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“Hello, darling!” herout of the car, her half sas Jack Nicholson’s Joker “Guess into whom I ran”
“‘Into whorammar”
Althea hustled to the door and,ignoring James completely, whispered, “This is Collier Rhodes, he owns thePines, he’s loaded, don’t blow this Husband material, Parker”
“For you or for me?” Parkerasked
“For you! Don’t be ridiculous!I’o! Hurry up I don’t want hipen any lanced back “Collier, we’llbe one second! Oh, da in”
“No, Mother,” Parkerhter” She was positivethe man had already been briefed on her blue blood, education, career andfertility
Thevery blue eyes Nice He shbors”
“Parker Welles This is myfriend, James Cahill”
“Good to meet you, man,” Colliersaid as they shook hands
“He’s not her friend per se,” Altheachirped “He’s the help”
Parker raised an eyebrow“Actually, he’s—”
“Darling,” Althea interrupted,widening her tightened eyes with great effort “Collier has beenso sweet! Iwandered up to the Pines, a little nostalgic, and there he was, and before Iknew it, he’d invited us to stay for a few days!”
Mic, herass It wasn’t surprising Althea had tracked down the town’s biggestlandowner She had a nose like a drug-sniffing bloodhound when it came torich men
“And he’s having a little dinnerparty tonight for us Isn’t that wonderful? So let’s go” She gave Parker aquick scan and apparently found her dress acceptable, though she unsubtlytucked her finger into her own neckline and e for Show more boob and he’ll pop thequestion faster
“James, you free? You’re morethan welcome,” Collier said
“Oh, I’m sure he had otherplans,” Althea said “My ex-husband sent him to do a little work for Parker,that’s all”
Parker glanced back at JamesHis hair was still damp from the shower “Why don’t you come, James?” sheasked, suddenly quite aware that she really, really wanted hiscompany
“The more the merrier,” Colliersaid enthusiastically “I’d love it!”
“Oh, are you sure, Collier?”Althea said, laying a hand on his arm “James wouldn’t want to put you outYou’ve already been so, ah, generous with the locals”
“I’d love hi Gay, ht “What do you say,James?”
“Sounds like fun,” James said“Thank you”
“Great!” Collier said “Off wego, then”
“Parker, you simply must sit infront,” Althea said as they walked down the path to the Porsche “It’s sucha darling car Parker’s father loves Porsches” Translation: She comes from money, too
“Oh, no, Mother You knohatthey say Age before beauty” S at her mother’s murderous look, sheslid into the backseat with James
CHAPTER NINETEEN
TWO HOURS LATER, James was fairly sure he hated Collier Rhodes
Apparently, Collier knew every famous person on the face of the earth, fro about his famous pals, his money, his career, his travels, and all with such falseJames ill At least Harry was honest about his own self-admiration
Maggie Beaumont and her fiancé, Malone, were here, in addition to Lavinia And thank God for that, because otherwise, Jahter in a bedroom with Collier until consummation occurred Between her references to Parker’s suitability as a bride and Collier’s na quite homicidal He took another sip of whatever wildly expensive wine Collier was serving and tried not to roll his eyes as Collier dropped the seventh celebrity naht
“You’re kidding!” said Maggie “You actually went rock cliuy who cut off his own arm?”
Collier considered the question It wasn’t a hard question, but he seeuess I don’t really notice a person’s disabilities It’s notpeople”
“You didn’t notice that he only had one ar to miss”
Atta girl She was sitting next to James, as ever so close and so out of reach
“That’s how I’htfully “Towith nature It was the sa drinks one time I mean, yeah, he’s in a wheelchair, but to me, that stuff’s invisible”
The invisible wheelchair Like Wonder Woman’s plane
“How do you have drinks with atube? Straw?”