Ms. Bitch: Finding happiness is the best revenge.

  Ms. Bitch

  Finding happiness is the best revenge.

  Tricia O’Malley

  Lovewrite Publishing

  Ms. Bitch

  Copyright © 2020 by Lovewrite Publishing

  All Rights Reserved

  Editor(s):

  Christina Boys

  Elayne Morgan

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any means without express permission of the author. This includes reprints, excerpts, photocopying, recording, or any future means of reproducing text.

  If you would like to do any of the above, please seek permission first by contacting the author at: info@triciaomalley.com.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Epilogue

  Author's Note

  The Mystic Cove Series

  The Isle of Destiny Series

  The Siren Island Series

  The Althea Rose Series

  Contact Details

  To Alan – Together we dive into life, our paths forever entwined, my heart always yours.

  It's a semi-true story

  Believe it or not

  I made up a few things

  And there's some I forgot

  But the life and the telling

  Are both real to me

  And they run like the rain

  All the way to the sea…

  – Jimmy Buffett

  Chapter One

  “You quit your job?” Tess pushed back from her desk to see her husband, Gabe, beaming at her as though he’d just won the lottery.

  “I did! You know I’ve been wanting to for a while now, babe.” Gabe wrapped his arms around Tess, swinging her into a bouncy two-step.

  “Um, not really, no. In the abstract, yes, for when we talked about moving to Colorado, but not like, you know, now.” Tess’s mind whirled as quickly as Gabe was moving her across the room. Their rescue bulldogs, Red and Ringo, joined in the dance at their feet.

  “It just seemed like a good time,” Gabe said. “Your books are doing so well, and I have a nice 401k. I think we’ll be fine.”

  “But… why now? Wouldn’t it have been better for you to leave once we actually decided to move? I mean, we haven’t even explored any of the areas we think we might like to live, yet. What if we decide to stay here?” Tess asked, trying to slow Gabe down without dampening his exuberance.

  She hadn’t seen him this bubbly in a while – manic almost – and was trying to enjoy his mood while tamping down on the panic that threatened to choke her. Being thrust into the sole breadwinner position with zero discussion was not something she’d put on her agenda to contemplate this afternoon. Gabe danced her back over to her desk, leaning her back against it to kiss her deeply, and then peeked over her shoulder at her computer.

  “Is that for our trip to New Orleans? You should definitely book those concert tickets. Now, we can go and be carefree and relax.” Gabe nuzzled into her neck as he held her close.

  Tess breathed in his familiar scent, letting him hold her there, and tried to relax into the moment. He’d been stressing over accounts at work, and putting in extra hours at the gym to deal with it for months now. When she’d tried to talk to him about it, he’d nearly bitten her head off more than a time or two. Maybe he did need this change—for both their sakes. At least he might be in a better mood for their trip next week to New Orleans. They’d planned it to celebrate their fifth anniversary, and she’d hoped it would bring him out of his funk and reconnect them.

  Tess began calculating how much money they had in their bank accounts, and what would need to be set aside as a safety net now that they couldn’t count on Gabe’s salary.

  “Okay, babe, I’ll book the concert tickets. It’ll be great. We could use some fun,” Tess said, and watched as Gabe bounced away, pausing to tussle with the delighted dogs, before whistling his way downstairs.

  The telltale clink of ice cubes hitting a glass and the squeak of the door on the liquor cabinet told Tess just how Gabe planned to celebrate. Turning, she stared out the window where they’d just had a brand-new cedar fence installed around their beautiful yard, a cost that she’d been willing to spend to keep her dogs safe. It had been her one condition about buying this house with Gabe, and though taking out a home equity loan had bothered her, she’d gone along with it to renovate the house.

  Despite herself, she’d gotten caught up in the fun of it and they’d overhauled the kitchen, added a deck to the backyard, and made improvements to Gabe’s man-room in the basement. All while they’d still talked about moving to Colorado. Tess shook her head and wondered at their decision-making, but a part of her never really thought they’d make the move out of Illinois. It had been somewhat of a pipe dream for so long, one of those ‘what-ifs’ they always talked about. She’d been shocked when Gabe had agreed to book a trip to Colorado that spring to explore neighborhoods. Now, she contemplated what her life would be like with Gabe at home every day, and her nails dug into her palms. She loved her husband, but she also loved being able to focus on her work at home uninterrupted.

