"But look at the context. That's what matters." She swiveled out to the side and put her arms on her thighs, gazing at Callie with new determination.

"Nonsense. There's no context for lying."

"Sure there is. This was just about business. If you hadn't found out this would never have come up." Confidence radiated from her face. "Was I less interested in you because of her? No! Did you ever want to have s.e.x and I turned you down? Of course not. I was always there for you when I was home. How does what I did away from home affect you?"

Continuing to slap tape onto the next box, Callie scoffed, "Stupid question. Really stupid."

"It's not!"

She stopped and stared at her. "It is, Marina. Lying is bad for relationships. Especially when the lies started before I'd unpacked. How could you do that?" Don't cry. Don't you dare cry. She doesn't deserve your tears.

"Here's the context." Her voice had taken on the slow, calm manner she had when she'd practiced a client presentation. Clear, concise and full of s.h.i.t. "We were at some offsite conference, and we'd both had too much to drink. We were in..." She appeared to think for a few seconds. "Las Vegas. Of course, it was Las Vegas. We'd been out with some vendors, and they took us to see a show. They were mortified when the show had a dozen mostly naked women in it and kept apologizing. On the way back to our rooms, Angela let something slip about how hot the women were. I took a chance and said none of them were my type." She smiled in memory, the simple act making Callie want to bean her. "I said I preferred a woman in a great fitting suit."

"Which Angela was wearing."

"Yeah, of course."

Of course. Like you'd ever give a compliment that didn't buy you something.

"So she admitted she was gay and we...you know." Marina almost looked contrite.

"That's all it took," Callie said flatly. "Just a willing lesbian."

"No, not at all. I'd been interested in her for over a year. I just didn't think it was smart to start something up with someone who was farther up the chain. She made it feel safe."

It was a guess, but it was probably right. It could be sold with conviction. "You and I were already together. Didn't that enter into your thought process?"

"Sure. Of course it did."

What a sc.u.mmy excuse for a girlfriend. What had I been smoking to put up with this? Am I blind in every area of my life? "Tell me how. I dare you."

"Look." Marina stood up and started pacing, hand on hip. "I figured she was kinda... grandfathered in. I'd been interested in her long before I even met you. And, frankly, I thought it could help my career. When I get promoted to vice president, it will be great for us, Callie. I'll be making serious money."

"Money?" Her cheeks felt scalding hot. "How does your money affect me?"

"Well, once I start making serious money, I can pay for more things. I asked you to come to Acapulco. I was gonna pay for the whole thing."

"Right." She went back to her box-building.

"I would have been more generous. I really would have."

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." She plunked down on the floor right beside the new box. "We've been together long enough that I feel more secure with you. More like this is permanent."

"I don't feel that way." She whipped the box away and moved it to her other side. "I'm packing my things and taking off."

"Come on." Marina got to her knees and scrambled around Callie. "Don't shut me out. Listen to me."

"You're free to talk. No one's stopping you."

"After we slept together I realized it was a mistake."

"Nice timing. So you kept at it for eighteen months to make it right?"

"No. Once we did it, I had to let her decide when to end it." She made a face. "She sucked in bed. She said her girlfriend was the one who wasn't any good, but I think it was her."

She could be killed, dismembered and packed in the new boxes. No one would miss her. The thought made a spark of pleasure roll down Callie's back. She took a long breath, trying to keep her voice calm. "I don't want to hear how she justified it. That's irrelevant."

"No, it's not. She was starved for s.e.x. She said her girlfriend was a complete dud and that she didn't get off on her at all. But she wanted to stay because she loved her in every other way." She sat back on her heels, blinking. "Why you'd want to stay with someone who wasn't good in bed is beyond me, but that's what she said. So she wanted to keep me around to blow off some steam. That's why I had to keep doing it. I swear, I didn't like it!"

Callie sat down so they were eye to eye. "The fact that you don't understand why that makes you a user is part of the problem." With the flat of her hand she smacked Marina's temple. "Your head is empty of morals!"

"It is not." She scooted back, just out of Callie's reach. She was almost sulking. "You're the one who tried to get me to agree to things that made no sense."

"Like honesty and being true to your word?"

"No. I tried to be honest. I told you how hard it would be for me to get permission before I had s.e.x with someone. You were warned."

"And you told me you'd do it."

"I tried. It just wasn't possible. What was I supposed to do? Meet a woman at O'Hare and tell her I had to call home before I could go to her hotel? That's ridiculous."

"How many others?" There had clearly been others. But acting upset about it would make her clam up.

"Not that many." Marina had that look on her face. The I'm-lying look. It was always the same. Too earnest. Too sincere.

"So you lied since the first day and haven't stopped."

"It's not a lie if it doesn't hurt anyone. Being honest was the problem. Hiding it let me have what I wanted and you have what you wanted-some control over my libido."

"Yeah, that was some control."

"You wanted security. Lying gave that to you." She gazed up at Callie with what looked like complete confidence in her claim.

"You're a pathological liar, and I regret the day we met."

Marina started crawling across the floor on her knees again. "Please don't say that."

