know?”
“When your photo’s splashed all over the New York Times society page, it’s safe to say the mystery’s over.” To her relief, Barbara laughed too. “What can I do for you, Allison?”
“I was hoping we could talk in person. There are a few things I’d like to ask you about.” She sucked in a breath. “Eric proposed to me a few days ago, and I’m a bit…”
“Confused? If it’s any consolation, I felt the same way when he asked me.” A tiny pause. “I’d be glad to meet with you, though I doubt there’s anything significant I could add to what Eric’s already told you.”
“It’s not information I lack, so much as perspective. And I’d really like to get yours.”
“Let me check my book.” There was a rustle of turning pages, and then, “I have some free time this afternoon around three. I’m only a few blocks away, so how about we meet at that café on the ground floor of your building?”
A bit late in the day, but if she took a half-hour lunch, she could swing it. “I’ll see you then.”
Ally got there a few minutes early, snagged a table on the sunny terrace and ordered two iced teas. She spied Barbara coming toward her halfway down the block, strolling at a leisurely pace, the afternoon breeze ruffling her khaki linen slacks and plain white silk blouse. She smiled and waved when she saw Ally, pushing up her wide-framed designer sunglasses to rest atop her head.
“How are you, Allison?” She smiled warmly, shaking Ally’s proffered hand before sitting down. Her hair was longer now than Ally remembered, hanging to her shoulders in dark waves. Add in sea-green eyes and lush lips, and she could’ve been Nick’s sister. Well, Eric certainly had a preferred type. Ally—suddenly feeling very blonde and average—tamped down a twinge of discomfort.
“Thanks for coming,” she replied, pasting on a smile. “I was afraid my phone call might’ve freaked you out.”
“Not at all, though I should apologize for snapping at you. I get so many calls from reporters, and subtlety is completely lost on them.” Their waiter swung by to deliver their iced teas, then scurried away. “What would you like to know?”
Too damn many questions—intrusive, personal questions. She was a reporter, damn it, so why was she squirming in her seat? Only way to start was to jump right in. “I’m wondering why you married him when you knew he was in love with someone else.”
“Well, I won’t lie to you. The kind of life Eric offers is very attractive.” Barbara stirred some sweetener into her tea and took a small sip, every movement poised and elegant. “It’s nice going to bed every night knowing your bills are paid and you’ll never have to worry about the rent. And the Courtland name opens a lot of doors. I loved being able to walk into my favorite restaurant and have a table already waiting for me. When I went out shopping, the clerks fell all over themselves trying to serve me. That kind of status can be rather addictive.”
“Then it was all just about the money?”
“Yes and no. The money’s a lovely perk, but it wasn’t the only one. As I’m sure you’re aware, Eric can be quite charming and persuasive when the mood strikes him. He caught me at a vulnerable moment in my life. I’d just gotten out of a long relationship with someone I loved deeply, but our affair had come to a rather unpleasant end. So when Eric offered me the security of marriage without any messy emotional entanglements, it didn’t sound like such an awful idea. I was actually a bit relieved that his affections were already engaged elsewhere.”
“But…” Heat flooded Ally’s cheeks. As if asking these questions wasn’t already hard enough. “It wasn’t purely convenience, was it? Eric told me the two of you slept together.”
Barbara nodded. “We had a fairly normal sex life at the beginning, until I couldn’t cope with it anymore. It was too difficult, being that intimate with someone who
“When your photo’s splashed all over the New York Times society page, it’s safe to say the mystery’s over.” To her relief, Barbara laughed too. “What can I do for you, Allison?”
“I was hoping we could talk in person. There are a few things I’d like to ask you about.” She sucked in a breath. “Eric proposed to me a few days ago, and I’m a bit…”
“Confused? If it’s any consolation, I felt the same way when he asked me.” A tiny pause. “I’d be glad to meet with you, though I doubt there’s anything significant I could add to what Eric’s already told you.”
“It’s not information I lack, so much as perspective. And I’d really like to get yours.”
“Let me check my book.” There was a rustle of turning pages, and then, “I have some free time this afternoon around three. I’m only a few blocks away, so how about we meet at that café on the ground floor of your building?”
A bit late in the day, but if she took a half-hour lunch, she could swing it. “I’ll see you then.”
Ally got there a few minutes early, snagged a table on the sunny terrace and ordered two iced teas. She spied Barbara coming toward her halfway down the block, strolling at a leisurely pace, the afternoon breeze ruffling her khaki linen slacks and plain white silk blouse. She smiled and waved when she saw Ally, pushing up her wide-framed designer sunglasses to rest atop her head.
“How are you, Allison?” She smiled warmly, shaking Ally’s proffered hand before sitting down. Her hair was longer now than Ally remembered, hanging to her shoulders in dark waves. Add in sea-green eyes and lush lips, and she could’ve been Nick’s sister. Well, Eric certainly had a preferred type. Ally—suddenly feeling very blonde and average—tamped down a twinge of discomfort.
“Thanks for coming,” she replied, pasting on a smile. “I was afraid my phone call might’ve freaked you out.”
“Not at all, though I should apologize for snapping at you. I get so many calls from reporters, and subtlety is completely lost on them.” Their waiter swung by to deliver their iced teas, then scurried away. “What would you like to know?”
Too damn many questions—intrusive, personal questions. She was a reporter, damn it, so why was she squirming in her seat? Only way to start was to jump right in. “I’m wondering why you married him when you knew he was in love with someone else.”
“Well, I won’t lie to you. The kind of life Eric offers is very attractive.” Barbara stirred some sweetener into her tea and took a small sip, every movement poised and elegant. “It’s nice going to bed every night knowing your bills are paid and you’ll never have to worry about the rent. And the Courtland name opens a lot of doors. I loved being able to walk into my favorite restaurant and have a table already waiting for me. When I went out shopping, the clerks fell all over themselves trying to serve me. That kind of status can be rather addictive.”
“Then it was all just about the money?”
“Yes and no. The money’s a lovely perk, but it wasn’t the only one. As I’m sure you’re aware, Eric can be quite charming and persuasive when the mood strikes him. He caught me at a vulnerable moment in my life. I’d just gotten out of a long relationship with someone I loved deeply, but our affair had come to a rather unpleasant end. So when Eric offered me the security of marriage without any messy emotional entanglements, it didn’t sound like such an awful idea. I was actually a bit relieved that his affections were already engaged elsewhere.”
“But…” Heat flooded Ally’s cheeks. As if asking these questions wasn’t already hard enough. “It wasn’t purely convenience, was it? Eric told me the two of you slept together.”
Barbara nodded. “We had a fairly normal sex life at the beginning, until I couldn’t cope with it anymore. It was too difficult, being that intimate with someone who
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