Love, Lies and Scandal Read Online Free PDF Page B

tomorrow and shoot for your best," Jesse said as the woman took her purchases.

    "Maybe I'll see you out there," she said as she and her girlfriend stepped away, looking at him longer than necessary.

    "Maybe I'll see you out there," JoAnn mocked the woman as she stood next to Jesse. "Who were they? Some of your running groupies?"

    "No, that was Lisa and Monique. They're runners from the Bay area."

    "They were both smiling at you awful hard. I thought you knew them or something."

    "No, they were just being friendly, that's all," Jesse said.

    "Do you have your wedding ring on?" JoAnn asked.

    "Of course I do." Jesse gave her one of his evil glares. "What's wrong with you?" He had no clue as to why she was irritated.

    "You just make sure that you let these running groupies know that you're taken already. I don't feel like having to beat a bitch down today."

    "JoAnn," Jesse said through gritted teeth. JoAnn knew that she'd unintentionally struck a nerve. "Put that damn attitude of yours in check."

    "I'm just letting you know, okay? I'll beat a bitch down in here."

    "The last time you got into a fight, you didn't do so well, remember?" Jesse began moving away from her to help a man who was looking at a pair of sunglasses. His comment hurt her and stirred up a multitude of bad feelings. There was no need for him to bring up the fight she'd had a few months back with her niece.

    "I need another drink," she whispered to herself. She looked back at Jesse who was finalizing another sale. She reached for the flask in her purse and drank the vodka and orange juice she'd mixed up and poured into it.

    "I feel so much better now," JoAnn said as she exited the hotel bathroom wrapped in the complimentary bathrobe. She'd decided to take a shower while Jesse counted the day's cash and receipts. "My legs are aching from standing up all day. Will you rub them for me?"

    "Yeah, in a minute," Jesse answered as he continued to count money.

    "Do you mind if I turn on the television?" JoAnn asked as she positioned herself on the bed.

    "Yes, I do. Just give me one more minute," Jesse said as he continued mumbling to himself and writing down numbers. JoAnn huffed as she waited patiently for him to finish.

    "Okay, it appears as if we didn't do bad at all. It cost forty-five hundred dollars to ship merchandise out here, pay for our airfare and hotel expenses, as well as cover the cost of the booth space. I have eight thousand, five hundred dollars in cash and another six thousand dollars in credit card receipts. So that adds up to fourteen thousand, five hundred, minus expenses, which leaves the business earning a profit of ten thousand dollars. We've made a handsome amount of money over the past three days." Jesse smiled.

    "You know what we should do, babe?" JoAnn had what she thought was a grand idea.

    "What?" Jesse asked as he placed the money in a secure bag and then moved toward the safe in the room.

    "We should take some of the money and have a little fun. We should go gambling just for the hell of it."

    Jesse laughed as if he agreed and then stopped abruptly. "No," he said with conviction.

    "Why not? Let's live a little, let's be spontaneous and enjoy ourselves. We can afford it," she said with glee.

    "No, that's called being irresponsible. Besides, you know that I don't gamble. I work too damn hard for my money to throw it away."

    "We're in Las Vegas, Jesse. That's what people do here. They have fun," JoAnn argued.

    "Babe, I have a marathon to run which means that I'm not going be up all night fumbling around at a casino. Besides I was reluctant about you even coming on this trip because I know casinos aren't a very good place for you."

    "It's not like that anymore and you know it. I know how to control myself. We can splurge a little during our extended stay. Let's just budget out a certain amount."

    "No. My idea of fun is sticking to what we agreed to. We're going to enjoy a Las Vegas show or two, have romantic dinners and