Every preacher’s wife and deacon’s daughter seemed to be on the committee, though not all had joined the summer festival committee. The meeting Keiley was heading to was comprised of a little over a dozen women and headed by Victoria Leia Staten, one of the matriarchs of the county.
The committee board was headed by Mrs. Staten and included five other influential women. There wasn’t a woman under fifty on the committee board except for Victoria’s daughter-in-law, Delia, and their combined censure had the power to ostracize anyone from within their ranks and those of the community.
That was one of the things Keiley had had a hard time accepting when she first joined the charity committee. Those six women had an incredible amount of influence on both the social as well as the business community.
Morally upright, censorious, and sometimes judgmental, they could nevertheless make it extremely difficult for anyone whose business interests were based solely within Halifax County.
Not for the first time, Keiley was thankful that her and Mac’s financial solvency wasn’t dependent on the county. She was on the outside of that little group the way it was. The interloper, so to speak. The last thing she needed was to have those women decide they had any power over her.
This meeting was being held in the Staten mansion just outside Scotland Neck. The three-story plantation-style home had been restored to its former glory decades before and stood on a hill overlooking the town like a silent sentinel.
Keiley parked her car behind the dark blue Mercedes driven by one of the few women Keiley had become friends with. She stepped from her car and moved along the stone sidewalk alongside the driveway that led to the side of the mansion and the gardens where the members gathered before the meeting.
“Keiley, you’re early for a change.” Maxine Bright detached herself from the small group of women who threw Keiley friendly waves before going back to their conversation.
Maxine was a powerhouse of energy. Five feet six inches tall with flaming red hair and bright green eyes. The wife of the most influential banker in town, Joseph Bright. He was also quiet, thoughtful, and seemed to adore the cheerful, effervescent women he had married.
“Max, you look gorgeous.” Keiley smiled as her gaze went over the chocolate-colored linen dress her friend wore.
Max’s vivid red hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, the corkscrew curls trailing halfway down her back from the large matching bow.
“Joey liked it, too.” Max waggled her brows as she caught Keiley’s arm and practically dragged her into the gardens. “I had to take it back off and iron it before I ever made it out of the house.”
Keiley barely restrained her surprised laughter. Unrestrained sex and Joseph Bright didn’t seem to go hand in hand.
“Lucky woman,” Kei murmured. “Mac was already out of the house working before I even woke up.”
“And his friend who’s visiting?” Max whispered. “Was he working, too?”
“Damn, news travels fast in this county,” Keiley laughed. “He just showed up yesterday.”
“I hear he drives a flashy bright red Mustang and wears mirrored sunglasses. He has a bad-boy grin and muscles a woman would drool over.”
Keiley arched her brow as she accepted a glass of sweet iced tea from one of the housemaids.
“What did he do? Stop and pose for the masses on his way in?” She chuckled.
Max snickered at the image as well. “I heard all about him the minute I stepped into the garden this afternoon. Everyone was certain I’d know all the best gossip where you’re concerned. You didn’t tell me about him. Why?” Max pouted good-naturedly.
“Even I didn’t know he was showing up until the day before yesterday.” She shook her head at how quickly news had reach the group that she and Mac had company. “He’s a friend of Mac’s from Virginia. We haven’t seen him since the wedding.”
“And the rumors that he and Mac used to enjoy sharing girlfriends? Laura Tolbert is all agog over that little piece of information. Being the resident slut, you know how bad this is going to make her look.” Beneath that laughing amusement was an edge of concern in Max’s gaze.
Keiley blinked back at her in shock. “Are you kidding me?”
She could feel her heartbeat accelerating, a sick feeling of panic filling her stomach before she straightened her shoulders and fought it back.
Damn, how had something like that gotten out?
“I haven’t found out where that little gem of information came from yet.” Max lowered her voice as they moved further away from the other women and their curious looks. “It was an amusing little on-dit they were giggling over. Thankfully, no one seems to be taking it seriously. But you know how Delia Staten can be. So watch your back.”
Delia Staten was Victoria’s daughter-in-law. A pious, moralistic pain in the ass.
“Good God,” Keiley muttered. “I wonder what would happen if I ever invited one of my friends up for a visit.”
“You would instantly become a lesbian with plans to divorce Mac for your girlfriend rather than just becoming the tasty filling for a male sandwich,” Max snickered.
Keiley couldn’t contain the blush that rose in her cheeks.