They went out and explored London together after Sam showered. It was nice just being together, and talking, and sometimes just walking along together, lost in their own thoughts. He had given her much to think about, and he was right that Nigel just wasn’t the “normal” guy she had hoped to find. But she loved the Prince Charming aspect of him, and it was hard not to be dazzled by the people he knew, the places they went together, and the friends he introduced to her. He led such a glamorous life, whether he had money or not. She wasn’t sure she cared about that one way or another, although she appreciated Sam worrying about her. She and Nigel weren’t getting married, and she didn’t spend a lot of money to live, and even if they did get married one day, how expensive could it be? Her parents hadn’t been extravagant with all they had, although they had lived well, had nice homes and bought important art, and were generous with her and each other. Nigel didn’t seem to spend a lot of money. They usually went to inexpensive restaurants when they went out, and cooked at home several nights a week. Their busy social life cost them nothing, except flowers for their hosts afterward and she paid for those. She thought Sam was overly worried.
The three of them had dinner out that night at a nice Italian restaurant, and Nigel picked up the check, although Sam offered to. They ate dinner at home again on Saturday, and on Sunday, Sam flew back to New York. She went with him to the airport and had tears in her eyes when he left.
“I wish you lived here,” she said sadly.
“Come home soon then,” he said with the big brother look in his eyes that always went straight to her heart. He was the only family she had now.
“I love you, Sam,” she said, as the tears crept down her cheeks.
“I will always love you, Coco,” he said with a lump in his throat, and she knew he meant it. She nodded, and a minute later, he walked into the security line. She watched him until she couldn’t see him anymore. He waved for a last time, and, crying openly by then, she waved and touched her heart. He nodded, and then he was gone, back to his own life. She cried most of the way home in the cab.
She was glad Nigel was out when she got home. He was meeting friends to play tennis at their club. She wanted some time to think about Sam and her parents, and everything Sam had said. It all made sense. And she hoped he wouldn’t marry Tamar. She sounded like such a dull girl.
On the plane already in the air, heading back to New York, Sam was hoping she wouldn’t marry Nigel. Something told him she was going to get hurt. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. His heart was heavy as he left.
Chapter 6
On Coco’s twenty-third birthday in December, after three months of house parties, hunting weekends, and going to nearly every fancy party in London, Nigel took her to dinner at Harry’s Bar, and dancing at Annabel’s afterward. He was a member of both clubs, along with several others. He had wanted to give her a party, but she said she didn’t want one. Her birthdays made her too sad now, since her parents’ deaths, and she preferred to spend it alone with him. They had been to a constant round of Christmas parties for the past two weeks, and had been invited to various friends’ ski houses for Christmas and New Year’s, and hadn’t decided where to go yet. Christmas was hard for her now too. Nigel wanted to go to Gstaad or Courchevel, where his friends had houses and had invited them. Coco didn’t really care where they went, and she was enjoying the quiet evening with him on her birthday. He invited her to dance at Annabel’s, and startled her when he stopped dancing, and dropped to one knee on the dance floor. She realized then that they had been playing a song she liked and there was no one else around them, as the people at tables around the dance floor stared at them. Nigel had warned the manager of what he planned to do, requested the song, and they had asked the other clients to sit this