Looking stiff and mortified, Doreen Tarrington had barely spoken a word to anyone the remainder of the evening. Unfortunately, the one person she did speak to was Ellie. The older woman pulled her aside at one point to “warn” her about Garek. He had committed numerous sins, according to his sister, including neglecting his duty to his family and his position in the community, as well as cheating her out of her fair share of their father’s company.
Garek turned the car onto Ellie’s street and parked under a streetlight. It provided dim illumination through the sleet-filled night, but enough that she could see Garek’s serious expression as he turned to her.
“I apologize for Doreen,” he said quietly.
His words surprised her. “You don’t have to. She didn’t bother me.”
He shot a skeptical glance at her. “Oh? You didn’t mind being interrogated about your family, having your manners attacked and being cold-shouldered by your hostess?”
“Not really. I feel sorry for your sister.”
“Sorry for her? What on earth for?”
“I see a sad and lonely woman who is trying very hard to buy her place in life. She doesn’t seem to understand that money can’t make her happy.”
He stared at her. “You honestly think someone with no money can be as happy as someone with a large bank account?”
Ellie thought about some of the hardships she’d experienced since coming to Chicago—working twelveand fourteen-hour days; eating nothing but rice and beans in order to make her rent payment; and the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach at the end of every month when she balanced the gallery’s books and saw the steadily increasing red ink. “I suppose money can smooth the way,” she admitted. “But haven’t you ever noticed that no matter how much people have, they always want more? If they make ten thousand dollars, they want thirty thousand dollars. If they make a hundred thousand dollars, they want a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. They’re never satisfied with what they have.”
He stared at her with an odd expression she couldn’t quite define. She expected him to argue with her, to ridicule her for being naive and simplistic.
“It’s kind of you to say Doreen didn’t bother you,” he said, directing his gaze toward the sleet-battered windshield. “But I know that’s not true. I saw how nervous you were.”
She glanced at him in surprise. What was he talking about? She hadn’t been nervous. Angry, maybe, but not nervous. “Did I seem nervous?”
“Yes, you did.” He turned his gaze back to her, watching her closely. “I could tell, because in all the time I’ve known you, as many restaurants as I’ve taken you to, I’ve never seen you use the wrong fork before.”
“Oh!” Her eyes skittered away, then returned to his. She smiled a little ruefully. “Well, maybe I did egg your sister on a bit. I really shouldn’t have.”
He didn’t say anything else. He got out of the car into the raging sleet and wind. He opened her door for her and ran with her up to her apartment. Sheltered somewhat by the roof, he took her hand. “Will you go to dinner with me tomorrow night?”
She stared at the large hand enveloping hers. Did he really think she could ignore everything that he’d done? Did he really think they could go on as though none of it had happened?
“No,” she said, then braced herself, expecting him to argue or try to kiss her.
Instead, he gazed down at her for a long moment, a slight frown between his brows. Suddenly, he raised her hand to his lips and lightly kissed the back of her glove.
Then, without a word, he left, leaving her feeling angry, upset…and strangely confused.
Garek returned to his sister’s house to find her pacing the marble tile of the entry hall.
“There you are!” she greeted him accusingly.“ I’m surprised you didn’t stay all night with your little girlfriend.”
“Perhaps I should have.”
Doreen gave him a sharp look. “What’s going on with you and that girl?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“You would like there to be, though, wouldn’t you?”
“Is this why you asked me to come back here tonight? So you could interrogate me about my relationship with Ellie?”
“Yes…no! I asked you to come here so I could tell you what I think of you, you bastard! I never should have let you talk me into going forward with this—if I hadn’t needed that money so desperately…oh! What my friends must have thought!”
“Your friends appeared to enjoy themselves,” Garek said coolly.