“Only because she made herself sick. This is the third time someone has mentioned it to me. One of those times it was a customer. I can’t have people thinking I’m poisoning my customers.”
“Why the hell would she do that to herself?”
“Let me give you some insight into that woman. She orders the most expensive meals on the menu at your expense, she drinks martinis like they’re water, and she isn’t a nice person. She gets up a few minutes after eating and goes to the restroom where she purges herself of all the food and martinis she’s had so she can keep that skinny figure of hers.”
She waited for her words to sink in before continuing. “It’s common enough among women who want to keep their weight off and have an unhealthy attitude about food and weight. I’ll bet she was a fat kid or teen and figures the only thing she has to offer a man like you is her body. She certainly isn’t smart enough to engage your mind.”
She looked past Cameron before he said anything and greeted their friend, “Hello, George. This is an unexpected surprise. I saw your name on the guest list tonight and wondered if you’d truly join us yourself.”
George frowned. “Has my family used my name to get in here?”
“Maybe once or twice. They’re always welcome, of course, but they seem to like using your name to ensure a seat. I always get my hopes up you’ll be coming.” She winked.
“They’ll get what’s coming to them soon enough. Tonight, though, I have a very special guest with me.”
“Where is this special guest?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes scanning the restaurant.
“She’ll be along soon. She said she might be a few minutes late.”
He looked at Cameron and frowned. “What’s the matter with you, son? You look downright distressed.”
“His guest turned out to be not so special.” Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him when he glared at her.
Cameron turned his attention to his dearest friend. He held his hand out to shake with George. He’d think about Elizabeth’s remarks later. “How are you, George? You look better today than the last few times I’ve seen you.”
“That, my boy, is thanks to Marti.”
“Whatever the cause, you look great. Emma is in the kitchen making pastries or something. She’d love to see you. I hope you don’t mind if I bring her by your table when your guest arrives.”
“Not at all. In fact, here she comes.”
Chapter Eight
* * *
“THE LITTLE BITCH ruined my dress.” Shelly scrubbed at her sleeve and tried to clean the mashed potatoes and gravy out.
“God, my throat hurts. I’ll be fat as a cow if I keep eating out all the time.”
Pale, even her anger didn’t add color back into her gaunt cheeks after she’d thrown up her dinner. She hated to end a perfectly good meal this way, but with all the rich foods and decadent desserts, along with the booze, she couldn’t afford all the extra calories. Still, she couldn’t keep this up and wished she could stop. She wanted to stop, but the compulsion overtook her good sense. Too many times she promised herself it was the last time.
She set aside her concerns and focused on her immediate frustration. “When I get my hands on her, I’ll ring her neck. Two hundred dollars spent to impress a man who’s more interested in the little mess maker than me. Damn the little bitch,” she said under her breath and continued to scrub the stain.
Marti heard the woman getting sick in the stall across from hers. She’d thought the woman was ill, now she reevaluated her assumption. The woman had some obvious problems, ranting at herself in the mirror and throwing up her dinner so she wouldn’t gain any weight. Marti thought better to eat less and enjoy it than throw it up. But to each his own.
She flushed the toilet, thankful she no longer had to pee. She’d forgotten all about it after the meeting with the lawyers and her marathon getting-dressed session. She left the hotel without doing her business. When she finally relaxed in the cab on the way to the restaurant, she realized she still had to go and had forgotten all about it. She hated when that happened. She hated to keep George waiting, but better to get her business out of the way rather than say, “Hi. I’ve got to pee, back in a minute.”