My Soldier Too Read online

  “That’s obvious, or maybe I don’t matter at all to you.” She tried to read the look on Isabella’s face. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry I disturbed you.” Madison turned and took two steps away.

  “No!” Isabella shouted.

  Madison turned back around.

  “No, please don’t leave. We have to talk.” She stepped out of the doorway into the hall. She looked back at Ben. “I need a minute alone to talk to Madison.” Isabella took another step and closed the door.

  “Isabella, didn’t you get the message I left last night? Why didn’t you call me to let me know he was staying over? I never would’ve stopped by if I’d known he was here. I thought you said you were going to end it with him. In case you didn’t know, sleeping with a guy isn’t exactly the best way to accomplish that.”

  “It’s not what you think. I didn’t sleep with him. We were out late, so he stayed over.” Isabella took a step closer to Madison. “What message? I didn’t get a message.”

  Madison moved away. “It’s really none of my business who you sleep with. I’m sorry I stopped by.” She lowered her voice. “And I’m even sorrier that I kissed you.”

  “Please talk to me, Madison. You’re all I think about.” Isabella looked over her shoulder at the closed door behind her. “Can you come back later, after Ben leaves?”

  Madison felt as though her feet were begging her to stay rooted where they were until Isabella came into her arms. Her instincts to protect herself prevailed. “No, I’m going out to a club with some friends later, so I won’t have time. It was a mistake for me to come here anyway. I’d rather forget about what happened last weekend. Let me give you a piece of advice. If what you said about thinking of me all the time is true, you should stop.” She turned and walked away.

  “Madison, wait,” Isabella called as Madison hastened away. She thought about pursuing her, but she was wearing practically nothing, so chasing a woman down the hallway of her condominium building probably wasn’t the best idea. Besides, even if she caught her, with Ben still inside they couldn’t have the discussion they needed to have. She’d have to figure out how to find Madison later and convince her to talk about the situation.

  Isabella went back inside and checked her answering machine. The steady red light indicated no messages. She picked up the phone and checked the caller ID. Madison’s name and cell phone number came up as having called last evening at seven while she and Ben were out. She pressed the answering machine button. The mechanical voice chimed in, “No new messages.” The machine was working. How could she have missed the call? She remembered having thought she heard a voice on the machine when she went to change clothes. Ben lied to me.

  Ben was rinsing their breakfast dishes when she went back into the kitchen.

  “How could you?”

  “How could I what?”

  “You knew Madison was coming here this morning because you erased her message. Why would you do that?”

  Ben put the dishes down and dried his hands. “I’m sorry, but I did it you for. It was for your own good. I don’t know what’s going on between you and her, but whatever it is, it needs to stop.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are? It’s not for you to decide what’s good for me. How dare you?” She fought for composure. “It’s over between us. I want you to leave, now.”

  He reached for her. “I’m sorry you’re upset. Please, let’s talk about this.”

  “No. Go.” She turned her back on him.

  “You’ll regret this, Isabella.” His anger was evident as he left the room.

  Not as much as I regret the time we’ve wasted.

  Chapter 11

  Beth hung up the phone in the North End home she and Marcy shared, only a couple of blocks from Isabella’s. “Marcy, you’re never going to believe this in a million years.”

  Sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee, and reading her morning newspaper, Marcy lowered the paper enough to see Beth. “Try me. There isn’t much I find surprising these days.”

  Beth took a sip of Marcy’s coffee. “I guarantee this will.” She made a pained face. “Way too much cream and sugar in your coffee.”

  Marcy laid the paper down. “All right then, I give. Who was on the phone, and what earth-shattering news did she have to share?”

  “Remember when I told you I thought Isabella was making a mistake with that guy, Ben? That he wasn’t right for her?”

  “Yes, and remember I told you Isabella needed to figure that one out on her own?” Marcy took a long drink of her coffee. “Mmm, that’s good.”

  Beth rolled her eyes. “Well, I think she finally has… the hard way. She didn’t give me any details, but it sounds like he may have caught her with someone else. Things got messy. She just threw him out of her place.”

