The Secret Lives of Housewives by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd

B?”
    â€œSorry. Those in the business are so used to the abbreviation. It’s Conroy and Bates. That’s a big ad agency in the city.” One of the top five, actually.
    â€œWhat does that mean you do, exactly?”
    â€œI deal with big corporations who need to buy TV time and print space to advertise their products. I set up media plans, work with the creative guys, and approve commercials, like that. I also try to convince them to buy more and spend more.”
    â€œPhew,” Angie said. “From all I’ve seen on those cop shows on TV, being in the advertising business is a lot of high pressure.”
    â€œOn Law and Order , advertising people work twelve-hour days and sweat a lot over the possibility of losing an account,” Eve said.
    â€œYou got that right,” Monica said, trying to release the tension she suddenly felt in her jaw. It was always her jaw that felt it first. “That’s why I’m taking this class. I’ve got to get rid of some of this stress.”
    â€œWell, yoga’s good for that,” Angie said. Her face softened and Monica realized that she was quite pretty, or would be if she’d do something about herself. She also realized that with twins, finding time to have her hair or nails done was probably out of the question. And there was always the money.
    â€œHow about you, Cait? You said you don’t work?” Monica winced. “Maybe that wasn’t the most tactful way to put that.”
    â€œIt’s okay, Monica. I don’t work, per se, but I’m busy all the time. I’m on the board of several large charities and it seems we’re going and doing all the time. I paint, work out, and my husband and I do a lot of entertaining.”
    â€œWhat does he do?” Eve asked.
    â€œHe’s a partner in his family’s real estate firm. American Properties.”
    â€œWow. They’ve got signs up everywhere,” Angie said. “Does he sell a lot of houses?”
    â€œThe firm does,” Cait said. “Actually he’s on the corporate side, selling or renting entire buildings to big businesses, Fortune 500 types.”
    â€œWhere did you get the name Cait? I mean, spelled that way. I’ve never heard of it before.”
    She told them about her teacher and the two other Caitlins.
    â€œWhy didn’t they call you ‘Red’?”
    â€œMy hair wasn’t quite this color back then,” Cait said to Angie, tucking a strand behind her ear with a charming, slightly embarrassed grin. “It has a little help about once a month now.”
    The three other women giggled. “Ah,” Eve said, becoming serious again. “I’ve been admiring that color. It looks so fabulous with your face.”
    â€œActually, it would look great on you, Eve,” Angie said. “You might consider doing something like it. You could use one of those wash-in products, and if you didn’t like it, it would just disappear slowly.”
    â€œI don’t think it would be right for me. Cait’s so polished, so upscale, that it really looks perfect on her. Me? I don’t think so.”
    Cait looked uncomfortable with the compliments. “God, this coffee’s really dreadful,” she said, quickly changing the topic. “I love this diner and I have lunch here a few times a week. The food’s really good, but their coffee…” She made an ugly face. “I think it sits in those pots until it cooks down to gunk.”
    Eve put her half-full cup down. “You’re right, Cait. It really is sludge. A gal at the office makes dreadful coffee like this. My boss calls it cawful, for awful coffee.” She paused and her face softened for a moment. Then she said, “Anyway, this qualifies as cawful.”
    Monica took a small swallow. She’d noticed the lightning quick change in Eve’s mood but didn’t comment. She hadn’t really focused on the