Lori tipped the bellmen and closed the door behind them.
She removed her sunglasses and hat, tossing them on the foyer table.
Avery pointed a finger in Shannon’s direction. “You’re the governor’s wife.”
Shannon placed her purse on the table and sat. “Ex-wife, but yes. Paul Wentworth was my husband.”
Avery’s jaw dropped. “An Alliance husband?”
“Guilty. And who was your husband?”
“Bernie Fields.”
Shannon looked up as if searching her memory for some recollection. “Hedge funds?”
Avery smiled. “Not to mention his trust fund. But yes, that’s Bernie.”
Shannon smiled. “I can’t picture you with him.”
“He wanted tall and blonde.”
“And beautiful, I assume.”
Avery’s grin grew wider. “Thank you.”
“I thought I heard voices.”
Lori turned as Trina walked from one of the bedrooms.
Shannon sucked in air and Avery blew out a breath. “Katrina Petrov?”
“Call me Trina,” she corrected Avery.
Shannon moved her stare to Lori. “When you said you had a client that could use some friends in the know, you weren’t kidding.”
Trina’s disaster of a life had been front-page news in as many as a dozen countries.
Avery stood and crossed the living room space to the open kitchen. “I think we’re going to need liquor.”
Shannon extended her hand to Trina. “Shannon Redding.”
“Trina Petrov.”
“You’re keeping his name?”
“For now.”
Trina looked the grieving widow. Sullen eyes, the spark all but gone. At first the media had painted her as a young bride in the thick of tragedy. Then, somewhere right after Fedor’s funeral and before Alice’s, fingers started pointing, and Trina was the center of gossip. She’d come from nowhere to marry a rich man, into an oil-rich family, and suddenly all the people holding the money were dead. Never mind Alice’s condition wasn’t new or that Fedor took his own life . . . Trina found blame placed on her shoulders, just as she’d predicted.
“I’m so sorry,” Shannon said.
Avery popped the cork from a bottle of red. “I’m Avery Grant. I didn’t take Bernie’s name from the get-go.”
Lori helped Avery with the glasses and took a seat beside Shannon. “I need to play lawyer for just a few minutes, then I promise to play something else for the rest of the week.”
Avery nudged her, grinning.
“I brought you all here for different reasons, you’ve all signed confidentiality agreements and understand that everything we speak of is in the strictest confidence.”
“We know, Counselor.” Avery was the snarky one in the group.
“With so much secrecy around your actual married life, Sam and I thought it would be helpful if you have a friend or two you can confide in when times get hard.”
Trina tried to grin but failed.
“I’ve brought Shannon because she’s two years postdivorce and has probably the highest profile of all of you. I know it seems as if everyone is talking about you, Trina, but Shannon can attest that it could be worse and it will get better.”
Shannon lifted her glass before taking a sip.
“I brought Avery to remind you both about the excitement you once had entering into your arranged marriages.”
“Whoop-whoop,” Avery exclaimed before drinking.
“And Avery might think it’s all fun and games, but there are some pitfalls to look out for.”
Lori’s comment was met by Avery rolling her eyes. “You worry too much,” Avery said.
“How long have you been divorced?” Shannon asked.
“Little over a month.”
“How long has it been since you’ve had sex?”
Avery’s smile fell. “Too long!”
“Who did you date before you married Bernie?” Lori asked.
“A long string of assholes, sadly.”
“So you’re a bad judge of character?” Shannon’s question sounded almost like a statement.
“I wouldn’t say that. I just don’t think there are that many good guys out there.”
Shannon shrugged. “You have a point there.”
That wasn’t something Lori could argue and win. It had been so long since she’d met a man worthy of a second cup of coffee, let alone anything more. “Finding a guy who isn’t using you for your money, or who doesn’t think you’re after his, isn’t easy,” Lori reminded her.