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I too had earned Cooper’s father’s scorn for trying to think forout for ht to listen to sofor Jordan instead of mein et that you don’t want to be here tonight I don’t want to be here tonight But this is the first family dinner I’ve been to in ten years I can’t handle it without you"

"I know," I say with a sigh I peel back the curtain and look down at the car The driver is leaning against the passenger-side door, chatting with someone on his cell phone "And I’ll be there, Coop But just so you know, hanging out with your dad wasn’t real high onintoTabitha Takes Over in bed with you was et Tabitha," Cooper says, sounding relieved "I’ll let you take over You can hire as ency Manageency, Mary Poppins, the National Guard, whoever you want"

"Really?" My et over here" He lowers his voice Apparently soh, Jordan’s here, too"

"I figured" Hanging out with s I was hoping to do tonight than hanging out with Grant Cartwright "How’s Tania doing?"

"Well, retons’ apartment," Cooper says, "and all she’d do was sit there and kiss that da--whose name is Baby, by the way?"

"Yeah," I say

"Picture her the saood"

"No," Cooper says "And now my sisters have shown up--"

"Your sisters?" I haven’t seen Cooper and Jordan’s twin sisters--the result of a late-in-life "surprise" pregnancy froht never quite see school, at their father’s request They have to have graduated froe by now

"Yes," he says His voice dips sarcastically "Nicole has volunteered to be a source of co herself for what happened to Jared, although of course she’s claile fan who’d ever want to hurt a hair on her head Jessica has already volunteered to ht s some rat poisonup

The Town Car dropson Park Avenue that I remember only too well from the many uncomfortable dinners I attended there back when I used to date Jordan Even the door at enuine pleasure "How are you? It’s very good to see you again"

"It’s good to see you too, Eddie," I say Suddenly I feel nervous The lobby is a thousand ti has been tastefully updated, froilt-fra that looks out of place is me

That’s because I’m so much older and wiser now than I was the last tione, but h the dress I’ht have been picked up at a deep discount, it fits perfectly, e what I don’t care to advertise Ifbecause I’h heels into which I’ve stuffed them, at least no one buthere? Why did I agree to coun He could whip it out and tell his faht called down to say she’s expecting you," Eddie inforuides me toward an open elevator and presses the button for the penthouse "She said you can go straight up"

"Thanks," I say, feeling queasy The elevator doors close before I can turn around and run for my lifenot that I’d have ain--far sooner than I’d have liked--it’s onto a stunning vista The Cartwrights’ building lobby isn’t the only thing that’s been remodeled: the penthouse has been redone too Now, instead of stepping into a stuffy foyer, the elevator doors open directly into Cooper’s parents’ living room, most of the walls of which have been torn down and replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass doors to the terrace, so the first thing you see when you step off the elevator is the fiery glow of the sun sinking down into the west

What isn’t glass is white pillars, stainless steel, and concrete The place looks like so Grant Cartwright, I’d guess that the penthouse has probably been featured in it

I step onto the highly polished ebony floor "Hello?"

"Heather?" I’ wo, she’s probably a two--and stick-straight dark-brown hair steps out frouarded but not unfriendly "Oh my God, it is you It’s me, Jessica"

Then, to sheld by a very skinny catif cats wore a lot of sarette sood to see you," she says into reat"

"Thanks," I say, my voice a little hoarse since her head is jammed into my throat "So do you"

The last titails and on the way out the door to her pony-riding lesson She had braces, a lisp, and attitude that orse, in ," she says when she finally lets go of me