by Jane Green
“Oh my God! ” She is shaking. “I can’t believe this! ”
“We can’t believe we kept it a secret! ” Annabel flings her arms around her. “I’ve been skulking around trying to organize it, and I was convinced you’d know what I was doing.”
“No! I thought you were skulking around having a secret affair! ” Kit laughs.
Annabel blanches, ever so slightly. “As if! ” she says, relieved when Kit turns to hug the other guests.
“Your business trip?” she says to Steve, who gathers her in his arms and kisses her hard on the mouth.
“I wouldn’t abandon my favorite girl on her birthday,” he says with a big grin, and Kit feels tears well up in her eyes.
Adam watches her, feeling strange. Strange, perhaps, because for the first time since the divorce he doesn’t have feelings.
He loves Kit, will always love her, and can now admit to himself that he has been harboring a secret desire for them to get back together. Or at least he had, until he met Annabel.
Now, with sudden clarity, he can see that he and Kit could not get back together. They have both moved too far without one another, and trying again would be, for both of them, taking giant steps backward.
Annabel.
He didn’t believe in love at first sight either. Until he met Annabel. Or is it lust? Whatever it is, he cannot stop thinking about her. Counts the hours until he can see her. Has taken time off work to be with her. He loves the way she makes him feel when he’s with her: young, energized, excited, as if his life is just starting and all the possibility is in the future.
Of course he has got over Kit. Who wouldn’t, with someone as gorgeous as Annabel in his bed? As for the fact of Annabel being Kit’s sister, surely in time that will all work itself out. Annabel has to go back soon, but he has started making calls to immigration lawyers, started trying to figure out how she can stay, because now that he has found her, he does not want to let her go.
It couldn’t be more perfect. Kit has a man herself, and he has Annabel, and the kids adore her. Sure, there were those few times when Tory clearly suspected something was going on—he must remember that she is not a child any more, that they have to be discreet, careful—and Tory narrowed her eyes at Annabel, protecting her father, he imagines.
And it’s quite possible, probable, in fact, that Tory will have some difficulty, but that’s less to do with Annabel being her aunt, and more to do with her father having a serious girlfriend.
Time will iron everything out. Tory adores her, and even if she gives her a hard time at first, Adam can absolutely see how they will all live happily ever after, because how could they not, when life is so unbelievably exciting, so filled with opportunity and possibility?
Tracy comes forward to hug Kit. She doesn’t want to be here, has found that the handful of times she has seen Kit since they had that argument at Robert’s house have been deeply uncomfortable.
But how can she not be here? How could she possibly have said no, even if Kit is as reluctant as she is? She is acting “as if,” pretending that everything is fine. She flashes a bright smile, a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes, although no one sees that, except for Steve, who happens to be looking.
“Happy birthday, my darling,” Tracy says, pulling her in, affecting an intimacy she doesn’t feel, not any more.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” Kit says, her smile equally false, for she is finding Tracy more and more distant, is hurt by the loss of their friendship, by what she sees as Tracy’s rejection.
“Hey, Mom.” Buckley allows himself to be pulled in for a bear hug, and Kit covers him with kisses.
Only then does her emotion threaten to run over, and tears fill her eyes.
“I can’t believe you guys,” she says, pulling Tory in for a group hug. “Did you know about this all along? ”
“Yeah.” Tory smiles sheepishly. “We helped organize it with Dad.”
“I chose the cake,” Buckley says, looking up. “I wanted an Indiana Jones ice-cream cake from Carvel but Dad said no.”
Kit looks at Adam and laughs. “I’m glad to hear it. Adam, are you behind all this? ”
“Well, not just me. Everyone helped.” Adam smiles.
“Especially Aunt Annabel,” Tory says.
“Thank you.” Kit continues looking at Adam, the smile in her eyes genuine. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
And with that, everyone sits down to eat.
Chapter Twenty-five
It should, perhaps, feel more strange than it does, sitting at a table to celebrate her birthday with her ex-husband and her new boyfriend, but in fact Kit is perfectly comfortable, and thrilled that so many people have gathered together in her honor.
The thought that went into this quite blows her away.
Particularly, that this was clearly Adam’s idea. Steve is holding her hand under the table, but she is watching Adam, sitting next to Annabel at the far end, and with clarity she realizes Adam is indeed quite smitten with her. She recognizes his behavior, from those very early days when Adam was smitten with Kit.
His ready laugh, his enthusiasm, his witty banter. He is very much “on,” and Adam is only “on” when there are clients, or, it seems, women, to impress.
She thinks of Annabel’s comments about Steve being an “older man” at the tennis match, and hopes Adam doesn’t embarrass himself too much, flirting so obviously with someone so young.
There are close to fifteen years between them. Adam is almost, but not quite, old enough to be her father. Kit remembers when a friend got her first au pair, a gorgeous eighteen-year-old called Anna, from Sweden.
Everyone teased the husband and told the wife to watch out, that the husband would disappear with the au pair. But Anna was such a child, it was inconceivable that the husband, or indeed anyone their age, would ever seriously consider it.
