Free The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate Page B

was long and tousled, a true red, and highlighted naturally. She was dressed for a singles weekend in black slinky pants of undeterminable material and a slinky V-neck teal-colored blouse with cap sleeves and ruffles down the front. She wore black high-heeled sandals and had sparkly pink toes.
    Maggie was thirty-seven, a Realtor, and divorced for only six months. She had the voice of a heavy smoker, but she didn’t smell like cigarettes; in fact, she smelled lovely, like cookies. Rebecca discovered why when Maggie opened up a box from her tote bag.
    “Fresh-baked chocolate and almond,” Maggie said, holding up the box. “We always bring goodies for our trips.” She took a bite of one. “Yum. Rachael Ray recipe. Delish,” she added.
    Rebecca smiled and took one. It was delish.
    Maggie was prone to tears; her ex-husband was getting married this weekend, which prompted the Divorced Ladies Club to take her on the Portland tour. Tiny and dainty, Maggie was also on the plain side, but dolled up. Her swingy brown bob was highlighted, her sparkling hazel eyes smokily made up. She too wore Friday night clothes: white pants and a feminine, also ruffly blouse, in a swirl of colors. Pale pink strappy sandals with three-inch heels. She didn’t have children, but considered her bichon to be her kid. Her mother was babysitting for the weekend.
    Five minutes later they picked up Ellie. She was in her late twenties and petite like Maggie, with very dark pin-straight hair to her shoulders and true green eyes. She wore frayed jeans, a tight long-sleeved T-shirt, and red Crocs. She offered Rebecca a smile and a hello, then climbed in next to Maggie.
    “This is what you’re wearing?” Victoria asked her, but then a man came down a set of wooden steps from an upper landing, tucking his shirt into his pants. He gave a fast wave at Ellie, hopped in his car, and then drove off.
    “Ellie!” Victoria chided. “Don’t tell me you slept with that dickhead—again!”
    Ellie’s smile was sheepish as she pulled out a compact and freshened her red lipstick. With her dark straight hair and green eyes, the red lips were dramatic and suited her strong features. “I can’t help it. He calls and says how much he misses me, and then a half hour later we’re in bed. We would still be in bed if I hadn’t heard the bus pull up. I didn’t have time to get dressed in anything else. But I brought some girlie stuff—that red wrap dress that—”
    “You left him for a reason, Ellie,” Victoria said, throwing her long red hair behind her back. “He’s a cheat!”
    Ellie reached into Maggie’s box of cookies. “I just need to meet someone, someone nice, to make me stronger,” she said. “If I could just meet someone who gets to me the way Tim does.”
    “Maybe this trip,” Joy said.
    “Did you handpick someone for me?” Ellie asked.
    “Well, no,” Joy said. “But you never know. We’re picking up the men next.”
    “Someone tall, dark, and handsome? But nice? And with an edge? You know, like that hot Irish actor?”
    Maggie laughed. “That doesn’t describe your soon-to-be-ex-husband at all. Or the two men you were involved with before him.”
    “I’m trying to avoid the blond lobsterman type,” Ellie said. “My older and wiser sister told me that when I’m attracted to a man, I should instantly run.”
    “That sounds difficult,” Rebecca said, turning to face the women.
    “So are you divorced as well, Rebecca?” Maggie asked, sinking her pinky-red mouth into another cookie.
    “No, I’ve never been married. I live with someone, though.”
    “My advice—don’t get married,” Ellie said. “Then when your boyfriend cheats on you, you can rationalize it as okay, ’cause you’re not married yet.” Her face crumpled and she started to cry. “God, you must think I’m a moron,” she said to Rebecca as Maggie handed her a tissue. “Here I am, on a singles tour, when I’m still married. But I’m not really