Melting Point: The Andi Drake Infidelity Files: Book Two Read online

  “You know what I do and what I can provide you.”

  “I’m ready for the truth.”

  “I can find out about secret accounts, if any exist. I’ll also give you irrefutable proof of anything else I uncover. Do you have the down payment that we discussed?”

  She only nodded, picking at the stain again.

  “Okay. Maddie, I’m going to send a questionnaire to your email. Please fill it out and add any other helpful information.” Andi had a sudden thought.“What is the receptionist’s name at your wife’s practice? They always have the best information.”

  “Her name is Harper Thompson. I remember she started right around the time we began in vitro, so she has been there a while.”

  “I will start with her then.” Maddie tried to interject, further worry showing on her face. “I promise, Harper won’t even realize what she’s done. I will get on this when you return my questionnaire.”

  Maddie handed Andi a thick envelope as she stood, and Andi led herself back out to the front door. She felt something touch the top of her thigh. She looked down at the happy little gentleman who handed her a crayon. It was dark purple. Andi read the name off of the wrapper, “Amethyst.”

  The little boy repeated, “thyst.” He reminded her of Eddy.

  Andi smiled and handed the crayon back to the boy, and he scurried off to hug his mother’s leg.

  She saw the tears dwelling in Maddie’s eyes and exited the house wordlessly.

  There was not anything apparently ritzy or glamorous about this family. There was no entitled dramatics, just a woman who got the family she wanted but feared she was losing the partner she needed. It was easier to do this job when people seemed more like the accessories they owned.

  It was a sadness that was hard to shake.

  Three

  Garrity’s Gym was bustling with activity when Andi arrived with the promised lunch. She craved a good workout and wanted to check on the progress of the renovations. His grand vision of training world-class fighters and hosting exhibition matches at the gym was coming closer to fruition, but it had been keeping him away a lot more than she was used to.

  The gym that had once been her savior in reconstructing her self-worth after her divorce was quickly becoming a stomping ground for douchebags, but she supported his goals. The perks of no longer having to pay for training offset the new meatheads, mostly. Mostly.

  He’s a good boyfriend. Boyfriend? Was he her boyfriend? They had a lot of sex, but he wasn’t quite a booty call. Eh…There’s really no need to put labels on it.

  Before she turned off the Jeep, Andi sat in the semi-cool of the air conditioning and pulled out the notebook. Harper Thompson. A quick search on Instagram showed her a wealth of information on the young lady in question. Harper was quite popular on social media, and had hundreds of posts of her work, dog, and exploits at bars. After a lovely photo of avocado toast and a dreadful outfit on her tiny Yorkie, Andi noticed some comments about how “fire” ladies’ night was going to be tonight. Reading through all the comments and silently judging all of their grammar, Andi knew exactly where the receptionist would be tonight. I could go for a drink.

  Bracing for the heat, Andi turned off the Jeep and slung her workout bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bags with their lunch. The smell of the gyro meat had her stomach growling the entire way over and she was contemplating making the obvious mistake of eating before she worked out.

  The guttural noises of men hitting each other greeted her as she walked into the gym. Declan was training four different fighters in the empty space for the new ring, so Andi walked by slowly to take in the excitement. His face was red and you could see the veins sticking out of his neck from yelling orders over the loud slaps and grunts of the fighters. Yum. Those thin little shorts. She loved seeing him in his element.

  He hadn’t even noticed her yet.

  Equipment was scattered everywhere, making room for the new center ring. By expanding out from the southern and eastern walls, there was now room to add two new rings. One would be the center attraction and the other would serve as an additional training ring. She eyed the original canvas and her mind wandered to the memory of her and Declan’s steamy session there when they were first dating. It made her happy that it would be staying.

  Declan finally caught Andi spying on the activity and told the guys to take a water break. He removed his gloves as he smiled at her.

  “Can I kiss you in front of the recruits, sir?”

  Instead of answering, he grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her up to him, kissing her sweetly. “You here to work out?”

  “I thought I’d get a workout in since I now have some drinking to do tonight.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “Gonna try to be besties with the new target’s receptionist. I am planning on having a few drinks and dancing badly to get her attention.” With her hands full of food, she moved her arms awkwardly and swung her hips counter to her arms. “This doubles as my mating dance. Is it working?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively and leered at him.

  Declan didn’t skip a beat. “Call me if you need a ride home. I’ll be here late.” He gave her a kiss, grabbed the food, and walked back to his office.

  “You wanna eat now?”

  He stopped and looked back at her. “I’m swamped–I was gonna eat in a bit.”

  Andi eyed the bag. “There is plenty for dinner in there as well.” She kissed him and made her way to the locker room.

  Her stomach grumbled in protest, but she had a lot more free time than Declan did these days. After her workout, she would consume her weight in something.

  There wasn’t a chance of getting any actual training done today, so Andi found a treadmill with a view, ramped up the incline, and set about mindlessly watching gorgeous young men beat the shit out of each other. They were sheer muscle and determination.

