“Shit,” Stephanie yelled, as her thumbnail pierced the silky web of her pantyhose. It was bad enough that she had been summoned to Gabrielle’s stupid cocktail party, but now she’d ruined her last pair of hose. There was only one thing left to do—raid Gabrielle’s stock. Stephanie hurried into Gabrielle’s room, counting on her staying too busy downstairs to come up and find her.
Stephanie headed over to Gabrielle’s bureau and opened the top drawer. Not finding any pantyhose, she closed it and opened the next and the next. In the last drawer she found not only several packages of nylons but a supply of cassette tapes as well. Stephanie picked one up and read the label. It was an audiocassette of a recently published novel. She browsed through the rest of the tapes and found several other bestselling titles, including The Client and Waiting to Exhale, two books Stephanie had seen Gabrielle reading. She bought the tape and the book? I swear, people with money sure know how to waste it, she thought, closing the drawer and heading back to her room.
“Sorry I’m late. Traffic from La Guardia was outrageous,” Doug apologized after kissing Gabrielle in the entry of Beatrice’s brownstone. “Has the reviewing committee arrived?”
“They’re not a reviewing committee, they’re my friends.”
“Same difference.”
“Are you really nervous?”
“Of course I am. Once you introduce me as your boyfriend, the scrutiny will begin.” Doug was happy that Gabrielle wanted to share him and their relationship with her friends. It was yet another sign of her growing commitment. Still, he was apprehensive about meeting Gabrielle’s makeshift family. He wanted to impress them, particularly Beatrice.
“Don’t worry, they won’t bite—at least not hard,” Gabrielle teased.
With a kiss and a quick hug, the two walked hand in hand into the front parlor where the others were gathered. Beatrice and Felicia stood talking to Jaci, while Stephanie took the opportunity to corner Ruthanna Beverly from Appeal magazine.
“Ladies, I’d like you to say hello to a good friend of mine, Doug Sixsmith.”
“It’s good to see you again,” greeted Felicia.
“You, too. Where’s your better half?”
“He couldn’t make it,” Felicia said, offering no further explanation.
“You mean I’m the only male here tonight? I feel like a lamb about to be slaughtered.”
“Don’t be silly,” Beatrice told Doug. “You’re among friends.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Braidburn.”
“Please, call me Bea.”
“Doug, this is my booker/friend, Jaci Francis and my housemate/publicist, Stephanie Bancroft. Ladies, I’d like you to meet Doug Sixsmith,” said Gabrielle.
“Your article on Gabrielle for Appeal was dynamite,” Jaci said.
“Thank you.”
“I’m surprised that such a hot journalist would even bother to do a piece on a fashion model,” Stephanie remarked, still bitter about not getting to write the story. “Nothing against Gabrielle, of course, but you always write about important things. Fashion seems so trivial.”
“The truth be known, that’s exactly what I thought, but in fact it turned out to be the most important story I’ve ever written,” he admitted before giving Gabrielle a hug. It was impossible to misread their feelings. They positively glowed in each other’s presence.
How did Gabrielle manage to fall in love without me knowing? Bea wondered. It disturbed her greatly that Gabrielle had not been totally honest about her relationship with Doug. She was well aware that the two had been seeing each other, but Beatrice had no idea until now that things between them were so serious.
If literacy was her enemy in the fight to hold on to Gabrielle’s devotion, love was its ally. Even if Gabrielle never learned to read, there was always the possibility that Bea could be replaced by the insinuation of some horny young man into their lives. Love and raging hormones were no match for an old woman’s affections. If it came down to a choice, Bea would much rather lose Gabrielle to a book than to a beau.
Until tonight everything in that department had seemed to be under control. Gabrielle had had little time or apparent desire for men and courtship. Though many had tried to woo her, Gabrielle’s reluctance to get involved with any man who showed interest in her had earned her the nickname “Gabrielle the Untouchable” from her peers.
Now, with Doug in the picture, Bea’s access to and influence over Gabrielle would be severely limited. Already he had managed to breech the confidential relationship the two women shared. Plus, he was too damn old for the girl. Despite the fact that Gabrielle spent her days dressed up to look like a grown woman, she was still only twenty years old. Bea thought she was too young to really be in love. Apparently Gabrielle felt different, and for right now Beatrice had no choice but to take a wait-and-see posture.
“Doug and I have something we’d like to tell you,” Gabrielle told the group. The five women went silent, each expecting an engagement announcement.
“No, it’s not what you think.” Doug laughed, reading the anticipation on everyone’s face.
“Then why have you summoned us all here?” Stephanie inquired.
“I asked you all here tonight because I wanted Doug to meet my friends. And I wanted my friends to get to know the very special man in my life. He’s moving to New York, so we’ll all be seeing much more of him.”
“Does that mean you two will be living together?” Stephanie asked.
“No,” Doug replied.
