Adele’s eyes widened fractionally, and she pursed her lips, but said nothing about Marni’s having spent the weekend with her photographer. Marni was, after all, thirty-one, and these were modern times. It was too much to expect that her daughter was still a virgin. “Vermont. A little … backwoodsy, isn’t it?”
Marni rolled her eyes. “Vermont has become the vacation place of most of New York, or hadn’t you noticed? Some of the finest and wealthiest have second homes there. Times have changed, Mother. It doesn’t have to be Camden, or South Hampton, or Newport anymore.”
“I know that, darling,” Adele said gruffly. She scowled at what was left of her dessert, then abandoned it in favor of her coffee.
“I want you to bepleased,” Marni said softly. “Brian is a wonderful man. He’s interesting and fun to be with, he’s serious about his work and he respects mine, and he treats me like I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
“I am pleased. I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing before you get in over your head.”
Marni might have said that she was already in over her head, but it wouldn’t have served her purpose. “I know what I’m doing,” she said with quiet conviction. “I’m happy. That’s the most important thing … don’t you think?”
“Of course, dear. Of course…. So, when will we be able to meet this photographer of yours?”
“Soon.”
“When?”
“When I get up the courage to bring him out.”
“Courage? Why would you need courage?”
“Because you and Dad can be intimidating in the best of circumstances. I’m not sure I’m ready to inflict you on Brian yet.” Her words had been offered in a teasing tone and accompanied by a gentle smile. Adele was totally unaware of the deeper sentiment behind them.
“Very funny, Marni. We don’t bite you know.”
“You could send Brian running if you grill him the way you’ve grilled me. No man likes to have his background, his social standing and his financial status probed.”
“Social standing. We haven’t even gotten into that.”
“No need. He’s well-liked and respected, he’s the good friend of many well-placed people and he chews with his mouth closed.”
“That’s a relief,” was Adele’s sardonic retort. “I wouldn’t want to think you were going with some crude oaf.”
“Brian can hold his own with any crowd. He’ll charm your friends to tears.”
“Well,your father and Iwould like to meet him before we introduce him to our friends. Why don’t you bring him out to the house on Sunday?”
Marni shook her head. “We’re not up to a showing just yet.”
“If you’re so afraid that we’ll scare the man off, maybe you’re not so sure about him yourself.”
“Oh, I’m sure. But it’s still a little early for introductions,” she explained with impeccable nonchalance. “When the time’s right, I’ll let you know.”
“You would have been proud of me, Web,” Marni declared when she arrived at the studio that night. Web had kissed her thoroughly. She was feeling heavenly. “I was cool and relaxed, I followed the script perfectly and I didn’t lie once.”
“How did she take it?”
“Hesitantly, at first. She asked questions, just as I’d expected.” She told him some of them, and they shared a chuckle over the one about money. “I planted the bug in her ear. If I know my mother, she’s already on the phone trying to find out whatever she can about you.” A sudden frown crossed her brow. Web picked up on it instantly.
“Don’t worry. There’s nothing she could learn that will connect me with who I was fourteen years ago. Lee is about the only one who knows anything about what I did during those years, and even if someone called him, which they wouldn’t, he’d be tight-lipped as hell.”
“He must think my parents are awful.”
“Not awful. Just … prejudiced.”
“Mmmm. I guess that says it.” Her eyes clouded. “It remains to be seen whether they’re vengeful as well.”
“Don’t even think it,” Web soothed. “Not yet. We’ve got more pressing things to consider.”