Of course it happened to other people, with these young girls working for them, but Kit had never understood it. Youthful glow, long, burnished limbs aside, what could they possibly have to talk about? Were those men really that shallow?
There was a woman in town whose husband left her for a nanny known, to this day, as the Brazilian Bombshell. Kit had heard about him for months before actually meeting him a year ago, at a birthday party for one of Buckley’s friends.
Someone pointed the father out, whispering that he was the one with the Brazilian Bombshell, and she was entirely unsur prised, for the father had clearly been giving her the eye for the past hour. She wasn’t sure if this was because he knew she was divorced, or because he was sleazy, slimy and a serial philanderer. She suspected it was the latter, and that had she given him the slightest sign of encouragement he would have jumped at the opportunity.
No wonder the Brazilian Bombshell was taken in by him. Anyone with an ounce of maturity would have spotted him instantly for the slimeball he was.
And okay, Annabel isn’t exactly eighteen, but she is only twenty-eight, and Kit doesn’t want Adam to embarrass Annabel, never mind embarrass himself.
“You’re staring,” Charlie mutters under her breath.
“Oh God? Am I? ” Kit turns to her.
“Yup. Am I going crazy or do you still have the hots for your ex-husband? ”
“What?” Kit attempts to splutter with laughter, except it doesn’t quite come out like that.
“So why are you staring, then? ” Charlie leans forward, whispering conspiratorially, close to her ear. “You haven’t been able to take your eyes off him for the past hour, and that’s despite having the new boyfriend sitting on your other side.”
“Actually, I was just wondering if he was flirting with Annabel. I was hoping he wouldn’t embarrass himself because, let’s face it, she could practically be his daughter.”
“Well, only just. And Annabel’s a big girl. From everything you’ve told me—rehab, drugs, and so on, and so on—I’m pretty certain she knows how to take care of herself. Anyway, she doesn’t look like she�
��s having a bad time.”
“Do you think she’s flirting back? ”
“Why? Are you jealous? ”
“No! ”
“Sure? ”
“Sure I’m sure. Just curious.”
“Well, I have to admit it would be more than a little weird for your ex-husband to have a thing with your sister.”
“It would be horrible.”
“It would be. Even though it’s not like you grew up together and have a strong family relationship. It’s like those awful stories of people who meet, fall in love and get married, and then discover they are brother and sister, separated at birth.”
“It’s not actually like that at all.”
Charlie cracks up laughing, and Kit realizes, with a start, that Charlie is very, very drunk. “You’re right. It’s nothing like that. I’ve had too much to drink. Alice? ” She calls over to the other end of the table, where Alice has managed to sit down for a quick celebratory drink.
“Yes, Charlie? ”
“I just want to say I love this place and I hope you don’t suffer at all in the recession.”
A silence falls over the table.
“No, I’m serious. I know it’s quiet, and God knows I’ve never seen the place so empty on a Saturday night, but I think it’s still the best food in town, and if you ever needed any additional investors, I’d invest.”
Kit nudges her sharply under the table, to shut her up, but Charlie, it seems, is drunk, and on a roll.
“Actually, I take that back. I can’t invest. We haven’t got any money because my husband lost it all and, at the age of forty, I’m moving in with his parents.”
“Charlie! Shut the fuck up! ” Keith is in a fury as he stands up and abruptly shoots his chair back.
Kit wants to reprimand him about the language, for Tory and Buckley are both at the table, but there are no words in the face of Keith’s anger, and she just sits quietly, wishing they would both calm down, hoping this won’t ruin what has been, so far, a lovely evening.
“DARLING! ”
They all turn at the shriek from the entrance, relieved there is a break in the awkwardness, to see a tiny blonde woman stalk regally toward the table, her over-madeup eyes on Kit. She is in a black and white bouclé suit, large gold and pearl earrings, a fur collar and a cashmere cape, her age indeterminate, thanks to her wonderful plastic surgeon, her hair expertly blown out this morning, as it is every morning, by her personal hairdresser.
“Oh my God!” Annabel whispers, turning to Adam. “She came? ”
“Mother!” Kit masks her surprise, and stands up to greet her.
Ginny throws her arms extravagantly around Kit, before spying Tory and Buckley, and throwing her arms around them.
“Who is that? ” Tracy asks Robert. “She certainly knows how to create a scene.”
Robert watches Ginny. “I’m guessing—this is only a guess, mind you—but I’m guessing by the fact that Kit called her Mother, that she might perhaps be . . . Kit’s mother? ”
“Darling kiddlies.” Ginny is now smothering Buckley with kisses. “You got so big! And so handsome! Just like your father! ”
“Hello, Ginny.” Adam steps forward and gives her a kiss on either cheek. “You’re looking as glamorous and gorgeous as ever.”
“Why thank you.” Ginny laughs, coyly, not noticing Annabel because her eyes are fixed only on Adam, until she turns and spies Robert McClore sitting at the table. She stands still for a second, giving him a cool appraising gaze.
