Veronica gave a gracious nod. “Thank you for including me.”
“We’ll drop you off on the way, Kathleen,” said David, holding the back door while she slid in beside Edith.
As the taxi pulled away, Edith gave a satisfied sigh and leaned back into the seat. “Well, that was lovely,” she said. “Darlene hasn’t looked that relaxed for years. I think she really likes Veronica.”
Kathleen said nothing.
“You two must have noticed.”
David grunted quietly, his way of staying out of it.
“She had her hand on Veronica’s arm the whole night.” Edith smiled faintly, then added, “When we were at college, Darlene dated both men and women. Had a beautiful girlfriend named Roslyn in our second year. Very intense. To be honest, I think Darlene scared her off.”
Kathleen turned her face toward the window.
“She never made a big deal about it,” Edith continued. “She lived her life. She left New York for ten years after she got her degree, and I never met her first husband. To tell you the truth, I didn’t know which sex she’d choose to settle down with. But she always said attraction wasn’t about gender, it was about the person.”
Kathleen didn’t reply. Outside, the lights of the city blurred against the glass. She felt a strange hollowness spreadingbeneath her ribs, part confusion, part something else. She didn’t know if it was jealousy but it sure felt like it.
“Veronica’s very poised,” Edith said with a sideways glance. “The kind of woman that would suit Darlene.”
Kathleen pursed her lips. “She’s twice Veronica’s age,” she snapped.
Edith let out a hum of surprise. “Age is irrelevant if they like each other. Darlene needs someone steady in her life. Heaven knows, she’s made bad choices with her husbands.”
“I didn’t know the first guy, but there was nothing wrong with Bill,” David said.
“He was too staid and set in his ways for her,” Edith replied primly.
“Huh! She didn’t mind his money.”
“There’s more to life than money,” said Kathleen.
David’s chuckle floated over from the front seat. “The girl’s right and you know it, Edith. Those blokes couldn’t keep up with her. Maybe this Veronica can. She looks like she’s got stamina.”
They drove the rest of the way in silence, Kathleen quietly seething.
The image of Darlene’s hand looped around Veronica’s arm remaining with her long after she exited the cab.
CHAPTER TEN
Marise watched the cab drive off, barely aware of Darlene close beside her at the curb, her hand on her arm as they waited for their uber.
Her mind was still back at the table with Kathleen. The moment their eyes met had knocked the breath out of her. The look on Kathleen’s face, shock, then something worse—hurt and confusion. And she hadn’t been able to do a damn thing about it. No acknowledgement, no reassurance. Only the hollow performance of Veronica Hale, smiling politely like they’d never met.
Their taxi pulled up and Darlene got into the back seat with Marise.
"You were very popular tonight," Darlene said, brushing her fingers lightly along Marise's arm. "Your presence made the whole dinner sparkle. That mousey Kathleen couldn’t keep her eyes off you. I can’t believe that Katleen Knowles is so simple and repressed.”
“Kathleen’s hardly simple,” said Marise, keeping the annoyance out of her voice. “She’s a brilliant scientist.”
“But socially inept, poor girl.” She smiled at Marise. “Now you, on the other hand, know how to look after a woman.”
It took an effort for Marise not to sneer. "I’m glad I could be of service."
Darlene gave a throaty chuckle, her eyes gleaming. "Oh, you haven’t started yet, darling."
The words sent a quiver down Marise's spine, not of desire, but annoyance. She knew what was expected of her. Known from the moment she’d picked Darlene up. She made it obvious enough at the restaurant, with long glances at the table, the subtle slide of a hand on her arm. There was no wriggle room here. No polite out. Not with a woman like Darlene.
