Chapter 39
Kristina woke to feathery kisses being placed along her neck and across her cheek. Smiling, she rolled over to find that Howie was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed with his keys in his hand.
"Where are you going?" she asked, sleepily.
"I’ve got to go to the club for a while and do some paperwork that I’ve been putting off. I’ll be back a little after noontime. Feel up for a late lunch and some shopping?"
"Sure. Call me before you leave so I’ll be ready."
Howie leaned over and cradled her face in his free hand as she sat up. "Miss me?" he asked with a wink.
"Of course I will! Now, hurry up so you can do whatever you need to do and get back to me" she said as she leaned in closer and kissed him tenderly, her tongue grazing his.
Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered, "I love you, baby!"
"Ditto!" she said as he laughed and walked away.
She pulled her knees closer to her chest, hugging them tightly as he walked out of the bedroom. She waited till she heard the front door shut, the sound of the key locking the dead bolt, before lying back against the satin sheets and smiling to herself. She was happy, truly happy. It had been so long since she had felt loved, appreciated, important. Now she had all of that once again not only from Howie but also from her friends. She giggled. Friends. She had friends once again. What a lovely thought.
"I’m going to win this time, Stephen. I have Howie back in my life, my friends and a job that I love. You can’t take this away from me ever again" she whispered into the still morning air.
Little did she know that her happiness was going to be short lived. Someone she loved dearly was about to surface, unbeknownst to her, and stir up the ugliest part of her past. The one she desperately wanted to put behind her.
The phone rang, startling her.