“I’ll be working in my office,” he snarled and stormed out.
*
“Enjoying New York?”Caitlin asked, and Hannah smiled as she closed her apartment door behind her.
Balancing the cell phone between her chin and her shoulder, she kicked off her shoes, threw down her bag, and flopped down on the couch.“It’s spring over here, so yes, New York is lovely.”
“And the rehearsals for the show?”
“It’s fun.I’m enjoying it.”
“But?”Caitlin asked.
“But nothing,” Hannah said, trying to sound cheerful.“We’ve been so busy, and the days are crazy, I…”
“Miss Darryn?”Caitlin interjected, clearly amused.
Hannah sighed.It was no use, Caitlin knew her too well.“Yes, I do.Something crazy.I’ve been in love with him for two years, during which time I hardly saw him but now, after we’ve been together, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, damn it, I can’t stop thinking about him!This is crazy!”
“Surely you talk over the phone or Skype?”
“Yes, of course we do, but with the time difference and our schedules, it’s not always possible.”
“But you’re back in a week?”
“Yes, but I have to leave again after a month.I have to be in Europe from middle of June probably until October.And then I’ll have to go to New York for the Victoria’s Secret’s show, which means I’ll only be back, oh hell, I don’t know when!”Hannah nearly wailed.
“Sounds to me like you have decisions to make,” Caitlin said softly.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re obviously not happy being so far away from Darryn, and there is a very simple solution.”
“Oh, yeah?And what is that?”
“Marry Darryn, stay with him.Help manage the children’s foundation you’re involved with from Cape Town, and do the odd modeling gig whenever you feel like it.”
Hannah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.“Simple?There is nothing simple in your suggestion!First of all, I’ve worked very hard to be where I am today; I don’t know whether I want to simply drop everything for a man.”
“So when will you want to stop, do you think?”Caitlin asked.
“I don’t know, there never has been a reason to think about quitting.In a few years, probably, when I’m ready.”
“So the fact that you’re now in a relationship doesn’t change how you feel about being away so much?”
“Am I?In a relationship, that is?Which brings me to my second point: I can’t marry a guy who hasn’t asked me to marry him!Yes, he told me he loves me, but he hasn’t said it once since I’ve been in New York.We could be brother and sister the way he talks to me.It doesn’t sound as if we’re in a ‘relationship.’Maybe he’s found someone else, maybe—”
“Hannah, stop!”Caitlin exclaimed.“Listen to yourself!”She sighed.“You’re a gorgeous woman.Any man would be lucky to be near you, and Darryn has been in love with you ever since I met him.You’ve been through this horrendous ordeal with a madman, and when Darryn finally knew what was going on, he left without a suitcase to be with you.And, Hannah, once the Cavallos fall in love with someone, that’s it for them.Look at all of them!”
“The obvious difference is they all wanted to get married.Darryn hasn’t said a word again about love, never mind about getting married.And it’s fine.I’d rather know now that he’s not going to stick around, than find out later like Mom did.”
Caitlin sighed audibly over the phone.“Oh, Hannah.You were younger than me and Zoe when Dad left.I didn’t think his leaving would also leave a scar on you.Dad is…Dad.”She laughed.“I don’t think I ever told you, but when I realized how I felt about Don, I wanted to see Dad.I wasn’t sure why.We met at the Waterfront, and while we were talking, he was shamelessly ogling a woman at a nearby table.And then I realized—Don is so different.He has eyes only for me, like David has for Dana, and Dale for Zoe.Not all men are like Dad, thank goodness.Watch the brothers and their dad.Their eyes are stuck on their loved one—it’s a wonderful thing to see.”
“You sound like Mom,” Hannah said glumly.
“Darryn loves you, we can all see that.”
“But he hasn’t said anything again!”
