“That isn’t what it was. Or it is but not what it looked like. Maggie, damn it, I love Liv. I would not cheat on her.” Marc walked into the room. “Where is she?”

“Gone. I don’t know where. But you’d better have a damned good explanation.”

Marc sighed and sat down heavily on the couch, telling them everything.

* * *

“Do you know where she is?” Polly asked, pacing.

“She left a voicemail for Cassie saying she didn’t want her to be put in the middle between her friends and her family but she was okay and would be gone for a while,” Shane said. “Cassie’s all torn up over it. She’s upset that Liv is alone right now and didn’t think she could turn to her or Maggie.”

“I could just knock the spit out of that Nancy,” Maggie said, patting Nicholas’s back.

“If I could just get her to talk to me, I know I could get her to see some sense,”

Marc said heavily. “I’ve left her messages and notes at her house. She’s not gone back there since Wednesday night. They told Maggie, Liv took a week’s vacation from work. No one is talking to me. I wouldn’t cheat on her, I swear it. I know it looks bad but I’m not that man. Not now and I wasn’t even a cheater before I fell for my girl. God, I hate thinking about her out there believing I’d betray her like that. I just want to hold her and love her.”

Polly squeezed his shoulder and kissed his cheek. “Honey, this will be all right. We’ve got to find her and let her know she’s loved by all of us.”

* * *

In Atlanta, Liv sat, eyes closed, relaxation a lá white wine and a facial.

“Just relax here for a while longer. The deep cleansing mask will be done in about ten minutes and your hands will be ready to come out of the paraffin,”

the disembodied voice of the beautician told her.

“Mmmm. Thanks,” Liv mumbled, settling deeper into the chair.

“Oh girl, you’re a sneaky one.”

Liv sighed, knowing it was too good to be true that she’d remained unmolested for the last week.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Nicholas?”

“What the hell is on your face? Nicholas is right here in my arms if you’d opened your eyes to see.”

“What are you doing here?”

“You already asked that and your eyes are closed still. Don’t you want to see your godson? He’s missed you, you know. Gone for a week without a damned word. I mean really. I ought to sic Polly on you.”

Liv cracked an eye and turned her head. “Hi, lumpkin, how are you, sweetie?”

Nicholas cooed at her and reached toward her voice. “In a few minutes, bubba. Right now Auntie Liv’s hands are wrapped in wax. I know, silly, aren’t I?”

“Not as silly as having that green crap on your face.”

“Deep cleansing mask with milk and chamomile. Are we here to trade beauty tips?”

“Lookit you with that smart mouth.”

“Look, Maggie, what do you want?”

Just then the beautician came back to clean off her mask, put on some moisturizer, remove the wax from her hands and massage them.

“I’ll skip the manicure today, Sarah. My godson here is sensitive to smells.”

Liv paid her bill and left a tip, not looking at Maggie as she went toward the doors.

“You are so not going to just walk out on me, Olivia Davis. Thanks to Dee and Penny, I tracked you down. We’ve all been worried as hell about you. How dare you not keep in contact?”

Liv spun and glared at her oldest friend. “I would say something very unladylike right now but Nicholas is watching so I’ll just tell you to mind your own beeswax. I’ve been looking at apartments here. I’ve gone on two job interviews. I’m moving on thankyouverymuch. I haven’t kept contact because you have other allegiances now as does Cassie. I thought I could trust Dee and Penny but I guess I was wrong. Give me that baby.”

Maggie handed Nicholas over who giggled and reached up to touch her face.

“Hey, lumpkin.” She kissed his tiny face, missing the way he smelled.

“What the heck does that mean? Other allegiances?”

“You know what it means. Where’s Marc? Hiding somewhere ready to jump out? With his new girlfriend at his place?”

Maggie sighed. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do. You’re not going to take this attitude with me. Other allegiances my ahh—booty.” Maggie looked at Nicholas. “Then you and I are going to your hotel and we’re going to put the baby down for a nap. You’re going to tell me about this fool plan to move away from Petal and I’m going to knock you out if you go through with it. And then we’re going to order room service and talk about Marc over a few beers.”

“Do I have any choice?”

“My next step is to call Polly Chase. She’s more agitated than I am over this so she’ll drive out here like a shot. You decide.” Maggie folded her arms over her chest.

“Straight to first strike nuclear war.” Liv shook her head. “You’ve gotten vicious in your old age.”

“Exactly. What’ll it be?”

Sighing, Liv handed Nicholas back to his mother. “Fine. I’m sure you know what room I’m in.”

Stalking off, Liv headed for her car and the hotel. When she arrived, she waited for Maggie in the lobby.

Maggie looked surprised when she saw Liv waiting. “What’s the problem?”