The Secrets of Paradise Bay by Devon Vaughn Archer Page B

miscarriage?”
    â€œYes,” Ivana said emotionally.
    â€œOh, you poor baby.” Naki hugged her. “Why didn’t you tell me what Trey had been up to?”
    â€œGuess I didn’t want to hear, ‘I told you so.’”
    â€œYou know me better than that. We all make mistakes.”
    But some were more unforgivable than others. Ivana took the wine back and sipped. “I’ve been trying to deal with it ever since—not very well, I’m afraid.”
    â€œSo why haven’t you left him?” Naki asked bluntly.
    Ivana couldn’t figure that one out herself. She’d thought about asking for a divorce on more than one occasion. But what then? Collect alimony and become an old maid? She had no interest in going back into modeling, though she believed there was still a place out there for older models. She certainly would not return home to San Antonio, only to be once again at her mother’s beck and call.
    In many respects, Ivana considered herself stuck in a bad situation, but tried to put on a brave front. “He’s apologized like a thousand times and swears it will never happen again. Maybe Trey means it.”
    â€œSo too did men who have cheated on me, I’m sure,” Naki said. “But I wasn’t married to them. You don’t have to put up with this crap, Ivana. You can come to London and we can room together. It would be fun and maybe you can get back into the business.”
    Ivana was flattered more than she could say, but didn’t think that was the answer. At least not right now. “I think that part of me still loves Trey and wants to forgive him.” Even if another part felt hatred and found what he did totally unforgivable. And certainly unforgettable.
    â€œI understand that you have mixed emotions, are confused, and probably even afraid to walk away from this marriage,” Naki said. “That’s perfectly normal. But it doesn’t change the reality of your situation.”
    â€œDoesn’t it?” questioned Ivana.
    â€œHow can you stay with a man if you can’t trust him?” Naki fixed her with a straight gaze. “In my experience, men who cheat once can never be trusted again. I’m afraid that the same is likely true with Trey, no matter how many expensive gifts he gives you to try and buy his way out of a jam. Who’s to say that he won’t jump at the next woman who flashes her boobs in his face? Or, for that matter, isn’t still involved with this homewrecker bitch?”
    â€œYou really think Trey could be . . . or is—” Ivana’s voice shook.
    â€œI wouldn’t put it past him. Once a dog, always a dog. You deserve so much better, Ivana. What if he is fooling around or decides to again next week or two months from now? Where will that leave you?”
    Where will that leave me? Ivana wondered uneasily . Is it possible that Trey hasn’t ridden himself of the cheating bug? Maybe he’s using our current situation as an excuse to get some on the side with Helene DeCroch. Or spend time in another woman’s bed.
    The thought infuriated Ivana, even if Naki may have been way off base. Maybe she should hire a private investigator to spy on her husband. Or maybe this marriage wasn’t even worth holding onto—any more than being faithful to a man who hadn’t shown her the respect she was entitled to.
    Ivana finished off the drink.

Chapter Eleven
    The charity ball to raise money to fight sickle-cell anemia was held at the DeCroch Hotel in downtown Paradise Bay. As one of the sponsors of this year’s fundraising event, Trey was obligated to come. Though no one in his family had sickle cell, fighting the disease was important to him, not only because it primarily affected people of African ancestry, but a good friend of Trey’s had died recently from complications associated with the hereditary disorder.
    Grant and Helene DeCroch were also