Page 17 of A Matter of Time

“I am so in love with him I can’t see straight.”

I was brought back sharply to the present. “I’m sorry, Miss Warner. What do you want me to say?”

She let out a shaky breath.

What was I supposed to do? It had to be agony for her. All she had to do was open the paper to the society page to see a picture of another woman on her ex-lover’s arm. It had to be maddening, especially since he’d belonged to her such a short time ago.

“How can he just turn it off and forget about me so quickly?”

She was asking the question to the air, not addressing anyone in particular. I doubted she even remembered I was there. I just stood beside her looking stupid because I didn’t know what else to do. If we were friends, I could console her—sit up nights with her, make her go out on blind dates just so she’d be out and not stuck in the house, and stay up late and let her cry on my shoulder for hours. If she were my friend, I’d entertain her constantly for as long as it took to get Dane Harcourt out of her system. The problem was, Therese Warner was not my friend, so I felt awkward and embarrassed and desperate to leave the room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Bradley,” Sonja announced from behind us. We both turned, and I offered a hand to the lady who’d joined us at the door to Dane’s office.

Mrs. Miriam Bradley took my hand and squeezed it tightly. She seemed genuinely pleased to see me, and I felt like I knew her, as many times as we’d spoken on the phone.

“How are you, Jory?”

“Fine, thank you. Are you ready for your initial meeting with Mr. Harcourt?”

“I’ve been waiting for this for months. I’m more than ready.”

“Terrific,” I said cheerfully. I stepped aside so I could open the door for her and make sure Therese didn’t get in at the same time. Not that she was trying to.

Mrs. Bradley didn’t enter the room, just stood there and looked at Therese. “Have we met? You seem very familiar to me.”

Therese smiled automatically. “I think we have a membership at the same club in Highland Park. I seem to recall seeing you there. My father is Simon Warner.”

“Yes, that’s it.” Mrs. Bradley smiled, offering Therese her hand. She was so beautiful and graceful. I knew women who didn’t look that good at thirty, let alone at sixty. I didn’t understand guys in their fifties and sixties who went in for trophy wives when there were stunning women their own age. But I didn’t get gay men that went for guys half their age either. I guessed a midlife crisis was the same no matter who you wanted in bed with you. “You’re Therese Warner. Well, my dear, I’m so glad to finally meet you in person.”

Therese thanked her tightly, trying hard not to cry.

“Come in, Mrs. Bradley,” Dane called from inside his office.

I closed the door behind her after she told Therese that she hoped they would be able to play a set of tennis together very soon. I turned back to Therese and begged her to leave.

“I want him to see me.”

“He doesn’t want to see you.”

“Why? What did I do wrong?”

“I’m sure you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Has he said something?” She brightened instantly. God, she was hoping so hard, I was sorry I’d said anything at all.

“No,” I mumbled. “He hasn’t said a word. But he’s going to come out of his office in a minute, and I think you should leave before that and try to talk to him another time.”

“How am I supposed to do that? I can’t call him here and I can’t call him at home. He doesn’t answer his cell and he won’t speak to me in public. I’ve tried to…to talk to him and he just won’t…won’t do…” She trailed off, beginning to tear up.

I shook my head. “There’s something really bothering him, Miss Warner. I would just give him some time, if I were you, to sort through⁠—”

“So you think everything will be all right, then?”

“I don’t know that I’m in any position to⁠—”

“But you know him so well, Jory,” she said, cutting me off. “Please tell me what you think.”

She wanted some kind of encouragement so badly. I sighed heavily. “Miss Warner, I don’t know what⁠—”