Daddy had been devastated. But he’d survived the devastation. The last few months he’d begun to ease into a social life. Some doubles at the racket club, drinks with an old friend here and there. Attending an occasional party.
Wondering about checking out one of those dating sites for seniors.
No! Athena had almost had a heart attack the moment he mentioned it. Those sites were shark-infested waters. She’d convinced him he wasn’t ready yet and he’d settled back into seeing his old friends, staying home on a Friday night with a good book or streaming a movie. Meeting his daughter for lunch every Saturday. It was a good life. Who could ask for anything more?
Her father apparently. He’d been reading about cruises online and thought a holiday river cruise sounded kind of fun.
A cruise. By himself. No one to protect him. Oh, no. She’d quickly enthused over what a nice thing it would be to do together. He’d been pleased at the suggestion and made the arrangements, and now here they were at the airport, Daddy under the illusion that he was footloose and fancy-free, his daughter walking by his side, holding the invisible leash tightly. No one was going to get him this time. Daddy had endured enough unhappiness. The marriage gate was closed.
“Not everyone is a fortune hunter,” her son had told her when they’d talked on the phone before her departure.
“Only the ones who go after rich people.”
“Mom, you’re such a cynic,” he’d said in disgust.
Cynics weren’t born. They were made. And Athena’s rotten ex had certainly done a good job of turning her into one—hiding women, hiding assets. The only good thing she’d gotten from him was their son, a starving college student who was majoring in history. He was the one thing they’d gotten right.
“I’m not a cynic. I’m a realist,” she’d insisted. She’d seen firsthand how twisted relationships could get when people married for the wrong reasons.
They got to the gate and saw a crowd of people, most seated, some milling about, many speaking to each other in German. Several couples sat side by side, drinking lattes and reading books. An older woman in a nice coat who looked like she was pushing ninety, a middle-aged woman sitting next to her. Maybe a daughter. Here came another couple, retirement age. There was a pair in their forties and a couple who looked like newlyweds. If these people were bound for Amsterdam and their cruise ship, she’d worried for nothing.
She caught sight of a new arrival, a slender woman in a red wool coat with a pretty face accentuated by eyelash extensions and plenty of makeup. A blonde.
Nicole had been a blonde.
This woman was at least a little older than Nicole, but that didn’t make her any less dangerous. She smiled at Daddy, a speculative, hungry kind of smile.
Innocent that he was, he smiled back. Oh, no.
“I’d sure love a coffee,” Athena said, improvising fast.
“You know, that sounds like a good idea. Why don’t I get us both one?”
“Thanks, Daddy. You’re a doll,” she said, and stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Maybe the shark in the red coat would think they were an item and look somewhere else. Athena looked over at the woman, cocked her head and lifted both eyebrows. A challenge. Still want to try for this one?
The woman frowned and turned her head a different direction.
That’s right. Look somewhere else. My father is not on the market.
Ten minutes later Daddy returned, holding two cups of coffee and walking beside a short, middle-aged woman with salt-and-pepper hair. They were smiling and chatting away like old friends. Good grief, guarding her father was going to be a full-time job. She wouldn’t be able to leave him alone for a second.
“This is my daughter, Athena,” he said, handing Athena her coffee. “Athena, this is Mona Gardner. She’s on her way to Seattle to see her daughter.”
At least Mona wasn’t going on the cruise. Oh, and what was this? A ring on Mona’s left hand. Athena relaxed and smiled at her. “Nice to meet you.”
“I think it’s great that you and your father are taking a trip together,” said Mona. She shook her head. “My Gregory hates to travel.” She nodded to where a heavyset man sat, reading a paperback novel. “It’s a good thing our son and his family only moved to Seattle. We’d never have seen them otherwise. You’re so lucky your daughter lives near you,” she said to Daddy.