Water
. What I always found so interesting is that he had no interest in flowers, unlike Matisse,” she said with all of the ease she exhibited while lecturing.
“Didn’t his dark moods ever intimidate you?” Andrew asked.
“Not really, although they were definitely a challenge. Nor did he always respond to correspondence with punctuality. Quite to the contrary. By the way, I hope you’re coming to my last lecture on Tuesday?”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Dana replied enthusiastically.
“Then you both must join me at the after-party at Café des Artistes. It’s an enjoyable way to end the season.”
“We’d love to join you,” said Andrew. “We’ll be there, and thank you so much.”
Andrew said goodbye to Max, and he left Lenôtre with Dana.
“Now
that
doesn’t happen every day,” Dana remarked on the sidewalk. “It feels like we were granted an audience with royalty.
“New York royalty,” Andrew commented. “This has been an incredible day. We found a great Christmas tree, Nina publicly announced that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and we just got invited to Rosamond Bernier’s after-party.”
Dana gave Andrew a big hug as the two parted.
“Thanks for all the help today, Andrew.”
“No thanks necessary. Tell your parents hi for me.”
“I will.”
Ten minutes later Dana stepped into the lobby of her apartment building. She was ready for a relaxing evening at home with family. It would be the perfect end to the perfect day.
C hapter Thirteen
B rett had walked around his neighborhood for more than an hour as he tried to clear his head. It was late evening, and the dark sky overhead was awash with the bright lights of Manhattan. Still, he felt a welcome anonymity as he blended in with other pedestrians as he thought of Janice’s proposal and her brazen kiss at the Polo Lounge. He wasn’t sure yet how he would handle the situation, although he had an uneasy feeling that Janice was going to leave him with very few options. If he didn’t give her the fling she desired, she could ostensibly sabotage his hopes of partnership by allowing gossip to spread through the office, even if she jeopardized her own position with the firm in the process. She might even openly flirt with him. If she were fired, she would no doubt land on her feet at another firm, whether in New York or back in California. She was holding all the cards, and her freewheeling mindset made her all the more unpredictable. He was drawn to her unpredictability, of course, which was a fact he preferred not to think about.
He looked at his watch and realized that he needed to get home since Dana’s parents were coming for dinner. He sighed and put his hands in his topcoat pockets. He didn’t feel like sitting down and making small talk, and he was well aware that his mother-in-law had a penetrating gaze that rivaled that of the astute Patti Hartlen. It was going to be a very long evening.
He was within six blocks of 77 Park Avenue when he decided that he would take everyone out to eat. The popular folksinger Mary O’Dowd was playing at the Irish Pavilion. It would be best to have everyone focus their attention on the comely and melodic O’Dowd rather than on his nervous demeanor. It would be a classic case of a magician’s use of misdirection, and he needed a bit of magic right now to conceal thoughts he found overwhelming. Until he could get Dana’s family to the Pavilion, however, he would try his best to appear relaxed and use a little humor. He would pour a scotch, talk with his in-laws, and pretend to be enjoying the holiday season.
He turned a corner and thought yet again of how Janice’s lips had felt against his. They’d been warm and inviting, and the kiss had not been unwelcome. Its clandestine nature had caused his heart to beat faster—had caused him to feel alive in a way that he hadn’t for several years. Maybe Janice was right . He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted it all. And it
. What I always found so interesting is that he had no interest in flowers, unlike Matisse,” she said with all of the ease she exhibited while lecturing.
“Didn’t his dark moods ever intimidate you?” Andrew asked.
“Not really, although they were definitely a challenge. Nor did he always respond to correspondence with punctuality. Quite to the contrary. By the way, I hope you’re coming to my last lecture on Tuesday?”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Dana replied enthusiastically.
“Then you both must join me at the after-party at Café des Artistes. It’s an enjoyable way to end the season.”
“We’d love to join you,” said Andrew. “We’ll be there, and thank you so much.”
Andrew said goodbye to Max, and he left Lenôtre with Dana.
“Now
that
doesn’t happen every day,” Dana remarked on the sidewalk. “It feels like we were granted an audience with royalty.
“New York royalty,” Andrew commented. “This has been an incredible day. We found a great Christmas tree, Nina publicly announced that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and we just got invited to Rosamond Bernier’s after-party.”
Dana gave Andrew a big hug as the two parted.
“Thanks for all the help today, Andrew.”
“No thanks necessary. Tell your parents hi for me.”
“I will.”
Ten minutes later Dana stepped into the lobby of her apartment building. She was ready for a relaxing evening at home with family. It would be the perfect end to the perfect day.
C hapter Thirteen
B rett had walked around his neighborhood for more than an hour as he tried to clear his head. It was late evening, and the dark sky overhead was awash with the bright lights of Manhattan. Still, he felt a welcome anonymity as he blended in with other pedestrians as he thought of Janice’s proposal and her brazen kiss at the Polo Lounge. He wasn’t sure yet how he would handle the situation, although he had an uneasy feeling that Janice was going to leave him with very few options. If he didn’t give her the fling she desired, she could ostensibly sabotage his hopes of partnership by allowing gossip to spread through the office, even if she jeopardized her own position with the firm in the process. She might even openly flirt with him. If she were fired, she would no doubt land on her feet at another firm, whether in New York or back in California. She was holding all the cards, and her freewheeling mindset made her all the more unpredictable. He was drawn to her unpredictability, of course, which was a fact he preferred not to think about.
He looked at his watch and realized that he needed to get home since Dana’s parents were coming for dinner. He sighed and put his hands in his topcoat pockets. He didn’t feel like sitting down and making small talk, and he was well aware that his mother-in-law had a penetrating gaze that rivaled that of the astute Patti Hartlen. It was going to be a very long evening.
He was within six blocks of 77 Park Avenue when he decided that he would take everyone out to eat. The popular folksinger Mary O’Dowd was playing at the Irish Pavilion. It would be best to have everyone focus their attention on the comely and melodic O’Dowd rather than on his nervous demeanor. It would be a classic case of a magician’s use of misdirection, and he needed a bit of magic right now to conceal thoughts he found overwhelming. Until he could get Dana’s family to the Pavilion, however, he would try his best to appear relaxed and use a little humor. He would pour a scotch, talk with his in-laws, and pretend to be enjoying the holiday season.
He turned a corner and thought yet again of how Janice’s lips had felt against his. They’d been warm and inviting, and the kiss had not been unwelcome. Its clandestine nature had caused his heart to beat faster—had caused him to feel alive in a way that he hadn’t for several years. Maybe Janice was right . He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted it all. And it
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