Copper Lake Confidential - By Marilyn Pappano Page 0,36
here?” He glanced at her, catching her sneaking a look, but didn’t seem to mind.
Her cheeks heated a little anyway. “I could get a job as an event planner. Twelve for dinner, fifty for dessert, a hundred for cocktails... And note I said planner. Not much of a doer. Mark always insisted on catering meals. But I am the best at sending out invitations, picking menus, ordering flowers, hiring musicians, dressing up and looking pretty.”
His solemn gaze didn’t shift away. “Did you enjoy it?”
Her first-impulse answer was no, but she gave it a moment’s thought. “I did.” The acknowledgment rather surprised her. “My family was solidly working-class, and it took a long time for Mark’s lifestyle to become normal for me. It was like taking a very long, very luxurious vacation. Shopping, being pampered, showing off, without ever having to even think about money...”
Did he think she was shallow for admitting that she’d liked it? She didn’t know much about his own finances, though he had mentioned that at times he’d been lucky to have a room of his own. His house was nowhere near as lavish as this one, but it was cozy. It was a home, and he seemed happy with it.
She would trade all of Mark’s and Miss Willa’s money and both their mansions to be happy.
She felt obliged to go on. “When I met Mark, I didn’t know exactly who he was. Howard is such a common name. It was obvious he had some money, but I didn’t care. I fell in love with a college student, not the heir to a few fortunes. It wasn’t until we went shopping for my wedding gown that I began to really understand how different life was going to be. Weekly flights to New York with his mother, meetings with advisers, back for fittings... You know that old tradition that the bride’s family pays for most of the wedding? Mark bought my gown. It cost more than my dad made in a year.”
She shook her head. Outrageous for a dress that was meant to be worn only once. She’d stored it with thoughts that maybe someday she’d have a daughter who would wear it for her own wedding, but given the way Macy’s marriage had ended, she’d rather see Clary wed in a T-shirt and shorts.
“But you looked beautiful in it,” Stephen said. When she raised her brows, he shrugged. “I saw the portrait in the living room.”
“Oh. Thank you.” He’d thought she looked beautiful. Of course, she’d been younger, foolishly in love and hadn’t had a clue about the true nature of the man she’d married. Still...
“It was a good thing my ex’s parents could pay for our wedding, because between us, all Sloan and I had was two veterinary degrees and a whole boatload of debt.”
“Did you always want to be a vet?”
“Nah. I wanted to be Han Solo and fly the Millennium Falcon. Or Batman. I’d’ve looked good behind the wheel of the Batmobile.”
He said it so naturally that she burst out laughing. Grinning, he took a swig of tea. “Hey, I believe in superheroes. Don’t you?”
“Uh...sure. Why not?” After all, if supervillains existed, then by deduction so should superheroes.
“Sure, why not,” he repeated, then snorted. “You had a sense of wonder and magic at some time. Kids are born with it—well, except Marnie. She came out of the womb wanting just the facts. When did you lose yours?” It was a simple teasing question, and she would have tried to answer it in the same way, but a frown crossed his face and he sobered. “Was it the way your husband died?”
“No. It was the way he lived.” Tension streaked through her, and she gripped the chair arms tightly enough as she stood to take away lavender flakes on her palms. “I think it’s probably time to put the meat on the grill.”
She crossed the lawn with long strides, Scooter joining her halfway. He was dripping, tongue lolling out of his mouth, and just the sight of him eased the tightness in her shoulders a little. Hearing Stephen not far behind, she said, “Scooter really likes the pool, and I’m sure Clary will really like him. Any chance he could just stay here until we’re gone?”
“I wouldn’t know what to do without him. However, anytime you want to make a visit to the animal shelter to pick out one of your own, let me know. I’d be happy to go with you.”