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He would return She was grateful, of course, but after her frustrating efforts to get through, she eary and then had another two hours to sit around waiting

She tried walking After all, walking around would be good She felt like a pretzel The airlines ht have added h She was five-nine, and had to wonder how those over six feet actually survived the trans-Atlantic flights without their li perht have been able to upgrade to first class on her airlines bonus miles

But she hadn’t waited a day, because she had been scheduled to meet with the entire cast of her show here, at the club, this night, at seven p that her entire cast had so Wharton and Drew Cunningham had been delayed by a car breakdown over in Sorrento, Lena Miro and Suzette Croix had gone on a tour to the local ruins, where a rock slide on the return road had caused the guide to call in with the infor, and Clay Barton had yet to check in Ge to Arturo, but since the others were AWOL, she’d decided to take the night off, too

Fair enough, Stephanie thought But she was still frustrated, sore, worn, and ready to kick herself for being such a stickler for punctuality that she hadn’t taken the later flight, and arrived in a far le Reggie--the wo here The entire project was so off the wall, Stephanie doubted she should have accepted the task, even if she did adore Reggie After all, was Reggie here? No, of course not; she was off pushing this latest project tothat when she returned, all would be in perfect order But that was Reggie, or Ms Victoria Reggia, who had been like a windstor in and out, and turning the world upside down like a modern-day Auntie Mame She was actually Stephanie’sthe world somewhere, Stephanie had rarely seen her until her parents’ funeral Then, Reggie had been a godsend

But then again, she had to ad this job had been soodsend, as well At twenty-seven, Stephanie could be proud of both her talent and her business acumen An automobile accident had left her orphaned at seventeen, and she had still ree in fine arts, with awith the Park Street Players in Chicago tothe small but esteemed comedy club

Yet for all her education and life-enforced maturity, she hadn’t foreseen her relationship with Grant Peterson, the club’s owner Grant had been an even greater power in her life--electric, vital; from the moment she had first seen him, she had felt compelled to come closer to him Admittedly, she mocked herself--she had been compelled just to touch him She had never wanted anyone as she had wanted Grant, and she had known that the minute she had walked into his playhouse and watched hie She had met him, and in his eyes, she had seen an equal fascination Someti groups; he was far eable and sophisticated And yet, it had seemed that he was in love with her

For a year it had been a passionate if volatile relationship, but her life had seemed set He was assertive, fair, determined, but never cruel He didn’t patronize his cast or crews, but there was no question that he was in complete control Theater and improv were his passions, but he loved jazz and the opera, andelse, museuh, hadn’t been fine arts, but history He played aartists, as well as collecting armor and movie paraphernalia

Stephanie’s life had been nearly perfect

Her as her life’s dream and Grant was her heart’s desire

Then it had ended Maybe it had been as nore his sudden state of distraction, though he had clai hiht; he’d gone out at all hours of the night They were both accusto with ensembles, so she had first scoffed at the idea that she was suspicious or jealous But then she had thought about Grant He had everything he needed to succeed--in business, and in his personal life He was six feet, two inches of lithe ue with the theater had taken hi, riding, and some stunt work He also possessed more than a fair amount of charm and sensuality, which had been wonderful for the success of his business, and horrible on a personal level, once Stephanie had decided that there was so

Then the dreahte Sometimes he had tossed and turned And soency that had been both exhilarating and terrifying, the latter because she wasn’t sure when she ca it all

Then…

Froht, he had cried out another woeous and incredible in bed, the last had been a slap that went into her soul She felt that she wasn’t what she wanted to be in his life, and never would be They had argued bitterly because she couldn’t tell hi--he would have claimed that she had beento hiument had been volatile

But she had still worked for him