Doug’s answer offered great relief to Beatrice. If Doug had asked and she had refused, that could mean only one thing: Gabrielle had not shared her secret with him. As long as Bea was the only one who knew of her illiteracy, she would still continue to play a pivotal role in Gabrielle’s life.
“Sweetheart, if you’re happy, which you obviously are, I’m happy for you. And Douglas, I’ll be watching to make sure you take good care of my girl,” Bea said, issuing a stern, motherly warning.
“I stand forewarned, but believe me, I intend to take good care of this incredible woman for as long as she will allow.”
Why does every man who crosses her path fall in love? Why don’t men ever want me like that? Stephanie wondered, her thoughts turning to Jack.
“Well, I’m really happy for you two,” Jaci said.
“This all started at the bon-voyage party, didn’t it?” Ruthanna cried out.
“I don’t know what you could possibly be talking about,” Gabrielle answered coyly, her smile giving everything away. “That trip was strictly business.”
“Monkey business,” Ruthanna teased. “Well, whenever it happened, I think it’s terrific, and I’m even more pleased that Doug’s moving to town.”
“I think all this good news requires a toast,” Felicia suggested, raising her glass. “To Doug and Gabrielle: In both work and play, may you always be happy.”
“Here, here,” chimed in the rest of the group. Gabrielle and Doug were both too happy to notice both Stephanie’s and Beatrice’s lack of enthusiasm.
“You okay?” Ruthanna asked Felicia. “You seem rather distracted and withdrawn lately. And to be perfectly honest, you don’t look your usual stunning self.”
“I caught some bug I can’t seem to shake. It’s been going on for weeks now, so that’s probably what you’ve noticed.” Despite the fact that the two had become good friends, Felicia didn’t feel comfortable confiding certain things to Ruthanna.
“Could it be a case of the stork flu?” Ruthanna said, smiling.
“I am not pregnant,” Felicia said, with more vigor than intended.
“Well, you seem pretty stressed out. Maybe your body is telling you it’s time to take it easy.”
“I wish I could.”
“You have to look out for number one. If you don’t, nobody else will.”
Ruthanna was right, she needed to look out for herself. Since the abortion Felicia had felt as if she were coming unglued. Everything was a big mess. Concentrating on her clients was the only way for her to get through the day, so Felicia worked harder and longer to avoid having to deal with her personal life. This only aggravated the situation at home. Her counseling sessions with Trace had deteriorated into shouting matches and sobbing spells, brought on not by the condition of their relationship but by all the guilt and emotional baggage she was keeping locked inside. Maybe she should seek counseling for herself. She needed to talk to someone about all this. Felicia felt paralyzed by inaction, unable to make any decisions about her life.
“Why don’t you go home, snuggle up with that superfine man of yours, and get some rest?”
“It is time to go,” Felicia told Ruthanna, looking at her watch. She was leaving, not to go home but to see Lexis. He was back from his latest research trip, and Felicia had agreed to get together to discuss the progress of Praline Livin’. She only wished she were ready to discuss the progress of her own life as well.
“Baby, I’m glad to see you,” Lexis told Felicia as they embraced in his living room. “It feels good holding you again.” Since making love in Martinique, they had not been intimate, and Lexis’s body ached to be with her again. While he was making a conscious effort not to push her into a relationship, Lexis wasn’t convinced that Felicia was being true to her promise not to pull away. He could understand her reluctance to pursue this thing lingering between them until she’d straightened out everything with that tight-ass she was married to, but in the last few months Lexis had felt a wall go up that had not previously existed.
“It’s always good to see you, too,” Felicia responded truthfully.
“It doesn’t seem like it. Not the way you’ve been playing me lately. Is everything cool? Trace hassling you?”
“Not really, but things are pretty strained between us.”
“Would he be pissed if he knew you were with me tonight?”
“Trace knows nothing about you and me—about anything.”
“What does that mean?”
“Things have been difficult for me lately. I just haven’t shared much with him, or anybody else for that matter.”
“Is it work?”
“No, everything there is fine. Just busy,” Felicia answered quickly. Despite all that had transpired between them, Lexis was still a lucrative and valued client. She didn’t want him to have any apprehensions about her ability to service his account.
“If you need me for anything, I’m always here for you. Twenty-four/seven,” Lexis offered.
“I know, and I really appreciate it.” She did value Lexis’s willingness to listen. Unlike her husband, he didn’t judge her. He didn’t assume that he automatically knew what was best for her and try to impose his opinions on her. Instead Lexis always encouraged her to follow her heart. Maybe she could talk to him about the abortion. Maybe he would understand and help her get through this nightmare.
But then again. Maybe not. She couldn’t afford to take the risk—for personal and professional reasons. If she was going to have to support herself and her business, she couldn’t afford to lose Lexis’s profitable account. Just as important, she couldn’t afford to lose his love and respect.