Read Year of Living Blonde (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 1) for Free Online Page B

hippies and granola types.
    At one point they wind up directly behind Peter at a stop light, and Natalie slouches in her seat, worried that he’ll notice the two of them. Apparently, their disguise is solid, because he doesn’t notice a thing.
    “He’s so oblivious. I wonder if he’d notice if I rammed him with this van and dented that Lexus,” Lindsay says, clearly relishing the thought.
    It isn’t long before Peter slows down and turns into a small parking lot.
    “I think he’s going to that yoga studio.” Natalie points across the street.
    “I see it.”
    Lindsay circles back around the block and manages to maneuver the van into a spot that gives them a clear view.
    “Peter’s not into yoga,” Natalie says, watching the studio, wondering what he could be doing in there. “Do you think he’s picking up Lena?”
    “Could be.”
    Natalie’s stomach is doing flip flops again. She shifts around uncomfortably as they wait for any sign of them. Obviously, she wants to confront Lena, but she’s not sure if she’s up to the task.
    And then she sees them. Her heart nearly stops. Peter walks out with a woman next to him. She has long blonde hair and a trim, athletic body. Natalie can’t take her eyes off them. Even from this distance, she can see how Peter has his hand on her lower back, can see the goofy grin on his face as they’re talking to each other.
    “Oh, my God.” Natalie’s whole body breaks out in a cold sweat and for the first time in her life she thinks she’s going to faint.
    “Are you all right?” Lindsay looks at her with concern. “Put your head between your knees.”
    Natalie closes her eyes and puts her head down, trying to regain her equilibrium.
    “Do you want to go?”
    “Yes. Please. ”
    Lindsay shoves the van in gear and tears out from their parking space.
    Natalie keeps her head down for a while, taking deep steady breaths. Finally, she sits up and leans back against the seat.
    Lindsay is calling someone on her phone, but Natalie doesn’t pay attention until she hears her ask for Lena.
    “All right, thank you,” Lindsay says. She looks at Natalie. “Bingo! Lena works there. It sounds like she’s the owner. They told me she just left for the day.”
    Natalie nods. “Okay. We learned something, at least.” She swallows, still feeling ill. “I can’t believe I fell apart like that.”
    Lindsay is incredulous. “Jeez, cut yourself some slack. That was intense. It’s not every day you see your husband with his mistress.”
    “I suppose you’re right.” Natalie thinks about Lena. She’s not at all what she imagined her to be. In her mind she was just this hazy figure. As odd as it sounds, she always figured Lena looked a bit more ordinary, more like herself. Not a sexy athletic blonde, that’s for sure. How can I compete with that?

    The next morning, Chloe is sitting at the kitchen table, peeling a banana for breakfast, when Natalie joins her. It’s been over a week since Natalie explained things. She expected the tears, but didn’t expect Chloe to blame herself for Peter leaving. All Natalie can do is reassure her that none of this is her fault. After Natalie told Chloe that Peter had moved out, Chloe insisted on calling him and asking him to come home.
    Natalie couldn’t hear his response, but Chloe was quiet the rest of the night, so she assumed he told her no. Peter and Chloe had always been close, and it’s difficult for a child to find out their family is breaking up.
    “I’ve been thinking about it. I’ll be just like everyone else now. Most of my friends’ parents are divorced.” Chloe slowly chews a bite of banana.
    “I hadn’t thought of that, but I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”
    “Daddy says I’m going to like his girlfriend, Lena, but I don’t want to meet her. I don’t have to, do I?”
    Natalie had asked Peter not to mention anything to Chloe about Lena yet, that they should wait and tell Chloe together, but he’d gone ahead