  Growing up, Andi and her father watched a lot of boxing. They picked their winning opponents and constructed elaborate wagers. It was hard to tell sometimes if it was the fight that was more exciting or the torture that one of them would have to go through at the end. One fight, when she was twelve, Andi had to drink a small glass of jalapeno pickle juice. Another time, her dad had to wear a full face of makeup to the grocery store. The wagers were always hilarious and made the competition between the two palpable during a fight. Her mom would try to referee them, but she usually just resigned to laughing at the absurdity of both of them.

  When he died, she stopped watching the matches. The week before her sixteenth birthday, Andi was called out of class and told that her dad had been shot during a robbery at a gas station. Reports surmised he had been trying to stop the robbery, but there was no footage to confirm or deny. He died a hero, but it did little to make Andi feel better. It would have been easier to live with her dad being an alive coward than living with the mess that was left of her mother.

  Finding her way back to boxing after all these years brought back so many memories of her dad. At first, it hurt, and on top of the pain of her ex-husband’s infidelity, it was a lot to bear. Since her father’s death, she had to learn quickly to be there for herself. Her mom had let her down. Kris let her down. Andi knew the only way to get rid of the pain was to go through it, so she did it in spirit with the man who would have never let her fall.

  Even watching now, covered in sweat and jogging on the treadmill, Andi could feel her shoulders twitch as she anticipated the moves the fighters were making. She could almost feel the burst of air from a giant cross blow across her face, then she realized where she was. It was during moments like this that she could feel her dad, next to her on the sofa, swearing and pointing at the television.

  He would hate that she was seeing a boxer. Andi’s face lit up in a smile just at the thought of it. Dad had never gotten to meet any boyfriend ever, but he had a strict “no dating until you are thirty” rule. I wish I had fucking listened.

  Maybe that was why the gym f
elt like home, but Declan was an awesome perk.

  She slowed the treadmill down to cool off and lowered the incline. For over half an hour, she had been daydreaming, and the workout flew by. Finishing with the slow pace, she rolled her head to stretch her neck and shook out her arms. Food and a shower were a necessity now, and she needed to get ready for ladies’ night. Going by myself is going to look weird. Just one more thing thanks to husband-fucking-Heather.

  Before she left, she looked around the gym for Declan, but he was nowhere to be found. Stifling a pout, she made her way home.

  Four

  It had certainly been a while since Andi had been to a club, and at least ten years since she was there for her own enjoyment. The amount of effort just to go gyrate next to strangers in an attempt to potentially gyrate with them in bed was exhausting and never quite her thing. It was a game of hanging at the bar and laughing at the drunks dancing or being a drunk that got laughed at. Boring.

  Wrapped in a towel, she surveyed her closet. Over the last couple of years, her wardrobe had grown by select pieces here and there as the need presented itself. Throughout the years, jean bottoms and black tops had become her standard. Clothes and decor became just passing thoughts during her busiest years with Varma Industries and definitely after her divorce. She went straight from grieving the loss of her marriage into managing a fast-growing adultery consulting business; there was no time or space to be fancy. Unprofessional as some thought she was, she was effective, and it wasn’t hurting business.

  She scooted hangers across the metal pole and found a cute black dress that hit all the right places. On the top shelf, the black leather wedges with little spikes going down the back of the heel caught her eye. They had been an impulse buy that she loved, but never quite felt like she could pull off. She pulled the dusty shoes down and wiped them off on her towel and then laid a bra, some little shorts, and a few accessories next to the dress and the heels on the bed. As she trudged back into the bathroom, she let out a sigh and thought about her makeup. This was her least favorite part. It was not the makeup itself; it was the expectation of it all. The contouring, highlighting, sculpting, the brows and lip drawing... It never ended.

  She went with a smokey eye. Why not have some fun with it tonight?

  Her green eyes popped with the dark makeup and her deep brown hair. To complement her pale complexion, she opted for just a hint of blush along her cheekbones and a matte nude lip color.

  Being the efficient machine she was, she used a hair-drying round brush to finish drying her hair and add some volume. Stepping back from the mirror, she checked out her work. I’d hit that.

  Spritzing her naked body with perfume, she returned to the bedroom to dress. The dress glided over her curves and felt silky and inviting. Stepping into those shoes gave her an instant personality transplant, and she sashayed around her apartment like the baddest bitch in Dallas.

  She turned sideways in her closet mirror and checked out her butt. She gave it a light smack, and finding everything else to be in order, she grabbed a small purse from the top of her closet and threw in the essentials, which now included tiny GPS trackers, cameras, and lipstick.

  She sent James a text with the name of the club. She wasn’t really in the mood to drink alone.

  She was immediately regretting her choice of shoes when she realized how far away from the club she had to park. Walking along with the other droves of club-goers, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and off of her neck in the humid night air. The sun had been down for nearly two hours, but the Texas heat clung to the concrete and radiated upon them all.