  “You’re right. I’m blown away. I never would’ve believed Isabella would be caught in a love triangle. It’s always the innocent ones who shock you.”

  “She’s on her way over here now. She said she needed to talk to us about it. She sounded pretty upset.”

  “That’s fine. I’m not sure you and I are the best sources of advice for how to deal with jilted boyfriends, though. It would make more sense if she talked to Maria, instead. Her sister has more experience with hetero-drama.”

  Beth got up and poured a cup of coffee, black with no sugar. “Maybe she needs to talk to someone more neutral when it comes to Ben. Her family’s invested in her relationship with him. Isabella might be afraid Maria would try to talk her out of breaking things off.” Beth gave Marcy a peck on the cheek. “We are experts in managing a successful long-term relationship, though.”

  “That’s true. But still, I really don’t know how much we’ll be able to help. The only advice I can think of is to tell her to follow her heart. That’s the key to any long-term relationship.” She patted Beth’s backside. “I do have to admit I can’t wait to meet this mystery guy. Whoever he is, he must be a hot ticket to win Isabella’s heart over Mr. Perfect, Ben Jackson.”

  * * *

  “Isabella, you look like hell.” Marcy pulled a kitchen chair away from the table. “Sit down and tell us what’s going on. Spare no details. We want to hear the whole story from beginning to end.”

  “You’re the most brutally honest person I know, Marcy,” Isabella said.

  Beth gave Marcy a sharp glare. “Yeah, she is. She’s living proof that lawyers aren’t known for being warm and fuzzy. I’ve given up trying to teach her the art of gently telling the truth.”

  “You and I both know that’s part of my charm, dear.”

  “Isabella, would you like some coffee?” Beth asked.

  “Yes, thanks. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I could use another cup.”

  Marcy fixed her gaze on Isabella. “Hmm, a sleepless night to boot. I can hardly wait to hear this story. Out with it. Did you and Ben really break up? Is there another guy?”

  Isabella rubbed her temples. “Not exactly. Things are over between Ben and me. There is someone else… but not another guy.”

  Beth and Marcy seemed oblivious to the direct hint. For crying out loud, Isabella thought. If she was going to find Madison, she’d have to be as blunt as Marcy. “Beth, do you remember meeting Madison Brown, an Army nurse, at the clinic a few weeks ago? She’s been filling in there temporarily.”

  “Sure I do.” Beth grinned. “The long legs, blue eyes, sandy-blonde hair, and how she fills out her uniform in all the right places.” She smacked her lips. “I definitely remember.”

  Marcy glared at her partner.

  Beth feigned innocence. “I may be happily married, but I still appreciate a nice-looking woman.”

  “Now I know what you’re up to under those dark sunglasses you wear to the beach.” Marcy cuffed Beth on the shoulder.

  “For the record, I’m only protecting my eyes from sun damage.”

  “Right. Whatever you say, sweet cheeks,” Marcy said.

  “Can we get back to Isabella?
” Beth asked.

  “You bet.” Marcy took a sip of coffee.

  “I kissed her,” Isabella blurted.

  Marcy choked on the coffee and spewed it all over the newspaper and table.

  Isabella winced, but it felt good to say the words aloud.

  Beth patted Marcy on the back to ease her coughing. “That’s quite the admission, Isabella. What happened to bring this on?”

  “I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since the day we met. When she kissed me, I felt it everywhere.” Isabella wiggled her fingers up and down in front of her body.

  Beth handed Marcy a napkin. “I’m afraid to ask, but did Ben catch you two in the act and that’s why you threw him out of your apartment?”

  Marcy added, “Like I said before, don’t leave out any of the details. I love a good girl-gets-her-girl-and-throws-out-the-guy story.”

  “No, he didn’t catch us. He must have suspected something was going on, though. Last night, when he was at my place, he erased a voice message from Madison while I was changing clothes in the other room. He knew she was going to stop by this morning, but he didn’t tell me. He stayed over last night because we were out late with my family. I think he wanted her to show up and think we slept together, even though we didn’t.”

