No thanks to you.“Exactly my thought.”
“But you’ve never been one to hold onto your man,” Jane cut.
Talk about projection!“That’s your opinion.”
“Will you at least call me?” Jane asked.
“I don’t see how I’ll have the time. It’s bound to be very stressful.”
“Yet, you’ll find the time to take a silly class? It’s not like you still have a painting career, so why bother? And what am I going to do about the broken lamp? You were supposed to take it to the fix-it guy for me,” Jane bemoaned.
“Buy a new one online. Okay, I gotta go!” She hung up, exhausted from the four-minute telephone conversation—and she counted! This one-sided relationship must come to an end, too. When she returned, she’d finally take steps to extricateherself from Jane’s orbit or Jane from hers. The mental gymnastics were now at gold medal Olympic level.
TWENTY-ONE
An Unexpected Moment—June 30
Darcy was leaving for Paris at midnight, and, for the thousandth time, Caroline questioned her sanity. Come what may, she was prepared and would gracefully accept the outcome. He’d either come home to her with the Seurat or not—and that’s the way it had to play out. Either way, she had to be happy.
Exiting Bergdorf with several new feel-good purchases—because shopping was the best therapy—she thought of his loyal friendship and generosity. He was her best friend. Of course, she wanted his happiness above all things, even if it cost her a long, prosperous future as a Darcy.
“Oof! I’m so sorry,” she said, banging into a passerby when exiting the department store.
“Hey, no problem,” the guy said, bending to pick up her bags. “It was totally my fault.”
“Rick?”
“Caroline!”
“What a small world,” she said.
Darcy’s handsome cousin she’d nicknamed “Dimples” over dinner with Darcy a few nights ago, grinned. “Yeah. It is a small world. Wow. I was just thinking about you.”
“You were thinking about me? Why?” she asked.
“Because I had a good time with you and Darcy at dinner.” He searched her surprised expression. “Say, do you think he’d mind if I took you to lunch? Are you free?”
“Um ... yeah. That’ll be super. I don’t think he’d mind if I don’t.”
“Cool.” He hailed a cab. “How about Thai food?”
“Perfect! I’m crazy for Thai food!”
“Great!” Addressing the driver he said, “Thai Villa, five East Nineteenth Street,” then looked at her, “They have the best Shrang Wa Goong.”
“You know, I knew I liked you from the start!” She beamed.
The yellow cab eased out into the Fifth Avenue traffic, and he fidgeted with the ring on his right hand, then shyly looked over at her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing is wrong.”
They awkwardly sat next to each other, shoulders touching as the driver swore at a passing SUV, then abruptly stopped at a red light.
“Will you guys be attending my Aunt Catherine’s birthday party on Saturday night?” Rick asked.
“I don’t think so. Darcy’s leaving for Paris tonight.”
