"Okay. Travis's ex-wife showed up last night at his house."
Arden felt cold inside. "What? Are you serious?"
"Yes. And apparently she's nine months pregnant...ready to pop any minute."
God, Arden thought. Poor Travis. "Is he okay?" she asked.
Emma shrugged. "I'll find out tonight when I go out with Dustin."
"I wonder if he'll cancel his date with Kristen?"
"He asked Kristen out?" Emma said. "Oh, good. I hope they start dating seriously. They really look good together."
Arden kept her features composed. "I'm sure they do."
Emma fidgeted for a minute. "And you're not jealous?"
"I don't have feelings for Travis," she said, and even she thought she sounded cold.
Emma pressed her lips together and nodded. She looked uncertain. Then she leaned forward and spoke in more intimate tones. "No one says anything, Arden, because we know you won't listen. But you and Nick?"
"What about me and Nick?"
"It's just not right, Arden. Alice and Vince are on the verge of divorce and they have more passion in their lives than you and Nick."
Arden sat up straight and lifted one brow.
"Don't attempt to get magisterial with me, Arden," Emma said. "I'm saying this as your best friend because the wedding is coming up in May and I'm scared to death I'll regret never having said it."
"Nick and I have plenty of passion. We just don't air it in public, that's all."
"Well, then, how come you look at Travis like you do?"
"How's that?"
"Like you just saw sunlight for the first time. He's so clearly in love with you, Arden and I really think you have feelings for him. Maybe you just don't want to admit it..."
"This is very brave of you, Emma, talking to me like this."
Emma looked startled. Then afraid. And then a slow, gradual smile transformed her. "What are you going to do? Stop being my friend?"
Arden's jaw dropped. "You've gotten awfully cheeky, lately, Emma."
"Well I'm not your parents. I can't be cowed into submission by your arch looks. You don't scare me, Arden. And I'm doing you a favor. I'm pointing out to you that you're in a loveless, dead-end relationship with Nick. And whether or not you care about Travis, you need to get out. You're only twenty-three. You've got plenty of time to find someone better."
"I don't want to find someone better," Arden said. "I want to marry Nick. That's my plan. I will not entertain any other possibilities. I would think you would appreciate my sense of commitment."
Emma sighed and Arden wondered why it mattered to her so much. It wasn't likely Arden's marrying Nick was going to affect anyone's lives. They practically lived together as it was and they weren't going anywhere. "Your commitment is to be commended," Emma said. "But I just want you to be happy."
"I am happy," Arden said, a hint of defensiveness escaping her tightly locked box of self-control.
"You look happy when you see Travis."
"That's enough, Emma. If you must know, I like Travis. He's a good man and we quickly forged a friendship that I don't want to lose. But I don't have any feelings for him beyond that. Subject closed."
Emma sat back and nodded. "Okay. I'll leave you to it, then. I'll see you Friday, if not before."
Arden waved goodbye and then massaged her temples with her finger tips. She was getting a headache and she sort of felt like crying. She finished up her grading, packed her things and went home.
Kristen Miller was one of those strikingly beautiful women. She was tall, only three inches shorter than Travis. She was very curvaceous, strong and healthy looking, but still feminine. She had startling, blue eyes and long, silky black hair. This hair now hung on either side of Travis's face as Kristen moved on top of him in the back seat of his car up at Hangman's Lookout.
The moonlight shone bright through the car window. Kristen's shirt hung open and her breasts, still confined by her lacy, black bra, bounced gently with her movements. Her hands were braced against his bare chest. She'd ripped his shirt open, only moments before, sending buttons flying in all directions.
Travis reached up and cupped her right breast, sending another surge of desire down his abdomen. God, this felt good. All of his troubles vanished in the wake of their rising passion.
"Oh, Brody," Kristen gasped.
Travis laughed. "Wrong name, honey."
She opened her eyes. "Sorry," she gasped. And then her eyes rolled back shut.
He sat up, then, grabbed her hips and pulled her harder against him, taking a moment to enjoy the sensation.
"Don't stop me, Travis, I'm almost there," she said, her voice pitched high.