  “Did she think that?” Marcy asked.

  “Yes, I tried to explain, but she didn’t believe me. She left and won’t answer her cell phone. I need to find her. I don’t know where she lives, but she did say she was going out to a club tonight. I’m hoping you two might know where I could look for her.”

  Marcy took the phone book out of a kitchen drawer. “Well, I do have a couple of lesbian hangouts in mind. If I can’t find the addresses here, I’ll check the Web. By the way, you’re not going alone. Beth and I are going with you.”

  “Honey, it’s been years since we’ve been to a club. Besides, how can you be sure she’s going to a lesbian bar?” Beth asked.

  Marcy flipped through the pages of the phone book. “Think back to the days before yours truly came into your life.” She pointed to herself. “Now, what would you do if you were feeling the need to soothe a broken heart?” She answered before Beth could. “That’s right, you’d go searching for a little comfort elsewhere. Believe me, Madison’s not going to find the kind of comfort she needs in a straight bar, now will she?”

  “I guess not.” Beth squeezed Isabella’s hand. “We’ll help you find her. Why don’t you go home and try to take a nap since you were awake most of the night. Meet us here at nine this evening, and we’ll drive.”

  “In the meantime,” Marcy said, “I’ll figure out where we should go. I think this could be a lot of fun. You’ll find Madison, and Beth and I will be reminded that being in our early forties doesn’t mean we’re too old to go out and have a good time every now and then.”

  Chapter 12

  Bobbie rested her elbows on the bar at the Camilla Club. “Karen and Jackie will be here soon. I hope that cheers you up. You okay?”

  Madison nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I can’t believe she slept with him and didn’t think it would bother me. Then she lied about it.” She shifted her position away from the bar and faced the crowd. “I plan on having a good time tonight, no matter what. I refuse to think about Isabella or the Army. Tonight, I don’t care about either one.”

  Madison gave the attractive brunette watching her every move a smoldering glance. “I may even have a great time tonight. Maybe she’ll be enough to help me forget everything, at least for one night.” She sauntered toward the brunette who grinned at her approach.

  Bobbie said under her breath, “You and I both know that it doesn’t work that way.” She waved to Jackie and Karen when they came in. They made their way through the crowd to Bobbie. She hugged each of them.

  “Where’s Madison?” Karen asked.

  Bobbie motioned to the dance floor. “Trying to ignore her heart.”

  They watched Madison out on the dance floor with the sexy woman. Their bodies moved sensuously close together despite the fast speed of the song.

  Jackie studied Madison for a moment. “What I wouldn’t give for a fraction of whatever it is Madison’s got that drives women wild. She could have any available woman in here and probably even some of the taken ones, too.”

  Bobbie sighed. “The problem is that the woman she really wants isn’t here.”

  * * *

  Marcy parallel parked her Toyota Prius on a side street in Boston’s South End. “All right, girls, here’s the plan. There are two bars on the street next to this one about two blocks away from each other. A friend said that the mixed bar sometimes has women’s night and is worth a quick look first since it’s on our way. Then we’ll go over to the Camilla Club, which is considered the women’s bar in the city.”

  Beth looked at Isabella. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Marcy laid her hand on Beth’s arm. “Don’t talk her out of it now. Come on, Isabella, it’ll be fun. Don’t worry. We’ll make sure you get home safe and sound. No matter what happens, we promise.”

  “What exactly is a mixed bar?” Isabella asked.

  Marcy got out and opened the car door for Isabella. “It’s a bar that’s for both gay men and lesbians. Out with you, scaredy cat, let’s go.”

  They walked to the Club Mystic and went inside. Isabella knew immediately they weren’t in a place they’d find Madison. The inside of the club was dark, but the strobe light above the dance floor made it intermittently light enough to see that this was a mixed club. Only not the kind they were searching for. The patrons were mostly men, many dressed in drag.

  Isabella was transfixed. “These guys are gorgeous.”

