Southern Belles 4 Blissmas Read Online Free Page A

other
circumstances and she had to get away. Living with Nick was tearing
her apart. Their marriage had barely passed the four month mark and
she was suffocating, losing herself and she hated the person she
was becoming.
    Marti was no socialite and when she met Nick,
she didn't think he was either. He sure didn't seem to be into the
fame and fortune, but it's not like they even knew each
other...maybe their marriage was all a mistake. Being the CEO to
one of the Top Ten Companies in the USA had certainly changed him.
Or maybe he was always like that and when they were on the road
trip and in Vegas he was just having a little fun. And Ellie The
Bitch wasn't helping. She treated Marti like a disease, something
to shun and stay away from.
    Apparently they didn't teach manners and
respect at Stanford U., if they did, Ellie didn't sign up for those
classes.
    Things were a lot different now than when
Marti left Mountain View last summer. Her long red hair had been
professionally styled by some famous stylist. Her cut off shorts
and a tank top had been replaced with a brand new Burberry coat and
Jimmy Choo boots, which were now all wet and muddy.
    Her Wal-Mart bag was now a Louis Vuitton.
Nick had insisted she go out and buy new fancy, designer clothes
and accessories. It was fun and exciting to shop in the city and
not have to worry about money or how she was going to pay the rent. The dilemma? She wasn't sure she was that girl. And the
hired help doing everything for her and having a car drive her
everywhere made her feel helpless, useless. What a life. Hopeless,
useless and if Ellie got her way, worthless.
    When Marti was a little girl, she dreamed of
marrying a rich man, riding off into the sunset with her Prince
Charming. Having maids and chauffeurs. ‘Home, James’, she mused.
Now, it drove her fucking insane. "Be careful what you wish for,"
her mama used to say. And unfortunately this time...mama was
right.
    She grabbed her bag and went to the car
rental kiosk. Thank God she still had her debit and credit cards.
Nick wouldn't even notice the charge, if he did, he wouldn't care.
He was very generous with his fortune and Marti could spend
whatever she needed. Not that she would. She was very frugal,
sometimes to the point they argued.
    Now, Ellie...she'll notice it. She'll
probably call the credit card agencies once they realized she is
gone. But Marti didn't care, she was suffocating and she needed
time to breathe.
    Sitting in the rental car, a brand new, black
Escalade, she adjusted the seat, put on her seat belt and looked at
the reflection in the rear view mirror.
    "What the fuck is wrong with you? Martha
Odell Vargas, why are you running again? Girl, you just can't keep
running when things don't go your way. Pull your head out your
fuckin' ass. You're grown, dammit, act like it."
    God, she sounded just like her mama,
again.
    The GPS display said it was about a three
hour trip to the ranch, she adjusted her seat and wiped the tears
from her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she blew herself a kiss in the
mirror and pulled onto the highway. She reached over and set the
cruise control.
    I've got this.
    Nick wasn't the only one in for a huge
surprise. Annie would be ecstatic to see her, she just knew it
     
    *****

Chapter 3
     
    "Hello Annie? Hello, hello, are you here?"
Marti cracked the door open a little further. It had been a while
since she had been at Annie's Ranch.
    Definitely hadn't been there after the
remodel. "Annabelle Gibbons? Hello? Hello? Anybody here?
Tommy?"
    Annie came running down the stairs. "Oh My
God!! Marti! You're here, look at you! What are you doing here? Is
your hubby with you?" She ran up and gave her a great big hug.
Smiling, she took a step back. "Oh my goodness, girlfriend…look at
you. You're all dolled up like some high falutin' socialite from
the city. Dang! Being married to a gazillionaire sure looks good on
you."
    Marti smiled and gave her friend another big
hug, not wanting to let go. "Oh