The Executive's Decision by Bernadette Marie Page B

blades from her bad attitude released.
    Gardens were blooming around the circle drive at the entrance. The floral aroma filled her senses and made the bouquet of mixed flowers she’d brought for Audrey seem inadequate.
    She climbed from the car, stood in the vast openness, and took in the view. Horses grazed in meadows on either side of the house. The leaves rustled in the light breeze, and the sounds of a rippling creek nearby calmed her instantly. She was right in the place she’d always dreamed of being. Tennessee sprawling land and rocking chairs on the porch. She was very happy to have made friends with Audrey Benson.
    When she rang the doorbell, a handsome man with eyes that matched Zachary's answered the door.
    “You must be Regan,” he said.
    “Yes.”
    He extended his hand. “Tyler Benson.”
    “It’s very nice to meet you.”
    “Please come in.” She walked into the entrance of the grand house with a smile. “Audrey is expecting you on the patio.”
    Regan followed him down the hallway to an enormous kitchen and out the back door. Beyond the patio more rose bushes were in full bloom. Acreage spilled out before her with a grove of trees beyond the first field that hid the creek she could hear. Audrey awaited her next to the pool on a lounge.
    “Oh, Regan, you’re here!” She stood, her sunglasses hiding her eyes and the large brim of her hat shielding her face. She kissed both of Regan’s cheeks.
    “Thank you for the invitation. These are for you.” She handed her the bouquet.
    “Oh, aren’t you just the sweetest thing.” Audrey buried her nose in the flowers and then looked around. “Where is Zachary?”
    “Zachary?” Her jaw tightened at the mere mention of his name. “I wasn’t aware he was coming to lunch.”
    “That little…” She cut herself off and waved a hand to clear the air. “Well, let’s have some wine.” She took Regan’s arm and escorted her to a shaded lounge by the pool.
    Audrey was easy with conversation. Her favorite topic, of course, was her son, and it made Regan relax into the lounge and laugh effortlessly when she went into detail about his antics at boarding school when he ran naked across the school grounds.
    “Mom, you tell that story like you were there.” Zach walked toward, them smiling. “How come you tell people that story? Don’t you want them to like me?” He looked at Regan. “She forgot to add I was chasing the dog who ran off with my clothes after I took a dip in the river.”
    Audrey smiled, sipped her wine, and then let her face grow concerned. “Where have you been?” She stood and kissed him on the cheeks.
    Regan stood out of manners, unsure how she was supposed to react to him. She was still angry with him. The anger, though she’d been laughing, swelled when she realized Simone Pierpont had to have been part of the story Audrey had just shared. Just the sight of him standing there so casually with a glass of wine in his hands, as though he hadn’t kissed her and then gone straight to his mistress, made her want to run.
    Audrey sat back down on her lounge chair. “I told you to bring Regan to lunch. Not have her meet you here.”
    “I wasn’t sure I’d be back from my trip on time.” He shifted his eyes to Regan. “But Regan is very good with her scheduling.” He smiled at her. He looked so full of himself, so powerful. “How are you?”
    “Fine, thank you.” She was cordial, but her muscles had gone tense, and a headache formed at the base of her neck.
    “Well, let me go check on lunch. The two of you relax.” Audrey stood and passed by Zach as Regan dropped to the lounge, kicked up her feet, and drank down her wine quickly without looking at him.
    “You’re going to pass out drinking that fast,” he warned as he lifted the bottle from the small table and topped off her glass.
    “Good.”
    “You’re still mad at me.” He sipped his wine, looking out over the pool.
    “Ya think?”
    Zach turned to her and smiled.