  “Yeah, and they sure can dance,” Marcy said. “If straight men moved like that and were half as good looking, straight women wouldn’t stand a chance of saying no to them.”

  Beth took Marcy’s hand. “Your research abilities aren’t inspiring much confidence, honey. I thought we were looking for lesbians.”

  “Hey, it’s only the first stop. Let’s at least get a drink while we’re here,” Marcy said.

  “I agree with Marcy,” Isabella said. “I could use a drink. These guys are worth watching for a little while anyway.” Isabella motioned to the bare-chested bartender who was wearing tight black jeans and a collar around his neck. His physique was flawless, yet his perfection didn’t do a thing for her.

  He strolled over. “You girls are barking up the wrong tree if you’re here trolling for available men. If you haven’t noticed already, this is a gay club.”

  Marcy leaned against the bar and winked at him. “Oh, we’re definitely not here for men. We’ve only got women on our minds. We thought we’d stop here for a quick drink to watch some great dancing. After that, we’ll head up the street to where the real girl-on-girl fun is. You know, the Camilla Club.”

  “That’s what I’ve heard,” he said with a grin.

  Beth rolled her eyes at Marcy. “You lawyers are so full of yourselves. All right, Casanova, why don’t you order me a Perrier with lime, and I’ll be the designated driver. I’m going to have to keep an eye on both you and Isabella tonight.”

  “You two are such soul mates. The way you bicker and worship each other all at the same time,” Isabella said. “I hope I find a soul mate to call my own someday.” Her stomach muscles tightened. She thought of Madison. Isabella needed something to calm her nerves. To the bartender she said, “I’ll have a sour apple martini, please.”

  “Coming right up, sweetheart.”

  When he handed it to her, she took several long swigs until it was gone.

  “You drank that awfully fast,” Marcy said. “Guess you’re ready to hit the road.”

  Beth finished her drink and paid the bartender. “Let’s go, girls.”

  They said their good-byes to the bartender and headed down the street toward the Camilla Club. Once inside, Isabella took in the room. Marcy said, “Now, this is the place.”

&nbs
p; The club was packed wall to wall with women. The crowd was diverse, ranging from butch to chic lipstick lesbians. Maybe it was the martini, but Isabella felt at home and drawn to the female energy that emanated from the dance floor. She scanned the place for Madison. She had a feeling Madison was here, somewhere in this crowd of women.

  They moved to the bar to get out of the way of the gyrating female bodies on the dance floor.

  Marcy raised her voice above the heavy bass of the music. “What’s with the furrowed brow, Beth?”

  “This music. What the hell is it? Have you ever heard this stuff before? How can they possibly dance to this? It sounds like someone banging pots together.”

  “Oh, Beth, you sound like you’re sixty-two instead of forty-two. That, my love, is P!nk and the song is called ‘So What.’ I think it’s excellent.”

  “How do you know who that is?” Beth asked.

  “One of us has to keep up with modern culture.”

  When P!nk’s “So What” finished, the music changed to Madonna’s dance hit, “Music.” Isabella teased Beth, “Please tell me you know who this is?”

  “Of course I do. Who doesn’t know the material girl?”

  The bartender with neatly cut salt-and-pepper hair asked, “What kind of music do you like?”

  Beth answered, “A little Prince, a little Sheila E, a whole lot of Wendy and Lisa, but when I’m feeling particularly nostalgic, I prefer Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.”

  “Ah, a woman after my own heart.” The bartender appeared to be reminiscing. “Those were good times. Let me get you ladies a drink. After, I’ll whisper your pleasure into the DJ’s ear.” She took their drink requests.

  Isabella ordered another martini. Her nerves were so on edge she barely noticed the effects of the first one. The second one went down too easily.

  The opening beat of a new song Isabella had never heard before boomed around the room. Beth bobbed her head to the beat. “Oh yeah, now this is more like it. Wendy and Lisa’s “Waterfall,” something I can dance to.” She mouthed a thank-you to the bartender.