really wasn’t sure. Now, however, Caitlyn looked…different. While they had both grown up over the last few years, the short, pudgy girl with unruly brown hair, a slightly crooked nose, and even more crooked teeth had disappeared. Everything was straightened and bleached, and she must have lost at least twenty pounds since Nina left for Florence. Her glossy hair was now closer to dark caramel than black coffee. In fact, Caitlyn would have been nearly unrecognizable had it not been for that voice.
“Ahh!” she shrieked as Nina stood to greet her, grateful she wore a very loose-fitting sundress. “It is you! The girls didn’t think you would be back until July at least. Maddie was convinced you’d spend the summer on the continent, but here you are!”
They traded air kisses, and then Caitlyn joined the table without an invitation.
“You look wonderful, Cait,” Nina said honestly. “Your hair, your—”
“Nose?” Caitlyn snickered. “Florian Hendricks actually paid for me to have it done—can you believe that? Men will do anything.”
Nina’s brow wrinkled. Ah. Any questions about how Caitlyn could afford to stay in New York’s wealthiest neighborhood vanished. “Florian Hendricks? Isn’t he…”
“Older than the earth? Balder than a golf ball?”
Beside them, Calvin’s face blackened, and he touched his thinning hairline self-consciously.
Nina hid a smile. “I was going to say a bit older than you, but I suppose that works.”
Caitlyn shrugged and flipped her hair over one shoulder, appearing not to notice the other person at the table. “Age is nothing but a number, and the man is crazy about me. Paid for this, this, and these on top of the nose.” As she spoke, she pointed at her lips, hair, and then her breasts, which yes, did look a little bigger and…higher…than before underneath her fitted summer dress. “Of course, you can’t say a word. You won’t, my love, will you?”
Some people were overwhelmed by Caitlyn’s somewhat manic energy, but Nina had always enjoyed it. Like Calvin, she was a social climber, but Nina found her honesty about it refreshing in a world of veiled references. Caitlyn knew what she had to offer the world, and what she didn’t. And somehow, someway, she managed to make it charming. Almost as if she saw herself with the same tongue in cheek that everyone else did.
“No,” Nina assured her with a smile. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Good.” She grinned. “Because I’m aiming for some jewelry out of this too, before the old coot gets bored with me. Can’t have a reputation, if you know what I mean. And this all goes for you too, whoever you are.” She turned to Calvin. “Who are you, anyway?”
They turned to find Calvin eyeing Caitlyn with an expression Nina couldn’t quite understand. Irritation? Greed? Admiration? Everything?
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Caitlyn chattered on. “How rude of Nina not to introduce us. I’m Caitlyn Calvert, her oldest friend.”
She offered her hand, dangling a bright diamond tennis bracelet as she looked Calvin over, taking in everything from his ill-fitted suit to his stained overshirt to his cheap shoes. Calvin took a large gulp of beer, leaving a thin line of moisture on his top lip, then accepted her hand.
“Calvin Gardner.” He glanced at Nina. “I need to use the john. I’ll leave you to reacquaint. And I know you’ll make the right decision, princess. You did before.”
He stood up, causing his chair to screech on the deck and a cascade of crumbs to fall to the ground. As he left, another wave of nausea swept through Nina. Midday “morning” sickness. Or maybe just the idea of committing herself to a sham marriage. Or perhaps the prospect of telling Grandmother that she was pregnant with her professor’s illegitimate child.
It could have been any of them. Nina had no way of knowing.
“So what’s his story?” Caitlyn asked as she watched Calvin go. “Obviously, I wouldn’t blame you for an affair with an older man, but you don’t have the same needs I do. A few more years and your trust will pay for any new body parts you want. But that man? Those Macy’s shoes and the Men’s Wearhouse special tell me he’s not worth more than five figures, even—and he’s not packing much anywhere else either.”
Nina snorted lightly. “That’s ridiculous, Cait.”
“Hey, in my experience, what they say about a man’s foot size definitely applies to the rest of his extremities. That guy’s feet are no bigger than a size eight. Nine, tops.”
Ironically, Grandmother had said something similar after meeting Calvin. Well, not about