  Finally at the door to the club, she flashed her driver’s license at the bouncer and he waved her in without ever once looking at her face. Guess my boobs looked over twenty-one. The bar was busy, and since this was business, she just ordered a bottle of beer.

  Taking a sip, she scanned the crowd. Ms. Thompson would be easy to spot. The beautiful, statuesque twenty-something had the sharpest features Andi had ever seen on a person. In her latest photos, her hair was a stunning shade of teal that contrasted and enhanced the deep brown tones of her skin. She would literally be a beacon in this sea of blonde hair. Andi was almost certain that not only would she be in a group of girls, but there would be a line of men waiting to speak to her.

  On her second beer, out of thirst, she saw Ms. Thompson and her entourage arrive. They walked in like a bucket of chicken–all breasts and legs.

  Andi leaned against a vacant table and just surveilled the girls. Drinks came from every angle, with men coming shortly behind them and then leaving looking dejected, but on the prowl for their next mark.

  A few made their way to her. One very drunk lone wolf made his play for her affections.

  “Hey…”

  “Herpes. Raging fucking herpes.”

  He turned on his heels and Andi continued to casually observe the ladies living it up on the multitudes of the broken-hearted’s dimes.

  Lost in her element of people watching, Andi didn’t even notice James saddle right up to her. He bumped her elbow with his and handed her another beer.

  “I’m glad you came. Sorry for the late notice.”

  “I try to leave the cave at least once a week. I also figured you’d need some kind of buffer between your ass in that dress and all the other men in here.”

  “They all seem to run off for some reason.”

  “Maybe it’s the weapons on the back of your shoes.” James looked at her feet.

  Andi grinned. “You look good, too. Nice to know you bathe.”

  He smiled, his brown eyes glinting in the club’s flashing lights. “Never know when you might meet the love of your life. Or of the night,” he said, straightening out his t-shirt and smoothing out his fro.

  “Gross.”

  The two stood there, taking in the crowd. After a while, Andi noticed movement at her girl’s table. They were about to embark on the mandatory girls’ trip to the restroom.

  “Hold my beer.” She followed the girls to the facilities and stood in line.

  “Your earrings are gorgeous,” Andi said to Harper. Silver swirls wove in and out of each other like delicate chandeliers from her earlobes, showing off her long neck.

  “Thank you so much. Love your shoes!”

  “Thanks.” Andi raised her hand to her chin. “I think I know you. Aren’t you the receptionist at Dr. Carter’s office?”

  “I am. Sorry I didn’t recognize you. We have so many clients. That place is never not busy.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I came in with my friend when she got her veneers–they look so good. I’ve been trying to get an appointment, but it’s been impossible.”

  The line moved up by a few women.

  “Yeah, we are completely booked out for three months. Not even consultations.”

  Her friend came out of the bathroom stall, and Harper took her turn in the cubicle.

  The friend, as she reapplied her lipstick, turned to Andi and beckoned her to come closer. “You know, all you have to do is flirt with the good doctor and you’ll get half of your shit for free. If you actually put out, you won’t pay a dime.” She smiled with two rows of stunning teeth.

  Harper exited the cubicle and gave her friend a dirty look. “She doesn’t know what the fuck she’s saying.” She turned to her unapologetic friend. “Drunk ass.”

  “My friend said something kind of similar. But she’s not into women.”

  Harper snapped her head towards Andi. “And you are?”

  Andi assessed the situation. Harper obviously had a talent for shutting down rumors about her boss, but it appeared she might be a matchmaker as well. “I am if it gets me in sooner and cheaper.”

  “Call me tomorrow morning and refresh my memory of who you are. We can get you in by next week.”

  “Wow! Thank you so much.” Andi went to the toilet, and by the time she was out of the stall, the girls were all back at their table and dancing. Andi walked back over to
where James was still standing, and he had a cold beer in hand for her.

  “Get what you came for?”

  “I did. Loose lips sink ships and all that jazz.” They toasted to that and drank quietly for a minute.

  The club wasn’t either of their scenes, so they finished their beers and he walked her back to her Jeep.

  “We should meet up sometime,” he said. “I have a few more toys you might like.”

  “Not another gimp mask. I have four already.”

  “Even better than that fresh vinyl smell. My new friends are pretty progressive. The end is near for Montgomery and Varma.”

  Andi stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

  “I told you to drop it. I don’t want to see you back in jail, and I can’t be there the next time to smooth things over. Kris has got a vendetta against you, and who knows what Montgomery has planned for you.” She would have ended her verbal lashing there, but curiosity got the best of her. “What have you got planned, anyway?”

  “Just some things. The more I learn, the more creative I am getting,” James said as he carried on walking.

  “Nevermind. This is all feeling too much like a house of cards.”

  “It’s probably for the best, anyway. You’ll want in and try to share my glory.”