Shopping was more fun than she’d thought it would be, thanks to the company. Kitty not only oohed and aahed over everything, but she cracked jokes and kept them laughing from the moment they left the house. Jenny had joined them. She’d barely spoken in the morning, but as the day went on, she came out of her shell. Turned out, she had a flair for fashion, and she and Marjorie bonded over that. Harper’d planned to just browse, but Jenny convinced her to try on clothes. In one store, she and Marjorie dressed her up and accessorized her like a mannequin. They had a great time doing it. Harper pretended to enjoy it until she found she actually did.
She hadn’t had real female friends since high school. She’d forgotten how fun they could be.
When they got back to the house that afternoon, the guys were sitting on the porch watching the rain outside, already sipping from bottles of beer.
“Constantine’s holding court again.” Marjorie dropped her purchases on the floor by the stairs.
The woman had done a complete turnabout in her opinion of Constantine. Harper followed her gaze and looked again. Sure enough, Keith, Carter, and Derrick were nodding as Constantine spoke.
Russell was staring at the surf, sipping from a glass of what looked like water.
“Constantine’s got charisma.” Betts filled the coffee carafe with water. “Always has.”
Jenny’s pfft had them all looking at her.
She realized all eyes were on her and reddened. “What?” When nobody spoke, she said, “He can be charming. When people are watching.”
Betts set the carafe in the coffee maker and focused on Jenny. “And when people aren’t watching?”
Jenny shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
But it wasn’t nothing. After they filled their coffee cups, Harper pulled out a kitchen chair and nodded to it. Jenny slid in, and Harper sat beside her and rested her hand over Jenny’s. “Does he ever hurt you?”
“No. Not like that. Just… He can be cruel.”
Betts took the chair on Jenny’s other side. “Charming, charismatic, but when Constantine doesn’t get what he wants, he’s mean. He was like that in college. I never kowtowed to him, and he didn’t like it. He made some cruel remarks about me. Some cutting remarks to me. Honestly, I didn’t think his friendship with Russell would survive it.”
“It did, though,” Kitty said. “How come? Russell doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d put up with that.”
“He didn’t. He told Constantine to knock it off or they were through. Impervious though he seems, Connie needs Russell. Russell keeps him grounded. Years ago, after Connie made his first few millions, he came to our house all braggadocios. Russell wasn’t impressed and told him so. And Connie… I think he needed to hear it. I think that’s why he came.”
Jenny’s gaze hadn’t wavered from Betts’s face. “That’s my problem. That’s why he doesn’t take me seriously or treat me with respect. I always… how’d you put it? I kowtow to him. I cower. I never stand up for myself. I never argue with him. I never call him out when he lies to me or treats me badly. I just put up with it.”
Harper could relate. She’d allowed herself to be treated like property. Like decoration. Shame inched its way into her heart, but she forced it out. She wasn’t that woman anymore.
She never would be again.
“And as long as you put up with it,” Betts said, “he’ll continue to treat you like he does.”
The doorbell rang, and Betts left to answer it. A moment later, women in chef’s coats carried platters and trays into the kitchen. Betts followed. “You girls might want to go into the living room. It’s about to get busy in here.”
Kitty and Marjorie headed upstairs to get ready for the party. Betts stayed in the kitchen with the caterers. Harper sat on the comfy brown sofa and gestured for Jenny to join her.
Jenny settled in and set her coffee on the table, then turned to Harper. “I know what you’re saying, you and Betts. And I know you’re right. But what if I stand up to him and he dumps me?”
“No man is worth losing yourself over.”
“You say that as if you’re sure.”
“It’s a lesson I paid a really steep price for.” Steep didn’t begin to cover it. The things she’d done, the way she’d sold her soul for some counterfeit version of love. She’d trusted men, and one by one, they’d all let her down. The only exceptions were bald or gray-headed, too old to do any damage. And even them she had a hard time trusting. “I’ll never allow myself to be used by a man again. Never.”
Jenny sat back and swallowed. She reached for her coffee cup and took a long sip. Her hand was shaking.
Harper squeezed her hand and pushed her own demons aside. She needed Jenny to understand all of it. “It’s very likely he’ll dump you at some point. I wish I could tell you differently, but what I see in your relationship isn’t love. It’s power on his part, submission on yours. I can’t see how he’s going to take you seriously at this point, no matter what you do. You have to decide if you’d rather live like this or live without him.”
“I was destitute before I met him. Now…” But her words trailed off.
“Now, you have a lot of nice stuff. Beautiful clothes, lovely jewelry. But life isn’t about stuff.”
Jenny swallowed, looked at the blank TV screen, and said nothing.
Harper looked beyond Jenny to the men on the porch. Constantine’s gaze locked with hers. He narrowed his eyes. She broke the eye contact.
The hair on her arms stood again, and it wasn’t from the cold.