Callie got up and stuck her foot into Marina's chest, stopping her in her tracks. "Keep your distance. We're done. Finished. Forever. You can bank on my promises, and that's one I'll never renege on."

Chapter Eight.

Temporarily ensconced at her friend Pam's house, Callie waited a couple of days to call Regan. Telling her the whole truth wasn't an option. If it was true that Angela had learned her lesson, Regan's finding out about the duration of the affair would screw things up. Regan was taking things slowly, being very careful not to forgive too easily. She'd find out soon enough if Angela was as full of it as Marina was.

Regan was just getting home when Callie reached her. "Hi, it's Callie."

"Hey, how are you?" She sounded a little better. A little lighter.

"I'm pretty good. I wanted to tell you something."

The sound of a chair sc.r.a.ping across a floor echoed in the background. "What is it?"

"I...decided to break up with Marina."

"Oh, Callie, I'm sorry." After a beat she asked sharply, "Did something else happen?"

She had to give her something. But she had to focus on Marina. "Yes, I found out that Marina's been cheating with other women too. But the worst thing is that she honestly doesn't see that what she did was hurtful. That's more than I could take."

"G.o.d." Regan took in an audible breath. "I really feel bad for you. That must hurt so bad."

Her voice was so full of compa.s.sion that Callie almost started crying. It was so soothing to have another woman get it-in every way. "Yeah, it really does. It makes me feel foolish, which isn't any party either."

"You're not foolish. You trusted someone who didn't deserve your trust. She's the bad guy in this. Being trusting is a good thing."

"Maybe. I'll have to think about that. Getting burned two times in a row might make me demand a weekly lie detector test."

"Don't let it affect how you feel about yourself. This was Marina's fault. She's the one who should be ashamed of herself."

"Don't bother telling her that. You'd be wasting your breath."

Over the next couple of weeks, Callie and Regan chatted nearly every day. Regan was solicitous and very gentle, always willing to listen. They'd gotten to the point where they were talking about other facets of their lives, but the betrayal kept coming up.

"Did you know that Marina is coming to Boston this week?" Regan asked one afternoon.

"No. I had no idea. How'd you find out?"

"I looked at Angela's calendar. She keeps it on the computer in her office and I've started to check it. It said there's a general sales manager's meeting starting tomorrow. I don't like spying, but she's made me doubt everything she tells me."

"You'll get over that. I'm sure of it."

"I'm not."

"That's a pretty dramatic statement. I haven't heard you that adamant since the first time we talked. Are you gonna give me a little more?"

"It's finally gotten clear in my head. I don't trust her anymore. I've started to a.s.sume that everything she tells me is a lie, and that's killing me. "

"I understand. I really do. I'm right there with you."

"I wish I could believe that it was just one slip-up. If I was sure they'd only been together that one time..."

"You think that-" Callie caught the incredulity in her voice and tried to back pedal. "You think that would help?" she finished weakly.

"How many times was it?"

Regan's voice was so firm and demanding that Callie didn't even consider lying. "It was more than once. I thought...I thought you knew that."

"Tell me everything you know."

"Look, I could tell you what Marina said, but she lies about everything. I don't want to screw things up for you. Ask Angela. She's the one who matters."

"Tell me!"

"They were together more than once. I know that's true. Other than that...I'm not sure what to believe."

"That's it," she said briskly. "It's over. I can't deal with this another minute."

"Wait. Wait. Don't jump off a cliff because of that. Angela was probably afraid to tell you. She should have been afraid, right?"

"Yes!"

"She was probably trying to hold onto you, Regan. Making it sound like a one-time thing helped."

"Then how in the h.e.l.l am I ever supposed to believe her again?" She let out a long breath and said, "I'm going to follow her tomorrow."

"Follow her? You can't do that!"

"Yes, I can. I'm going to figure out a way to tell if they're still doing it."

"But how will you know? They have to see each other for business."

"True. But if they see each other for anything other than business, I'll have my answer, and I can walk away from this without second-guessing myself."

"I don't know how you're going to do this, but I'll help in any way I can."

"I know you will. I'll figure out how to give her enough rope to hang herself with. If she's still standing tomorrow night, I'll give her more time. If not-she's dead to me."

Relief flooded over Callie. Regan was clearly no sucker. She couldn't afford to be when she was mixed up with liars like Marina, and it had become more and more obvious that Angela was just as bad.

The next day Callie couldn't get a moment's work done. She was tempted to fly to Boston just to be there for Regan, but she couldn't afford the expense of a last-minute airfare. She called in the morning "Regan, do you have a friend who could be with you tonight?"

"Yeah. Sure. But I'd rather be alone."

The thought of Regan sitting there alone, waiting to know if she was being betrayed was almost too much to stand. She wanted to support her in any way she needed. They were sisters in some strange way, and she hated the thought of her sister struggling through this alone.

"Are you sure I can't talk you out of your plans? You could come down here the next time Angela has to be in Dallas. That would be the same, right?"

"No. I've made up my mind, and everyone knows I'm the hardheaded one of the family."

"Everyone knows I'm the one who hates turmoil."

"You don't have to be in on this. Really, you don't."