Secrets in the Sand by Carolyn Brown

            Melissa sighed loudly. “But I see you’ve picked up a bottle to drown your sorrows and talked a beach bunny into joining you. Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

            “Why?” Angel stood up, her soggy dress clinging to every curve of her body. “He shouldn’t have to introduce us, Melissa. After all, you and I were in school together for thirteen years. I remember you very well. But maybe you don’t remember me. I’m Angela Conrad.”





Chapter 10


            “Of course I remember you.” Melissa’s tone turned to ice. “He told me that you blamed him for getting you pregnant. Everyone knows he wouldn’t have anything to do with you.”

            “I loved him when all you saw was a handsome groom to stand beside you at your picture-perfect little wedding,” Angela told her.

            “Melissa, what are you doing here? If you’re stalking me, I’m asking you to stop and forget all about me.” Clancy slowly got to his feet.

            “Of course you didn’t ask me to come down here, darling.” Melissa turned away from Angel as if she were beneath consideration. “But I figured you should be the first one to know some very special news. Our news will change your mind about things.”

            “Don’t tell me you flew all the way down here to tell me you’re getting a divorce from Daniel. The scuttlebutt around Tishomingo has already let that news out into the public,” Clancy said disbelievingly. “I remember when you divorced me for him, and I didn’t care anymore by that point. What makes you think I’d care now?”

            “Oh, hush.” Melissa took a step forward and put her palms on his chest. “Did you know that Tishomingo is buzzing right now about your mother? My mama is horrified that Meredith Morgan is off somewhere in Texas marrying old Tom Lloyd. Your dear daddy’s only been gone four years and she’s taken up with a man like that, but I’m not here to pass judgment on Meredith.” Melissa’s smirky tone of voice hadn’t changed.

            “Then why are you here? State your business and then please, please, go away and leave me alone,” Clancy said. “How did you even find me here?”

            Angel watched the scene between them, transfixed, as if it were from one of those soap operas her granny had felt compelled to watch every day of the week.

            Melissa stuck out her lower lip in a childish pout. “Oh, all right. Meredith has my friend Christy house-sitting for her while she and Tom are off on their honeymoon.” She dragged out the last word as if she were a kid with a new dirty term that she was showing off in front of the whole playground. “Christy found a note that had the name of your motel and the phone number here in case of an emergency, and she told my mama. And I caught the next flight out, right behind you, to tell you the wonderful news I just mentioned.”

            “I don’t give a damn if you bought me the winning ticket in the Texas lottery. You can have the zillion-dollar jackpot all to yourself. Just so long as you leave me alone.” Clancy picked up the bottle of Asti and the two wineglasses. “You can just trot back to the airport and catch the next flight home. Come on, Angel. I’ll walk you to your door.”

            Melissa took a step back and stomped her foot in the sand, practically falling off her high-heeled sandal when she did it. She put her hands on her waist and glared at him, as if a look could change the way he felt about her.

            Angel glared at her. Damn the woman for having the nerve to follow Clancy down here!

            “See you later, Melissa,” she said hatefully. “You, too, Clancy. I don’t need a love triangle in my life.” She picked up her sandals and started to walk away.

            “Don’t go,” he said just above a whisper. “Please, don’t go.”

            “Why not?” Melissa turned and lifted her shoulders like an offended female feline. “She might be rich now, but she’ll always be white trash.”

            “Shut up, Melissa!” Clancy said furiously. “Don’t you know it’s over for us? Has been for years. Whether Angela stays or goes is her business, but nothing you can say would make me love you again…if I ever did.”

            Angel doubled up her fists, but she kept them down and fought the white-hot rage boiling up inside her. One good solid right hook and this useless woman would be sporting a crooked nose until she could see a plastic surgeon. But she fought back the urge to sock Melissa hard enough to send her about halfway to the horizon.