respect him. It’s the right thing
to do. Please, can we drop it?” She didn’t want to cry, not today. For Richard’s sake.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I want you to be happy, and… and I wish you’d have talked with Adam.”
She hadn’t told Molly. Her friend had guessed. Liz lowered her voice even though the door was closed. “Would you want to spend
your life with a man who felt trapped? Believe me, it’s better this way.” Her voice sounded strong, almost as if she believed
it herself.
Without preamble the door swung open and Nancy teetered in, a glass half filled with champagne in her hand, revealing no visible
signs of her recent auto accident. “Well, well, big sister. Aren’t you a vision?”
They hadn’t known until she’d shown up if Nancy would attend. You could never tell about Nancy. Liz couldn’t help wondering
if her sister was hurt that she’d asked Molly to be her maid of honor. It hadn’t been an intentional slight, but rather a
heartfelt choice. Molly had always been in her corner.
“You look nice,” Liz told her sister, hoping she sounded sincere. Nancy wasn’t a natural beauty, but she was slender, with
large breasts that had been turning men’s heads since she’d turned twelve. She wore a red knit dress that clung to every curve,
half a dozen jangling gold bracelets, and dark eye makeup that had been applied with a heavy hand. The overall effect came
across more garish than stylish. Still, Liz thought that Nancy looked better than she’d expected, considering several years
of heavy drinking.
Nancy took a long swallow of champagne. “Sure is different from my wedding day. Mom was too shocked to talk to me, and dear
old Daddy wouldn’t even meet us at the JP’s and give me away. Not that I wanted him there.”
The last thing Liz wanted to do was start in on the past. Putting on another fake smile, she looked pointedly at her watch.
“The bridal march should be starting any minute.”
“I’m going,” Nancy said, not too far gone to get the hint. “Good luck, sis. Not that you’ll need it. You always were the charmed
one.” She glanced around the room slowly, as if troubled memories lurked in every corner. “You should thank your lucky stars
you’ll be free of this place.” Quickly she drained her glass and left the room.
“What did she mean by that?” Molly asked.
“I wouldn’t know. But then, I often don’t know what’s behind Nancy’s cryptic statements.” With a final glance in the mirror,
she swung around. “How do I look?”
Molly grew serious, blinking back tears. They’d been best friends forever, it seemed. She fervently wished she felt good about
this marriage. “Beautiful, as always. I hope you’ll be happy, Liz. I just wish…”
Liz grabbed her hands, blinking rapidly as well. “Don’t start, please.”
Pressing her lips together, Molly nodded. They heard the music begin. She pulled her friend close for a long, tremulous hug,
then put on the brightest smile she could muster. “Here we go, kid.”
Swallowing her tears, Liz smiled back. “Lead the way.”
It wasn’t working. Adam swung his leather swivel chair around and gazed out at a late January sun sinking behind the State
Capitol Building. In the next room, Fitz, Jesse, and Diane were hammering out the final points of a case he was to try in
front of the state supreme court next week. He was supposed to be gathering his notes. But he couldn’t concentrate,something that had plagued him the last several weeks. Finally he’d admitted to himself the reason why.
Liz Townsend.
He tossed aside the Mont Blanc pen he’d been toying with and, frustrated, ran a hand through his hair. Here he was working
hard at a job he truly loved, the job he’d set his sights on. And he’d discovered that he was good at it, at zeroing in on
the ethical approach to the state’s cases, although not necessarily the politically correct method. He was
to do. Please, can we drop it?” She didn’t want to cry, not today. For Richard’s sake.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I want you to be happy, and… and I wish you’d have talked with Adam.”
She hadn’t told Molly. Her friend had guessed. Liz lowered her voice even though the door was closed. “Would you want to spend
your life with a man who felt trapped? Believe me, it’s better this way.” Her voice sounded strong, almost as if she believed
it herself.
Without preamble the door swung open and Nancy teetered in, a glass half filled with champagne in her hand, revealing no visible
signs of her recent auto accident. “Well, well, big sister. Aren’t you a vision?”
They hadn’t known until she’d shown up if Nancy would attend. You could never tell about Nancy. Liz couldn’t help wondering
if her sister was hurt that she’d asked Molly to be her maid of honor. It hadn’t been an intentional slight, but rather a
heartfelt choice. Molly had always been in her corner.
“You look nice,” Liz told her sister, hoping she sounded sincere. Nancy wasn’t a natural beauty, but she was slender, with
large breasts that had been turning men’s heads since she’d turned twelve. She wore a red knit dress that clung to every curve,
half a dozen jangling gold bracelets, and dark eye makeup that had been applied with a heavy hand. The overall effect came
across more garish than stylish. Still, Liz thought that Nancy looked better than she’d expected, considering several years
of heavy drinking.
Nancy took a long swallow of champagne. “Sure is different from my wedding day. Mom was too shocked to talk to me, and dear
old Daddy wouldn’t even meet us at the JP’s and give me away. Not that I wanted him there.”
The last thing Liz wanted to do was start in on the past. Putting on another fake smile, she looked pointedly at her watch.
“The bridal march should be starting any minute.”
“I’m going,” Nancy said, not too far gone to get the hint. “Good luck, sis. Not that you’ll need it. You always were the charmed
one.” She glanced around the room slowly, as if troubled memories lurked in every corner. “You should thank your lucky stars
you’ll be free of this place.” Quickly she drained her glass and left the room.
“What did she mean by that?” Molly asked.
“I wouldn’t know. But then, I often don’t know what’s behind Nancy’s cryptic statements.” With a final glance in the mirror,
she swung around. “How do I look?”
Molly grew serious, blinking back tears. They’d been best friends forever, it seemed. She fervently wished she felt good about
this marriage. “Beautiful, as always. I hope you’ll be happy, Liz. I just wish…”
Liz grabbed her hands, blinking rapidly as well. “Don’t start, please.”
Pressing her lips together, Molly nodded. They heard the music begin. She pulled her friend close for a long, tremulous hug,
then put on the brightest smile she could muster. “Here we go, kid.”
Swallowing her tears, Liz smiled back. “Lead the way.”
It wasn’t working. Adam swung his leather swivel chair around and gazed out at a late January sun sinking behind the State
Capitol Building. In the next room, Fitz, Jesse, and Diane were hammering out the final points of a case he was to try in
front of the state supreme court next week. He was supposed to be gathering his notes. But he couldn’t concentrate,something that had plagued him the last several weeks. Finally he’d admitted to himself the reason why.
Liz Townsend.
He tossed aside the Mont Blanc pen he’d been toying with and, frustrated, ran a hand through his hair. Here he was working
hard at a job he truly loved, the job he’d set his sights on. And he’d discovered that he was good at it, at zeroing in on
the ethical approach to the state’s cases, although not necessarily the politically correct method. He was
Similar Books
