Secret Bet (House of Morgan #3)
Victoria Pinder
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my friend and amazing author, Kristin Wallace. If you’ve not read her books, she’s great. She always makes me think ‘how would you act out the scene and get into the character’s heads.’ Her advice always makes me grow as a writer.
Chapter One
"Belle Jordan?" A young man's voice echoed with a crack in it.
Belle stood from her desk by the window, which overlooked the Capitol Building as the door opened. Perhaps it was orders from her old military base or she was still in this habit, but she straightened her spine. "Yeah, who's this?"
Again a boy's voice squeaked. "I'm from FTL. I have a letter to deliver."
Civilians didn't stand at attention for delivery people. She forced herself to sit and fixed her long, brown braid behind her head. "Come in."
A boy, no more than eighteen years old in a bright yellow shirt appeared. The tension in her spine dissipated as the messenger held out a package and an electronic box. "I need you to sign here."
She scribbled her name and then stared at the letter. It was white, and the calligraphy was tasteful. The date December 23rd echoed in her brain. Someone knew she worked late. It might be some new lobbyist business party that doubled as training for the just-out-of-the-military group she was hired with. It was not like she had anymore friends who would send her new wedding invitations. She shook the letter. It certainly looked like an invitation.
She glanced at her desk and pushed the contract with the US Marines and Century Arms to the side as she opened the white linen envelope. A moment later, white confetti in the shape of butterflies spilled onto her mahogany desk. She unfolded the crisp linen invitation from wrapping paper and read, Victoria Morgan and Colt Collins cordially invite you to their Christmas Eve wedding in Miami.
Again. This was the second invitation, not that she had responded to the first. Belle covered her lips and sat. She'd never go to this. Her heart beat a mile a minute. Her ex-fiancé and the mother of his child were not exactly her favorite people.
She dropped the invitation but then noticed a second sheet of paper in the envelope. She tucked the paper in to hide it and picked up the contract. She needed to finish and get her work in the mail and over to the Pentagon. She picked up her pen, signed the last of the pages and, and dropped the papers in the 'to be copied' stack for her secretary in the morning.
She had earned another bonus. The night sky still had the whiteness of this morning's snow flurry. The postcards of Washington, DC at Christmas could be snapped from her office, not that she'd ever care.
It was time to go home. She sighed. No one else was still here on the floor. As she stood, she peeked at the second piece of paper that had come with the invitation. She blinked. It was Colt's handwriting.
Her heart had a pang. Her father had loved the idea of her and Colt. So had her stepmother. They had said they finally had a daughter because she intended to get married and wear a white dress.
Clothes did not make her feminine.
She closed her eyes and hoped the zap in her heartbeat stopped. They had never been proud of her, ever, and they certainly weren't now. Her father had said he couldn't wait to dance with his daughter at her wedding. A piece of her hair fell in front of her eyes. As she gazed at the letter, she tucked the wayward strand behind her ear.
Belle,
Please come to the wedding. We were always friends first. You saved my life in the desert and kept me alive. Victoria wants you here too. We both want you to be happy. We included an airplane ticket. Please come.
Colt
She rubbed her throat and then dropped the letter. There was no way she'd go. This was insane. Ex fiancées did not go to the new fiancée's wedding. Victoria and she hardly even knew each other. All she knew about Colt's new bride was that Colt had thought the other woman dead the entire time he had dated her.
She fumbled through her desk and found her pocketbook. At the door, she wrapped herself in her scarf, warm woolen jacket, and thick hat. Four years of dating one guy had left her utterly alone this winter.
She closed her office door, strode through the empty office with gray cubicles, and locked the department front door. She'd return in eight short hours. Christmas Eve was for other people who cared.
On the empty street, the brightest light on the horizon was still the Capitol Building. She wrapped her scarf tighter and quickened her steps to get to her apartment faster. The cold air numbed her nose, but she trekked forward. She'd be home soon.
People's cheers from the local bars she passed were loud with ‘Merry Christmas.' She hugged her waist and rushed. Then her new stepmother's smiling face flashed on her caller ID.
She answered, "Hello?"
"Darling, your father and I are heading out for the holidays on that Mediterranean cruise we told you about earlier this year. He's very sorry to miss you for the holidays again."
"I remember." Of course. Her stepmother had never asked, 'Why don't you drop everything and join us when we book the cruise?' Not that she'd go. She straightened her shoulders. "Have fun with my dad."
Sophie's perky voice echoed through the phone. "What will you do this holiday?"
Find a way to not think about Colt anymore. She would never say that, and instead she rolled her eyes. She was the one who'd paid her father's debts so her stepmother could spend his retirement earnings. "Work. It's what I enjoy."
Her stepmother's voice, which had once soothed her said, "Baby, there is more to life than work. We hoped one day you'd learn to relax and enjoy the small moments."
Clearly they lived on another planet. Belle pressed her lips together. "It's okay, Sophie. Have fun with Dad."
Sophie mumbled something else, but Belle's phone began to ding with multiple text messages. She hung up on her stepmother and read her texts.
‘Saw you pass. Come into Andrew's Pub.'
‘Belle, we want to see you.'
None of the former crew of her favorite Marines were in the service anymore. They all planned to fly out tomorrow, for Colt's wedding.
She gazed up at her dark window. All that waited for her at home was the internet and some movie she picked out.
She pursed her lips. Perhaps one drink with her old crew wouldn't be the end of the world. She'd tell everyone to have a good time.
She clutched her phone in her hand and decided to pop in without a message.
A rock version of "Silent Night" that someone must have attempted during karaoke clung in the air. Someone's feet stomped from the stage as Belle walked past. Then she saw Emily Fletcher, her perky best friend, as she sat with three other former Marines. All four of them had flights in the morning to Miami. All of them were off to wish Colt well.
"Someone order me a Guinness."