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woman, another love.
    “So you’re still in America then?”
    “Yep. Still there. And what about you? What have you been up to all these years?”
    Melissa could feel her face heating under Sara’s intense gaze. “I own a little coffee shop called Has Bean. It’s nothing fancy or anything.”
    “I see you haven’t lost your modesty then,” Sara joked. “So tell me, how long have you and Bettina been together?”
    Melissa crossed her arms over her chest, feeling a rush of embarrassment. Suddenly her courtship with Bettina seemed very short. “Six months.”
    “And you’re getting married already?” Sara blew out a breath. “What’s the rush?”
    “No rush. When you’ve met the one, what’s the point in waiting?” It was an automatic response. Wasn’t this what she had heard Bettina telling friends and family when they asked the same question?
    Sara moistened her lips as her eyes moved slowly across Melissa’s face. “And she’s definitely the one, is she?”
    She found herself struggling to say the words. Come on Melissa get your act together. Don’t let her affect you. Think of Bettina, your future . “Most definitely.” She felt her defences crumbling. Sara’s sudden appearance was causing a host of unexpected emotions inside her.
    “She must be something.”
    “She is.” Make an excuse and leave. Get away from her, run if you have to. She’s trouble . Though her mind was being dictatorial, barking commands, her feet disobediently remained glued to the spot.
    “So how long are you back for?”
    “Depends.”
    “On what?”
    Sara took a step closer and leaned towards her ear. “On you.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.
    “On me?” Melissa took a step back and rubbed her neck. The gesture was so intimate; Melissa had to steel herself against falling into her arms. Please somebody come and rescue me.
    “Come on, Melissa,” she heard Justine calling over the music. “The entertainment is here!”
    Melissa wanted to drop to her knees and thank God for the intervention, that was until she noticed a woman walking towards them wearing only a thong and nipple tassels – a whip in her hand.
    Sara looked towards the woman and laughed. “I’ll catch up with you later. Looks like you’ve got company.”
    Melissa watched as she strode back to the table. She didn’t know who she feared most: the stripper or Sara.
     

Chapter Ten
    The night passed quickly with Melissa feeling relieved when she glanced at her watch and realised it was past midnight. As luck would have it she had managed to avoid being alone with Sara, thanks to Faye monopolising her all night.
    Anxiety had plagued her all evening as she’d kept track of Sara’s every move. When Sara had disappeared from view on a couple of occasions, Melissa’s heart had been in her mouth, her stomach turning, wondering where she’d gone, only to relax again when she reappeared.
    From her chair in the corner, she could see Sara and Faye sitting on stools, facing one another. Melissa’s eyes moved from one face to the other as if she were watching an intense game of tennis. She wished she had supersonic hearing so she knew what they were talking about.
    Eli came to sit beside her, looping her arm loosely through Melissa’s. “Are you okay? You’ve seemed a bit deflated all evening.”
    “Have I?” Melissa asked genuinely surprised. She thought she’d managed to pull off the happy bride-to-be, what with the stripper and numerous party games she had participated in with vigour.
    “Not that it’s anything noticeable,” Eli added quickly, before covering her mouth when she hiccupped.
    “Hmm, maybe I’m just missing Bettina,” her voice broke miserably.
    “Yes, maybe.”
    She turned to Eli and stifled a yawn. “I think I’m ready to crash.”
    Eli’s glazed eyes looked back at her with relief. “Oh thank God for that. I didn’t know how much longer I could have carried on. I haven’t felt this tipsy in