Love Hurts Read Online Free Page A

began to fear she wouldn’t be able to tear Jilly away. A hand landed on Anna’s shoulder and she jumped and gasped.
     
    “What’s wrong with you?” Rob asked in her ear.
     
    Anna was tempted to say, “What’s wrong with you?”, but she held her tongue. “You startled me, that’s all.”
     
    “Very nice event. Mel has done a great job.”
     
    “Yes.” Anna looked around the room. People laughed, chatted and drank champagne while carrying plates of hors d'oeuvres.
     
    “Your sister looks great.”
     
    Anna winced at the tone in Rob’s voice. Even after all these years, Anna had never gotten used to seeing her husband undress her sister with his eyes. She’d tried to ignore it, but tonight she couldn’t take it anymore. He was her husband. Why did she stand by and allow him to disrespect her?
     
    “You’re a pig, you know that?”
     
    Rob’s head snapped around, shock quickly giving way to anger.
     
    Anna didn’t stick around to hear his response. She moved away, snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and found her sister again. Jilly chatted with a group of women about her son. They all sounded like mothers, each talking about the perfection of their own offspring. Anna wished to join the group, but she hadn’t been shown the secret handshake for the motherhood society. She didn’t belong. She stayed near, hoping for a chance to pull Jilly aside. The panic rode high in her chest. What will Jilly do if I don’t warn her?
     
    A hand slid up Anna’s arm. Paul, a colleague from work, the Hope Standard, smiled at her. Anna liked him, but he could be a pest.
     
    “Don’t you look smashing this evening?”
     
    It took everything she had to keep from rolling her eyes at his flamboyant words. He fancied himself a poet.
     
    “Have you seen Cliff?”
     
    He looked around then pointed with his champagne glass. “Over there.”
     
    “Thanks.” She gave him a quick smile, ignored the disappointment on his face and headed to her island of rescue. Cliff, her boss, was nearly as large as an island.
     
    “Anna!” Cliff’s booming voice carried her to safety at his side. “You’re beautiful tonight, girl. Good for you.”
     
    For the first time that night, Anna felt the compliment deep in her heart. Cliff never said a thing he didn’t mean. It could be hard to handle at times because if he didn’t like a story, he told you, and why. There were many times Anna had argued with him over the validity of a piece, but she always ended up squarely on his side. If anyone knew good journalism, Clifford Haines did.
     
    “How’s things?” she asked.
     
    “Good, good. Isn’t this a great party?” His voice boomed and several people turned to smile at them. Anna normally hated being the center of attention, but in Cliff’s orbit, she never minded. It was like she could take on his comfortable presence and not care what others thought.
     
    She looked around the room and spotted Rob’s back. He was partially hidden behind one of the large statues. She couldn’t see who he was speaking to, but his body language told her it was someone important. He leaned in, his back to the room. Gooseflesh rose up on her body. He’s up to something.
     
    Anna took a hesitant step. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know what was going on. For the first time she wondered if he’d ever cheated on her. Her mind roamed back over the past few weeks and the late nights. Another wave of gooseflesh hit her just as Rob lifted his head and scanned the room. He looked furtive. He noticed Anna watching him and immediately stepped toward a painting, scanning it as if it held him rapt. She couldn’t see the face of whoever he’d been talking to. Anna set her empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray and decided to find out.
     
    “Everyone, can I have your attention, please?”
     
    Anna whirled around in shock. It couldn’t be time already. Mel had said she would wait until the last half of the evening and