Forbidden Serenade

Chapter Two

Guests trickled in throughout the day on Friday. Leo cooked and served meals after Max scurried away to make his flight, but I mostly sat on the sidelines. The party for whoever was turning twenty-one was tomorrow, and I was certain the drinking would begin then. Tonight, it was simply wine with dinner. Keeping glasses filled throughout the evening was a simple task for me.

Max, Lucy, and I sat in the kitchen and ate our own dinner afterward. Lucy was in her early forties and a beautiful redhead. She was polite yet strict regarding the rules of the house. We were to be working, but not seen and absolutely not mingling. It now made sense why the guest house was not visible from the mansion. We were welcome to use the grounds when guests weren't around, though.

Saturday morning brought a rush of guests to the house. I watched the commotion from the yard of the guesthouse. Sitting outside in the lush grass, I lounged in my shorts and t-shirt. My toes wiggled barefoot in the cool blades. Today was the big day. I would be expected to make drinks for the rich and famous. I had a calm confidence about myself. It had appeared this morning and fell upon me like a warm blanket.

I could do this.

Getting to my feet, I headed into the kitchen to eat the best food of my entire life with Leo. It eluded me to where he got his talent from. Our parents couldn't cook like him, and I sure as heck couldn't.

After indulging in the delicious food, I went back to the guesthouse. I fiddled with my phone in my hand, wishing I could call and hear my kids' voices. James never allowed it. Shortly after we had separated, I called our daughter Millie while she was with him. She'd broken down in tears and ever since then James insisted on keeping our time with them exclusive to whoever had them.

Tossing my phone down, I took a shower and got dressed for the upcoming evening. I chose my favorite dress I owned. It had a folded, white color with thin white and black straps following from it like a mini tie. The dress was black, long-sleeved, and covered in dozens of colorful flowers and greenery. The sleeves were white, and the ends folded over. A belt cinched around my curvy waist. I slipped on black tights and some black flats with a couple of white straps. I waved my blonde hair into beach waves.

I looked at myself in the mirror, admiring how great I looked. Elegant. Put together. My head cocked to the side. Was it me? Why did it feel I was looking at some other beautiful woman and not me?

Stupid Leo, putting doubts into my head. Of course this was me and my style. I put diamond studs in my ears and headed out the door toward the bar. Halfway there, I began to fret I was overdressed. There was little I could do at this point. I didn't have time to change. And what would I switch to? Everything I owned was to give off the same appearance.

I was a respectable wife and mother.

But what else was I? There had to be more. My wifehood was over, and one day my kids would all move out. What would I be left with? A respectable wardrobe and memories?

My mind whirled endlessly with questions. Was I having some kind of midlife crisis? Was this normal post-divorce?

It wasn't long before the guests of the party began flooding into the outdoor area. They approached me for before dinner drinks and their requests kept me busy. Thankfully, there wasn't anything I couldn't handle and when the odd drink I'd never heard of was asked for, I simply tried to play it cool and inquire how they liked theirs made. The ploy worked, and I breathed a sigh of relief when they wandered off to eat.

Slipping my shoes off, I sat at a seat behind the bar and watched them dine on delicious food I would sneak away later to eat with Leo. Sterling Youngworth sat at the head of the table. He looked the perfect bad boy with his tight jeans and shirt and vest, which were unbuttoned to reveal his tattooed chest and arms. Jewelry adorned his fingers, wrists, and neck. Plenty of young women crowded around him at the party, giving him all the attention I'm certain he was used to. His laughter and deep voice rose above most of the party throughout the night.