to come across as the wealthy woman she was. Not that she thought Christopher was after her for her money. Then again, she didn’t know him well enough to say that for sure. She wasn’t one to flaunt her wealth. Yes, she lived on the estate she’d shared with Jacob, but Rebekah had always been a simple woman. She spent her money on things that made her happy. Books. Artwork. Giving to charities.
When Jacob passed, Rebekah had been lost, and she retired from her position as head psychologist at the local hospital. She spent the next two years traveling. Revisiting the places Jacob had taken her on vacation. Tuscany had been their favorite. Rebekah stayed two months in a villa in the central Italian countryside. Those two months helped heal her heart enough she was able to return home. The estate was too large for one person, but it became her haven. Her refuge. Instead of losing herself in the large home with Esme, she found new hobbies, and she volunteered.
With one last glance in the mirror, Rebekah grabbed her purse and keys. The drive to the restaurant took less than twenty minutes. Christopher was waiting by the front door. His smile was genuine when he saw her, but Rebekah didn’t feel anything for the man other than kind affection. She’d lost her heart twice, and there was nothing left for her to give someone else other than friendship.
“Hello, Gorgeous.” Christopher leaned down and kissed her cheek. He placed his hand on her back as he held the door for Rebekah, and once inside, he led her to a large table where three couples were seated. The men stood when the two of them approached. Christopher said, “This is Rebekah Collins.” When she was seated, the men returned to their seats, and each one introduced themselves and their wives.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rebekah sipped the water already waiting for her.
“So, Rebekah. What is it you do for a living?” Constance Alder asked from her right.
“I’m a psychologist, though I retired a couple years back.”
“I thought you looked familiar. You’re Rebekah Nieman.”
Rebekah tried not to cringe at the use of her married name, but she wasn’t going to lie. “Yes. How did you know?”
“I’m a nurse in the OR at the hospital. Several patients were referred to you when they were brought in for overdoses.”
Rebekah should have known someone would recognize her name if not her face. She smiled at Constance, and the two of them chatted about other employees they both knew. When their food arrived, Rebekah turned back in her seat to find Christopher staring at her. She raised her eyebrows, and he shook his head. Rebekah would eventually have to address the fact that she’d not shared her married name with him. Dinner was enjoyable for the most part. Rebekah had missed being out with friends. And although she’d just met the three couples, she found herself intrigued by each of the women. The men had been talking about an investment they were partnering on, and Rebekah found it interesting, until Dan Sykes turned his attention to her.
“We could use a fifth partner.”
Rebekah took a sip of wine, giving herself time to tamp down her frustration. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s not something I’d be interested in.”
“Please think about it. It’s a solid investment. We’ve worked out the logistics, and the building will be perfect for what we have in mind.”
“I’m sure you’ve done your due diligence, but like I said, it’s not something I want to invest in.”
“Rebekah—”
“If you’ll excuse me.” Rebekah stood and grabbed her purse. “It was a pleasure meeting you all, but I think I’m going to head on home.”
Constance gave her a sad smile and handed Rebekah a folded piece of paper. “It was a pleasure to see you. If you ever want to get coffee, please give me a call.”
“Thank you. I might take you up on that.” Rebekah turned to her date. “Thank you for a lovely evening,” she lied.
“I’ll walk you out.” Christopher gestured for Rebekah to proceed in front of him. When they reached the sidewalk, he grabbed her hand. “Why did you lie to me about who you really are?”
Rebekah pulled away. “I didn’t lie. I simply chose not to offer my married name because of what just happened in there. Whenever someone finds out who I am, they think they can hold out their hand, and I’ll drop a donation or get involved in