too young, and married the wrong woman. Maybe you need a little more flash in your life, and I need a little less…until the next dazzler comes along and sweeps me off my feet.” But they both knew she wasn’t an innocent anymore. She hadn’t fallen for Dr. Jeff Armstrong’s game, no matter how seductive, handsome, and successful he was. His being married had stopped her cold, and he was one of the biggest narcissists she’d ever met. He had cured Bethanie, though, which was all she wanted from him. Bethanie had been checked regularly by the team of doctors that he had referred her to in Paris, and she was still healthy and free of the disease. She was cured, which was all that mattered to Coco.
“I have a couple of interesting clients here, for investments,” Sam said. “I’d like to cultivate a few more. Right now, they are mostly Americans living here. If you know of any prospects here, please let me know.”
“I’ll think about it. And I’ll see you in New York soon,” she said, as they got up from dinner and left the restaurant. “What are you going to do about Tamar?” she asked.
“Wait and see what she does. She said she was going to see a lawyer when I left, to try and work out some kind of separation agreement. She took the LSATs, she wants to start law school in January, if she gets in. She’d like to specialize in tax law, which actually would have fit with what I do, but I don’t think we’re going to be running a business together,” he said ruefully, “just sharing our kids, although they’ll live with me most of the time. They’re young to have divorced parents and a split living situation,” he said with regret.
“Maybe it’s easier that way,” she said, trying to encourage him, “when they’re younger.”
“I was thinking about moving the family to the suburbs, but I won’t if I’m going to be single. I’d rather be in the city.”
“You’re going to have fun, Sam.” He was still younger than most men getting married for the first time. Being divorced at thirty-one, which he would be soon, wasn’t a death sentence. He had taken a five-year detour into marriage, and it hadn’t worked out. He still had a long life to live, and time to meet the right woman. And he loved his children and was devoted to them.
“At least I’ll see you while you’re in New York.” She was looking forward to it too.
She dropped him off at his hotel, he hugged her and got out of the car. “Thank you for cheering me up.”
“You do it for me all the time.” She smiled at him. He always had. And so had she. It was so damn hard being a grown-up, at any age.
* * *
—
Coco and Bethanie attended Leslie’s wedding. Bethanie was the flower girl and Coco the maid of honor. And as soon as Leslie returned from her honeymoon, they flew to New York.
They spent the first weekend in Southampton enjoying the hot weather. Bethanie loved it and so did Coco. She freshened up some things in the house, and moved them around, which made the house feel like hers, not her parents’. They went for long walks on the beach, built sand castles, collected shells, and put them on a table to dry. Sam came out for the day with his children. Tamar wasn’t with him. She had seen a lawyer, and he had hired one. They were working on a separation agreement, but were still living in the apartment together. He said it was very tense, and she had applied to law school at NYU and Columbia, after doing well on the LSATs, which didn’t surprise him. She was boring, but bright, and had been a good student in college.
Their children played in the sand, while he and Coco watched them. He had brought a babysitter to help with the baby and the others. Bethanie and Nathan were best friends, until they fought over a shovel, and Bethanie hit him with a bucket and Coco had to scold her and remind her to be nice.
“It starts early,” Sam said with a grin.
They made lunch for the kids and ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that were left over. It was simple and fun.
“How’s your investor?” Sam was curious about him.
“He’s a really nice guy. He was a real estate agent, and loved what we were