-

nifer swore she was fine, just a little hazy, and refused to go to the

emergency room. Alex and Jackie both tended to agree with her

assessment, but Alex was reluctant to leave her alone, at least for a

little while. When Jennifer mentioned that Eric was spending the

evening in Buffalo, that settled it for Alex. She’d announced that

she would take Jennifer home, get her comfortable, and sit with her

for a while to make sure she didn’t fall asleep until they were sure she was okay.

So, they pulled into her driveway with Alex commenting on the

car as Jennifer slumped comfortably in the passenger seat.

“Eric wanted me to get the Cross Country. Have you seen

those?”

“Is that the station wagon that looks like an SUV? They’re

pretty cool.”

“He thinks so, too.”

“And you don’t.”

“To me, it’s still a station wagon. In my opinion, you drive a

station wagon or a minivan and all sex appeal goes right out the

window.”

Alex chuckled as she looked over at her own driveway, Rita

pulling in with the minivan. She thought about how hard Jackie had

fought against getting one, for exactly the same reason Jennifer had

just outlined. However, after driving it for two days, she’d fallen in

love with it and was singing its praises any chance she got. Alex

decided to keep Jennifer’s comment to herself.

She hopped out of the car and scooted around to open Jenni-

fer’s door before she had a chance to do so herself. “M’lady,” she

said in her best British accent. “We have arrived. Allow me to

escort you.” She held out a hand.

“Alex, I’m fine,” Jennifer said with quiet laughter. “Really. You

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don’t have to stay.” Despite her protests, she slid her hand into

Alex’s, feeling the warm tingle of her skin. Her blue eyes met Alex’s

in a silent thank you and Alex cringed inwardly at the deep purple

that was beginning to show around her eye, thinking how tender it

must be. Then she grinned at the thought of Jennifer with a shiner.

“Really,” Jennifer said again, as if Alex hadn’t heard her the

first time.

“Humor me. Okay?”

Jackie came jogging across the yard to give Alex her keys.

“How we doing?”

“Just fine,” Jennifer assured her. “Though I’m finding Dr. Fos-

ter here to be quite a hard ass.”

Jackie looked at Alex, feigning seriousness. “She has no idea,

does she?”

“Not a clue,” Alex deadpanned.

“Yeah, you two are funny.” Jennifer tightened her grip on

Alex’s hand. “Come on, doc. Get me inside. I’m feeling a little

woozy.”

“I’ll put Kinsey in his pen, okay? I can use my key.” Jackie

offered.

“That would be great, Jack. Thanks.”

“Call if you need anything. I can be here in a flash.”

“Thanks, Jackie,” Jennifer said sincerely. “And thank Hannah

for me. Tell her that her kiss made me feel a million times better.”

“I will.” Jackie’s eyes met Alex’s in silent question. After over

a decade of close friendship, the two of them could read one

another’s faces without a second thought. Alex told her with her

eyes that they’d be fine. Jackie was satisfied with that and took her

leave. Alex and Jennifer waved to Rita, parked in Alex’s driveway,

then entered Jennifer’s house.

* * *

“Comfy?”

“Immensely.”

Alex set a tall glass of iced tea down on a coaster on the coffee

table so Jennifer could reach it. She was stretched out on the leather

couch in a clean, pink T-shirt and white boxer shorts with teddy

bears on them. She smelled like baby powder. The edges of her

bangs were damp from washing her face and her hair hung loosely

around her shoulders. The slight sleepiness in her eyes made her

look all of twelve years old and Alex thought she was simply ador-

able, even with the nasty bruise marring the overall picture.

Alex hovered with her own glass, surveying her seating options

and wishing she could take a quick shower. Jennifer lifted her legs

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slightly and pointed to the end of the couch with her chin. “Have a

seat.”

“I’m sandy,” Alex warned.

“Hi, Sandy. I’m Jennifer. Sit.”

I’m going to argue with a direct order? Alex thought. I think

not. She sat obediently, sinking deliciously into the soft leather.

Jennifer settled her feet in Alex’s lap and that was that. Alex had no

intention of ever moving again. You’re just a sucker for a pretty

girl, she chided herself.

Her conscience decided to add its two cents. A pretty, married

girl, it pointedly kicked in, causing Alex to grimace.

“Hey, I thought Eric was coming to the game.” Alex took a sip

of her tea, trying to look anywhere but at the creamy smooth skin

on the firm calves that rested against her leg.

Jennifer sighed softly and a dark cloud passed over her face.

She took a swig from her own glass. “Yeah, so did I. Apparently, he

got stuck at the office. Again.” She grimaced as she remembered the

abrupt voicemail message he’d left. She’d been excited to have him

come to her game, but he’d obviously had more important things to

do than spend time with his wife. As usual.

Alex studied her closely, concerned by her sudden change in

demeanor. “You okay?”

“I don’t even know anymore, Alex.”

“Tell me.”

Jennifer sighed again, weighing the pros and cons of opening

up to this woman. She was sure the knock on the head had weak-

ened her resolve slightly, and the thought of talking to somebody

totally unbiased as far as her family was concerned was almost too

tempting. She’d been thinking it for so long, yet she’d never said the

words. Saying the words would make it real and she didn’t know if

she was ready for that. She looked up and met the soft, brown gaze

of her neighbor, a woman who was quickly becoming the best friend

she’d ever had, and felt safe. She took a deep breath, bracing herself

for the impact the sound of the words would have, and spoke.

“I think he’s screwing around on me.”

There. I said it. She waited for the walls to come crashing

down, but it remained quiet, the gentle lapping of the water the

only sound. She felt a sense of near-relief.

“Oh, wow,” Alex said softly. “You’re sure?”

Jennifer rubbed at her uninjured eye, nodding slowly. “I’m not

stupid, Alex. He must think I am, but I’m not. I’ve called the Buf-

falo office on several occasions at night when he’s supposed to be

there. I get the switchboard or his voicemail, but I never get him.

I’ve tried his cell phone, but he claims the reception goes mysteri-

ously out of whack out there and he doesn’t get my calls. He’s

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always talking about how hard he’s working, but I’ve heard his

father mention that he’s concerned about Eric’s lack of attention at

the firm.” She took another sip of her tea, carefully not looking at

Alex. “We hardly ever have sex any more and when we do, I feel

like I’m by myself anyway.”

Are none of my friends having sex? It was the first thought to

pop into Alex’s head. She wasn’t sure what to say or do and she

found herself a little startled at the lack of ire in Jennifer’s voice.