migraines,” she explained, accepting the outstretched glass.
As she waited for Kate to uncork the wine, Emily allowed her gaze to wander across the living room. Kate’s apartment was ablaze with varying shades of terra cotta. Instead of pictures, she’d opted for bronze wall plaques. Grecian and Roman sculptures, in varying sizes, sat on marble tables. It was obvious that Kate either had a well-paying job or came from a wealthy family.
“I like your apartment,” Emily said. “It’s elegant without being overstated. Reminds me of all the mythological tales I read as a child.”
Kate’s smile deepened as the three women chose their seats. “Thanks. Before I came here I traveled extensively through Europe and picked up most of my statues in Greece and Rome.”
“Do you still travel?”
“Not like I used to,” Kate replied with a sigh. “Now it seems like all I do is work, sleep, and go back to work,” she complained.
“I know what you mean,” Meg agreed. “I’ve been working fifteen- and sixteen-hour days for over a month, and it’s killing me.” She took a sip of wine. “Mmmmm. This stuff is gorgeous, Kate. I wish you’d tell me where you get it.”
Kate laughed. “No way, Meg. The minute I gave out that information, you’d be hounding those folks for a case of this stuff.”
“Are you a dancer?” Emily asked, noting the graceful wave of Meg’s arms whenever she gestured.
“Well, sort of. I’m a showgirl, which means I do almost everything they ask me to,” Meg teased. “What about you, Emily? What do you do?”
Emily toyed with her glass. “I used to be a special effects artist for a movie company,” she explained in a voice she prayed was normal. “But a car accident made that work impossible for me to do anymore, so I’m kind of in between careers. I love flowers and color, so I’ll probably look for a job in some kind of florist shop.”
Meg drained her glass. “I saw your Jeep in the parking lot and noticed you haven’t changed your license plate yet. You know that you’ll have to do that pretty quick, now that you’re living here, right?”
Emily nodded. “Yeah. I plan to do that next week.”
“Good. Are you originally from California?” Kate asked.
“No, I moved there after I got married. I’m from New Mexico. I lived in Albuquerque until I was twenty-three.”
Meg stretched her willowy arms behind her neck, then flung them above her head. “I’m from Sacramento,” she announced. “Lived there until I turned twenty-one, and the day after my birthday I headed for Vegas to be a showgirl.” She flashed Emily a triumphant smile. “I’m in the new review at the Golddigger’s Roundup. If you would like to see it, I can get you a free pass.” She cast a quick glance at Emily’s left hand. “Are you still married?”
Emily nearly choked on her wine. “I’m divorced.”
“Oh. Does your ex-hubby live here?”
“No, thank goodness. I won’t even live in the same state as that rat bastard.”
Meg snickered. “Let me guess—you caught him cheating!”
“Yeah, but it’s not something I care to talk about, so I’d appreciate it if we could change the subject.”
“Good idea,” Kate agreed, glaring at Meg. “Sorry to subject you to fifty questions, Emily, but we were curious.” She flashed Emily another smile.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Kate refilled their glasses. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do? There’s tons of new businesses opening in Vegas. You couldn’t have picked a better time to launch a new career.”
Emily set her wineglass on the table. “Actually, I’m thinking about trying my hand at the slots.”
Meg and Kate groaned in unison. “Honey, you’re smart enough to realize that slots are for suckers, right?” Kate asked in disbelief.
Emily laughed. “I know, but I’ve had a really weird streak of luck, so I figured I’d keep it up until I started losing, then quit. You know, kinda get it out
As she waited for Kate to uncork the wine, Emily allowed her gaze to wander across the living room. Kate’s apartment was ablaze with varying shades of terra cotta. Instead of pictures, she’d opted for bronze wall plaques. Grecian and Roman sculptures, in varying sizes, sat on marble tables. It was obvious that Kate either had a well-paying job or came from a wealthy family.
“I like your apartment,” Emily said. “It’s elegant without being overstated. Reminds me of all the mythological tales I read as a child.”
Kate’s smile deepened as the three women chose their seats. “Thanks. Before I came here I traveled extensively through Europe and picked up most of my statues in Greece and Rome.”
“Do you still travel?”
“Not like I used to,” Kate replied with a sigh. “Now it seems like all I do is work, sleep, and go back to work,” she complained.
“I know what you mean,” Meg agreed. “I’ve been working fifteen- and sixteen-hour days for over a month, and it’s killing me.” She took a sip of wine. “Mmmmm. This stuff is gorgeous, Kate. I wish you’d tell me where you get it.”
Kate laughed. “No way, Meg. The minute I gave out that information, you’d be hounding those folks for a case of this stuff.”
“Are you a dancer?” Emily asked, noting the graceful wave of Meg’s arms whenever she gestured.
“Well, sort of. I’m a showgirl, which means I do almost everything they ask me to,” Meg teased. “What about you, Emily? What do you do?”
Emily toyed with her glass. “I used to be a special effects artist for a movie company,” she explained in a voice she prayed was normal. “But a car accident made that work impossible for me to do anymore, so I’m kind of in between careers. I love flowers and color, so I’ll probably look for a job in some kind of florist shop.”
Meg drained her glass. “I saw your Jeep in the parking lot and noticed you haven’t changed your license plate yet. You know that you’ll have to do that pretty quick, now that you’re living here, right?”
Emily nodded. “Yeah. I plan to do that next week.”
“Good. Are you originally from California?” Kate asked.
“No, I moved there after I got married. I’m from New Mexico. I lived in Albuquerque until I was twenty-three.”
Meg stretched her willowy arms behind her neck, then flung them above her head. “I’m from Sacramento,” she announced. “Lived there until I turned twenty-one, and the day after my birthday I headed for Vegas to be a showgirl.” She flashed Emily a triumphant smile. “I’m in the new review at the Golddigger’s Roundup. If you would like to see it, I can get you a free pass.” She cast a quick glance at Emily’s left hand. “Are you still married?”
Emily nearly choked on her wine. “I’m divorced.”
“Oh. Does your ex-hubby live here?”
“No, thank goodness. I won’t even live in the same state as that rat bastard.”
Meg snickered. “Let me guess—you caught him cheating!”
“Yeah, but it’s not something I care to talk about, so I’d appreciate it if we could change the subject.”
“Good idea,” Kate agreed, glaring at Meg. “Sorry to subject you to fifty questions, Emily, but we were curious.” She flashed Emily another smile.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Kate refilled their glasses. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do? There’s tons of new businesses opening in Vegas. You couldn’t have picked a better time to launch a new career.”
Emily set her wineglass on the table. “Actually, I’m thinking about trying my hand at the slots.”
Meg and Kate groaned in unison. “Honey, you’re smart enough to realize that slots are for suckers, right?” Kate asked in disbelief.
Emily laughed. “I know, but I’ve had a really weird streak of luck, so I figured I’d keep it up until I started losing, then quit. You know, kinda get it out
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