Page 24 of Finding Amanda

"I'm not dressed up."

Mark pushed his luck to the edge of what he feared was a very high cliff. "You didn't see anyone this morning? I'm just curious. I mean, you said you'd be home at one, and it's after two, and you're dressed nice, and?—"

"I had breakfast with Alan." She straightened her shirt. "He was worried about me going into the lobby by myself, so he came to my room to walk me to my car."

He rested his elbows on his knees, clasped his hands together and stared at them. "Your roommate couldn't do it?"

When she spoke, her tone was irritated bordering on defensive. "Susie's flight left early this morning."

He squeezed his hands tighter until his knuckles faded to white. "So you and Alan were . . . Were you alone with him in your hotel room?"

She dropped her head forward and massaged her temples with her fingertips. Bare fingers. No wedding ring. The monster roared.

She sighed. "I was in the hallway in front of my room with him. Do you have a problem with that?"

Yes, he had a big problem with her being alone with any other man, especially now that their marriage was . . . "I was just curious."

"We grabbed a coffee and a muffin from Starbucks and had a quick breakfast. And then I left. Not that it's any of your business."

"Is that so? It's not my business?" Fury forced its way into his voice. "We've been separated for a month, and you're already seeing other people?"

"Keep it down!" she half-yelled, half-whispered. "Do you want the girls to hear you?"

The vision of Amanda in the arms of some faceless man filled his mind. He stood and stomped to the windows. Staring at the swing set in the backyard, he said, "Are you seeing him?"

"We just met. We had a coffee. And I'm not discussing this with you."

He turned around and unclenched his fists. Amanda's eyes were hard, her arms wrapped tightly across her torso. She had a lot of nerve being angry with him. But what could he do? Threaten to divorce her? She'd probably offer to file the papers. He took his seat again. "Okay. Fine."

Amanda laid her head back against the sofa and pushed her hair away from her face with both hands. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Because I have stuff to do."

"We need to talk about Sheppard." "Let's not."

"I've been thinking about it, and I don't believe it was a coincidence you were both there this weekend."

She narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Somebody must've told him you'd be there."

"Who would do that?"

"Probably the same person who told him about the memoir. How long had you been planning on going to this thing?"

She sat up straighter on the sofa. "A few weeks. A friend suggested it, and Roxie talked me into it."

"Who asked you?"

"Susie, my roommate."

"How do you know her?"

"We met at that dinner my publisher had a few months ago. Remember?"

He thought back to the dinner. She hadn't wanted him to go. Their marriage was rocky at the time, and he hadn't pushed it. He should've insisted. "Besides Susie and Roxie, did anyone else know you were going?"

Amanda stood, took the long way around the couch, probably to avoid scooting by him, and made her way into the kitchen. "Whoever did registration for the conference, I guess. Tim knew."

"Your editor?"

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