Page 4 of Second Chances
Chapter 3
Dread and hope werecompeting for space in Megan’s heart until the meeting with the lawyer. After leaving Margot Meyer’s office, she felt hope that even if her life was falling apart around her, she would walk away with a generous alimony payment, so she could start a new life.
She didn't know what she was going to do or where she was going to go, but she would be damned if she would let Alex run her out of her city. Her family and friends were here, and it was all she'd ever really known. After leaving home, she had gone to the city college, and aside from a couple of trips to Europe and a handful of all-inclusive vacations to Mexico, she'd never left.
Alex had sent her a text telling her that he was going to be out of town for the next few days and that she could stay at the house until everything was sorted out.
She tried to sleep at their house, but once tucked into their marital bed, revulsion overtook her, and she rushed to retch over the toilet seat.
Now she sat on the floor at Charlotte's house, wrapped in one of her impossibly soft Egyptian cotton towels pawing through a beaten-up suitcase to find something to wear.
Charlotte looked up from her tablet as Megan slid onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island.
"You look like you could use some coffee," Charlotte said, engrossed in her scrolling. Megan knew that Charlotte worked hard, but had no idea just how wrapped up in her work she was. Every morning Megan found Charlotte poring over new listings and placing urgent calls to all her clients. The city was in the middle of a seller's market and Charlotte was the queen of bully offers, pushing her clients to submit high-priced offers seductive enough for the homeowner to sell on day one.
"I think that's just how I look now," Megan sighed and pulled a mug out of the cupboard.
"You're allowed to wallow, Meg. Just make sure that wallowing isn't your new norm. It doesn't look good on you."
"As always, your brutal honesty is appreciated. Somewhat." Megan couldn't help but smile.
"See, that smile brightens up your face."
"I just don't feel like doing it much. Smiling." Megan poured a cup of coffee from the stovetop percolator and sat beside her friend. "Busy day today?"
"Shaping up that way. I'm submitting offers for two clients and have a listing presentation tonight."
Charlotte was already dressed in a designer pantsuit, her dark hair perfectly blown out. Both women looked up when the doorbell chimed. "Expecting someone this early?" Megan asked. "No," Charlotte replied and strode out to the entry hallway. "It's for you," she yelled. Megan's heart jumped into her throat and she looked down at the jeans she had been wearing for the past three days.
Dammit, she cursed. Part of her wanted Alex to show up at the door and throw a hail Mary to win her back. But she wasn't going to be any competition for a pregnant twenty-something mistress if she looked like she lived under a bridge.
"Um. I. Ah, just a second," she yelled and sprinted out of the kitchen and up the stairs before her visitor could see her.
She frantically looked around the guest room, her sweatpants were strewn over a chair and a pile of old t-shirts had spilled over the side of her suitcase. "Shit," she muttered. She opened the door, glancing left and right down the hallway before speed walking to Charlotte's room. She flung open the double doors of Charlotte's closet and pulled one of her casual shift dresses from a hanger. She stepped out of her old jeans and pulled her sweatshirt off, leaving them in a pile on the floor and shimmied into the dress. Charlotte was a size smaller than Megan, but the dress slid on a little easier than it should have. The benefits of losing your appetite, she thought as she smoothed her hands down her hips. She pulled her light brown hair back and twisted it into a loose bun on the top of her head. Charlotte's lipstick was still sitting on her makeup vanity and she quickly applied it to her heart-shaped lips. Satisfied with her reflection, she walked as calmly as she could down the curved staircase and followed the voices to the front sitting room. Her heart was pounding against the expensive silk fabric as she rounded the corner. What was she going to say to Alex? Would she forgive him, take him back? Would she make him grovel, make him jump through hoops?
Her heart sank. Instead of Alex's balding head turning to face her, it was the silver-haired chignon of Margot Meyer. Charlotte gave Megan a puzzled look and then shook her head.
"Have a seat dear." Margot gestured to the sofa across from her and Charlotte. "I have some bad news."
Megan nodded and sat down gingerly, Charlotte's dress slippery against the fabric of the sofa. She clasped her hands together around her knees. "What is it?"
Margot opened her briefcase and pulled out a notebook. "Things aren't progressing the way I had anticipated."
"What do you mean?"
"Just tell her," Charlotte whispered.
Margot took a deep breath. "Your ex-husband is a sneaky man."
When she heard the words ex-husband, Megan felt like she had been punched in the gut. "Sneaky?"
"Or smart. Actually, let's call a spade a spade, Mr. Snellton is a snake. A sneaky, smart, snake. I think that I can help you, Megan. But it's going to take some time and, um, creativity."
Megan's brain was racing to catch up. She had gone from imagining a movie worthy reconciliation to trying to piece together the cryptic clues her attorney and best friend were throwing at her.
"Will you two stop pussy-footing around and tell me what the hell is going on?"
Margot jerked her head back. "Atta girl. That's the attitude we need." She smiled, her perfect white teeth practically glowing from behind her blood red lips. "You're broke."