  “Tess, come have a drink with me,” Gabe called up the stairs, and Tess glanced back to where she’d planned to work on a chapter for her next novel. “We should celebrate – this is the start of a new life for us.”

  A week later, Tess stood beside Gabe in the sparkling marble foyer of their favorite hotel in New Orleans, admiring the graceful arches and high ceilings that added to the old-world charm.

  “Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell.” The woman at the front desk beamed at them, sliding keys across the gleaming wood counter to Gabe. “And, may I say? Happy anniversary.”

  “Thank you,” Tess said, smiling at the woman before following Gabe to the elevator. She loved coming here. There was nothing like escaping to another place, and the pulse of this city never ceased to excite her. Not to mention the location of the hotel was fantastic.

  “Ta-da,” Gabe proclaimed, coming to stop at the end of a long hallway, carpeted with the traditional fleur-de-lis pattern. He held his hands up to the door with a gilded sign proclaiming it to be the Te
nnessee Williams suite.

  “Gabe! Did you upgrade us? I didn’t reserve us a suite.” Delighted at his forethought, she pulled out her phone to take a picture of the door. “Tennessee Williams! My readers are going to love this!”

  “No,” Gabe said, his tone sharp as he grabbed the phone from her hands. “I don’t want you posting anything publicly about this trip.”

  “What… why? It’s just a suite name. It’s a famous author, I’m sure my readers would like it.”

  “I said no. You know I don’t like it when you post about me on your author page. This trip is private. That’s non-negotiable.” Gabe pushed the door open to reveal a large suite, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a wrap-around balcony, and a huge seating area with a green velvet sofa and a bookcase packed with vintage books. “I want this to be just between us, Tess. This is our time.”

  Tess wanted to protest that she rarely posted anything about Gabe publicly, but he was already drawing her into the suite. She let the moment go to exclaim over the room as he threw the balcony doors open, letting in the full cacophony of New Orleans, and Tess joined him to look down at the people meandering the street below.

  “Oh, look! A second-line.” Tess smiled down at where a bride in a vintage-style gown and a groom with bright blue shoes paraded their way down the street behind a brass band.

  The first time they’d visited New Orleans together, they’d jumped up from their meal and had run outside to see the parade dance by. Not only had it been exciting, but that moment turned out to be what inspired them to return to the French Quarter to get married. “Remember ours? It was so much fun!” She leaned into him, wishing he’d put his arm around her.

  “Right? Time for drinks.” Gabe barely glanced at the couple who pirouetted below them, lost in their bliss. Tess wondered if she’d looked that happy on their wedding day. She’d been so nervous that the day had flown by in a flash.

  Reluctantly, she followed Gabe inside where he handed her a drink from the mini bar – the first of many they’d have that weekend. In New Orleans, cocktails were abundant.

  The following day, they poked around the French Quarter, popping into antique jewelry shops until Gabe could find a necklace he liked for her as a memento of their anniversary. It was her credit card that paid for it, but Tess pushed the annoyance away, reminding herself that finances blend together after marriage. The biggest surprise came that evening when Gabe presented her with a private dinner on the balcony of their suite, complete with flowers and even more gifts – diamonds this time. Tess wanted to enjoy the romance, but she couldn’t help desperately wondering who the person sitting across from her was. It was like watching someone tick off all the boxes on the checklist: flowers? Check. Diamonds? Check. Fancy surprise dinner on a private balcony? Check. Yet he hadn’t touched her since they’d arrived.

  Pasting a smile on her face, Tess chattered her way through dinner, and kept the conversation going on the walk to the Preservation Hall’s famous jazz concert. As they stood in line to wait, a woman in front of them turned and glanced at Tess’s sparkly dress, something she’d bought special for the occasion, hoping Gabe would think she looked sexy for their anniversary.

  “Smashing dress, darling,” the woman said, and Tess smiled her thanks before quickly glancing at Gabe to see if he would think the same. Instead, he downed the drink he’d brought on the walk with them and tossed the cup in a nearby garbage container. Ignoring her misgivings, Tess found their seats, and for the next hour, had the first moments of pure joy on this trip since they’d arrived. They sat on an unforgiving wooden school bench, a few feet from an old-timey jazz band, and listened as the band poured their souls into their music. Tess was delighted.

  “What a great band! I’m so glad we went this time,” Tess exclaimed after the concert while she waited at the bar for Gabe to order drinks for the walk home. She didn’t even want a drink – she was riding high on the excitement of the show – but took the one he handed her nonetheless.

