between fits, as regally dressed older couples inched past them, pushing walkers and dragging oxygen tanks. "Would you look at us?"
She held her hands away from her body so he could get the full effect. Then she leaned closer and said, "We're on the lam—in formal wear. I thought this kind of thing only happened on Days of Our Lives."
"Sweetheart, don't take this the wrong way," he said, a grin on his lips as he placed her hand through his arm and began steering her toward the ballroom, "but you're a little loopy."
"Maybe so," she said, "but at least I'm not wearing a dead man's tuxedo."
Actually, she was wearing an old bridesmaid dress, but the less Lance knew about that, the better.
The hallway widened as they reached four sets of double doors leading into the ballroom. A portrait hung on the wall of the circular room. Lance looked at the painting and then read from the placard beneath it: WALLIFORD "WALLY" WILLIS. Sycamore Hil s President, I939-I94Z.
"So that's the famous Wally," he said, as if meeting a long-lost friend.
"Don't worry." She brushed the lapel of his jacket. "You look better in the tux."
Lance leaned forward and studied the painting of the great-uncle Julia never knew. She and Caroline had frequently wondered what Ro-Ro's favorite husband must have been like. Was he strong enough to stand up to her, or weak enough to let her win every fight? Looking at the painting, Julia realized she'd known the answer all along. Wally must have been strong—very strong. There were plenty of people who were willing to cave in to Ro-Ro, but few who were worthy opponents. Julia studied the sharp, lean man in the picture, and she realized he hadn't just been her great love, he'd been her great challenge and, for Ro-Ro, the two were cosmically linked.
"He died young," Lance said, gesturing to the bio that hung beside the frame.
Julia nodded. "They weren't married for very long, and they lived abroad most of that time.
When they moved home, he spent most of his days here." She gestured at their opulent surroundings. "And then he suddenly died. I think she hates this place because of it."
Lance nodded. "My dad spent all his time away, too. My mom hated him for it."
"Oh," Julia said. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize your father had passed away."
"He's hasn't," Lance told her. "But my parents divorcee and he dropped off the face of the earth. The man's still living^ But the father's dead."
And then something dawned on Julia. "I really don't know anything about you," she said.
"What's your mother's name?"
"Donna."
"What does she do for a living?"
"She manages theater companies, anywhere and even-where that will have her. She's great at it."
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"It was just me and my mom."
"Let's see," Julia said, struggling to think of more questions. "I already know you like whole milk and full-calorie pop—does everyone in your family have good metabolisms?"
A wide smile spread across Lance's face. "Yes."
"Too bad. I was just starting to like you."
"Jules, you look magnificent!" Caroline cried when they neared Ro-Ro's table. Even Steve seemed to take notice as he] stood to kiss her cheek and shake Lance's hand.
"Turn around," Caroline said. "Let me look at your dress."
"Caroline, you picked it out."
"I know, but I don't remember it being this stunning on you."
The black gown was floor-length with an empire waist, a simple scoop-neck collar, and an emerald-green wrap. Seven years and eight pounds ago, the dress had been Julia's idea of perfection. As she eased into a chair between Lance and Caroline, she wondered if it might still have the golden touch.
Right up until the point when Nina showed up wearing it.
Halfway through the silent auction, Julia looked up from the table to see her best friend floating through the geriatric ocean like a feather on the tide—a feather wrapped in emerald green.
Julia's mouth gaped. Instinctively, she looked around the table, wondering if Lance
She held her hands away from her body so he could get the full effect. Then she leaned closer and said, "We're on the lam—in formal wear. I thought this kind of thing only happened on Days of Our Lives."
"Sweetheart, don't take this the wrong way," he said, a grin on his lips as he placed her hand through his arm and began steering her toward the ballroom, "but you're a little loopy."
"Maybe so," she said, "but at least I'm not wearing a dead man's tuxedo."
Actually, she was wearing an old bridesmaid dress, but the less Lance knew about that, the better.
The hallway widened as they reached four sets of double doors leading into the ballroom. A portrait hung on the wall of the circular room. Lance looked at the painting and then read from the placard beneath it: WALLIFORD "WALLY" WILLIS. Sycamore Hil s President, I939-I94Z.
"So that's the famous Wally," he said, as if meeting a long-lost friend.
"Don't worry." She brushed the lapel of his jacket. "You look better in the tux."
Lance leaned forward and studied the painting of the great-uncle Julia never knew. She and Caroline had frequently wondered what Ro-Ro's favorite husband must have been like. Was he strong enough to stand up to her, or weak enough to let her win every fight? Looking at the painting, Julia realized she'd known the answer all along. Wally must have been strong—very strong. There were plenty of people who were willing to cave in to Ro-Ro, but few who were worthy opponents. Julia studied the sharp, lean man in the picture, and she realized he hadn't just been her great love, he'd been her great challenge and, for Ro-Ro, the two were cosmically linked.
"He died young," Lance said, gesturing to the bio that hung beside the frame.
Julia nodded. "They weren't married for very long, and they lived abroad most of that time.
When they moved home, he spent most of his days here." She gestured at their opulent surroundings. "And then he suddenly died. I think she hates this place because of it."
Lance nodded. "My dad spent all his time away, too. My mom hated him for it."
"Oh," Julia said. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize your father had passed away."
"He's hasn't," Lance told her. "But my parents divorcee and he dropped off the face of the earth. The man's still living^ But the father's dead."
And then something dawned on Julia. "I really don't know anything about you," she said.
"What's your mother's name?"
"Donna."
"What does she do for a living?"
"She manages theater companies, anywhere and even-where that will have her. She's great at it."
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"It was just me and my mom."
"Let's see," Julia said, struggling to think of more questions. "I already know you like whole milk and full-calorie pop—does everyone in your family have good metabolisms?"
A wide smile spread across Lance's face. "Yes."
"Too bad. I was just starting to like you."
"Jules, you look magnificent!" Caroline cried when they neared Ro-Ro's table. Even Steve seemed to take notice as he] stood to kiss her cheek and shake Lance's hand.
"Turn around," Caroline said. "Let me look at your dress."
"Caroline, you picked it out."
"I know, but I don't remember it being this stunning on you."
The black gown was floor-length with an empire waist, a simple scoop-neck collar, and an emerald-green wrap. Seven years and eight pounds ago, the dress had been Julia's idea of perfection. As she eased into a chair between Lance and Caroline, she wondered if it might still have the golden touch.
Right up until the point when Nina showed up wearing it.
Halfway through the silent auction, Julia looked up from the table to see her best friend floating through the geriatric ocean like a feather on the tide—a feather wrapped in emerald green.
Julia's mouth gaped. Instinctively, she looked around the table, wondering if Lance
Similar Books