  “They had such a funky vibe,” Gabe agreed, as they wound their way back to the hotel. “I love how they all dressed the part too. It’d be cool to sit in a pub and hear their stories.”

  “Totally.” Tess was already dreaming up characters around the musicians. “Their faces had so much personality, too. But the music… it really just kind of hit you in your soul.”

  Gabe let them into the suite and strode into the bedroom where he stripped and wrapped himself in a robe, before moving to the mini-fridge where he’d stored a bottle. Tess put her still-full drink on the table, and dug in her luggage before stepping to the bathroom.

  “I’ll just be a minute.”

  In the bathroom, Tess examined her hair and make-up as she slithered into a little red teddy she’d bought just for tonight, hoping that some hot anniversary sex would bring them closer again. Lately, she’d felt like the supporting role in Gabe’s life, but never the leading.

  “Hey,” Tess said, standing in the doorway and posing for him. Gabe lay on the bed, wrapped in his robe, scrolling his phone.

  “Oh, hey,” Gabe said, and the look that crossed his face wasn’t a particularly happy one – more like a grimace, if Tess was honest with herself. She knew what he was going to say before the words even came out of his mouth. “Babe, I can’t tonight. I ate way too much food at dinner. Can we just chill instead?”

  “Of course,” Tess said lightly, so as not to cause a fight. She reached behind her to pull the fluffy white robe from the door. “I’m just going to sit on the balcony for a bit then.”

  “Sure.” Gabe didn’t look up as he typed on his phone. Tess picked up her Kindle and unhinged the swinging balcony door to sit where they’d had dinner earlier that evening. The melody of the city embraced her, and Tess glanced back over her shoulder, hoping Gabe would join her. Instead, she could just see his face, alight in the glow of his phone, a smug smile across his handsome features as he continued to type rapidly, a bottle of whiskey on the side table.

  Tess blinked back tears as she turned away, burying herself in her book, forcing the questions down for another day.

  Chapter Two

  He looked so happy in the photo. Tess sat, staring numbly at the computer screen in front of her where Gabe’s Facebook Messenger sat wide open, the picture of her husband – naked in bed, his arms wrapped around a woman too young to know the difference between lust and love – searing into her retinas. Tess knew that look on his face – she’d seen it time and again after he’d satisfied himself with her body – a smile playing on his lips while she waited for him to come back from the bathroom with a tissue, stuck in the universally awkward situation that lovers often find themselves in.

  Tess’s hands trembled as she opened another browser window and slowly typed in the web address of their bank. The accounts popped onto the screen – at least the accounts they shared – and the tightness that had banded her chest eased a bit as she saw that all looked to be normal. The money in the shared account was mainly hers, as it had now been several months since Gabe had quit his job and embarked on a steady regimen of going to the gym twice a day and drinking too much.

  Tess hesitated, her eyes flashing back to the picture on the screen in front of her, taking in the smug satisfaction on Gabe’s handsome face, before calmly emptying their shared bank account and moving all the money to hers. She waited, taking one shuddering breath after another, to see if something would happen – anything – but only a blast of wind at the window and a silent house answered. What did she think would happen? Her phone would explode with angry texts or sirens would go off? It wasn’t like she was doing anything illegal. Or immoral.

  Her mind flashed to just days before, when she’d lain awake, watching the light from Gabe’s phone blink, flashing repeatedly across the ceiling, incessantly pounding its message into Tess’s brain. Gabe slept on, not a care in the world, while the blinking light refused to be ignored, his phone all but screaming at Tess.

  Wake up, you fucking
moron.

  She’d slid from the covers, the air cool on her clammy skin, and padded around the bed. Tess had hesitated as she stood over Gabe, watching him sleep so peacefully, and wondered again if she was being paranoid. Perhaps she’d been imagining his distance from her lately. Her hand had hovered over the phone for a moment before she’d made up her mind and snatched it from the table. Racing around the bed, Tess had caught her toe on a nightstand as she headed for the bathroom, and unable to control the curse that shot from her mouth, she’d hobbled her way to the bathroom door.

  But not in time.

  Gabe had been on her in seconds, slamming her into the tiled wall of the bathroom as carelessly as if she were one of his sagging intramural football buddies, wrenching the phone from her hand before she’d had time to recover from the pain that still ratcheted up her leg from her stubbed toe. The crack of her head against the cold tile of the wall echoed the crack in her heart and she watched, astounded, as tears filled Gabe’s eyes. He was crying?