Kit leans over to Edie: “Her radar for attractive men is still exactly what it was.”
“You’d better keep your boyfriend away from her,” Edie whispers back.
“He’s not rich enough for her to be interested in him. Robert McClore, on the other hand, is much more like it, and he’s much more the right age.”
“Didn’t you say she has someone in her life? ”
“My mother always has someone in her life. Until someone better comes along.”
“Does she recognize him, do you think? ” Adam leans over, hearing their not-very-quiet whispers.
“I’m not sure. I think it’s unlikely. If she did she’d start telling him about all the people they have in common.”
Adam grins. “They have people in common? ”
“Well, I don’t know that for a fact, but given that Ginny knows the entire world, I think it’s very likely. I’m surprised she didn’t start his career.”
“What are you talking about? ” Edie frowns.
“Kit and I used to joke about it. Ginny is convinced she’s behind every huge star or success story. Seriously. If it weren’t for her, you know, the Dalai Lama would never have the career he has.” Adam and Kit both burst out laughing at the memory of Ginny’s words, before turning to see Tracy shooting daggers at Ginny.
“Oh dear,” Edie mutters quietly. “I can feel a drama brewing.”
“Am I going crazy,” Adam whispers, “or did I just see your mother actually bat her eyelashes? ”
“Nope. She did. Clearly, the subtlety is becoming somewhat less subtle with her advancing years.”
“Advancing years? She looks about forty,” Edie says.
“So would you if you had that much plastic surgery.”
“What’s she had done? ” Charlie, slurring slightly now, leans over.
“What hasn’t she, you mean. Eyes, nose, lips, facelifts.”
“Really? Well, that makes me feel better. I did Botox last year.”
Now Kit knows Charlie’s drunk. She’d never have admitted that in public, sober.
Kit turns to her in shock. “Did you? You never told me.”
“Why would I tell you? It’s no biggie. It’s like going to the dentist. Everyone does it. Frankly it was so wonderful, I wish I could do it again but we can’t afford it now. All I see when I look in the mirror is my frown lines.”
“What frown lines?” Kit peers closely, shaking her head in disbelief for she sees nothing.
“Sssh. Let’s watch your mom in action.”
“Okay, but she’s not mom. She’s Mother. Actually, she’d much rather I just call her Ginny but I can’t.” Kit sighs. “This is pretty horrific.”
“What? ”
“Annabel. My mother is so mesmerized by Robert McClore, she hasn’t noticed anyone else, which means she hasn’t realized Annabel is here.”
They turn to see Annabel, herself mesmerized by Ginny. But Ginny is not the slightest bit interested in anything other than the extremely attractive sixty-something gentleman standing before her with an amused smile on his face.
“Robert McClore. It’s a pleasure,” he says, introducing himself. He takes Ginny’s extended hand, leans down in a deep bow as if he were about to kiss it, but then he just raises it toward his lips, in a gesture.
Ginny is enchanted.
“Robert McClore? Now why do you look so familiar, Mr. McClore? Have we met? ”
“I don’t believe we have.”
“Oh my goodness me! ” She steps back. “You’re Robert McClore, the world-famous best-selling author! ”
“Only on a good day,” he says with a smile. “The rest of the time I’m just Robert McClore, Highfielder.”
“Hi, I’m Tracy—” Tracy attempts to interject, leaning over to be noticed, but she is no match for Ginny, who simply nods without interest and promptly directs the waiter to bring an extra chair. She squeezes in between Robert and Tracy, turning to face Robert and leaving Tracy completely in the cold.
Adam watches them before saying to Kit, “Is it my imagination or has your mother developed a Southern accent? ”
“It seems that she has, indeed, developed a Southern accent.” Kit starts to chuckle. “Although it’s hard to say, given that she’s only said one word to me since she got here. Robert McClore is evidently far more interesting.”
“I was hoping she might have changed, but it seems people never change that much after all,” Adam says, reaching out a hand to give Kit�
��s arm a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry. I thought we were doing the right thing, inviting her. I didn’t believe she’d come, and I’m sorry. Honestly, I wish now I hadn’t told her about this. I never meant to hurt you.”
“It’s okay. And frankly, it’s great for the kids. They need to see their grandmother. As for me? I’m immune to her now,” Kit says, but the sadness in her eyes proves that this is not quite true.
“Your mom’s really something,” Steve says, when Adam moves away to watch Ginny. “What a beautiful woman.”
“That she certainly is.”
“Now I know where her daughter got it from.”
Kit smiles, and squeezes his hand, but there is something disingenuous about his comment, and it is this, she suddenly realizes, that makes her wary.
Steve says all the right things, does all the right things, but it is as if he has been trained. Kit cannot put her finger on it, but she can’t help feeling that despite the constant stream of compliments, the constant gifts, he does not mean what he is saying.
And with a pang of loss, she looks at Adam, remembers how she always trusted him. How she trusts him still, despite the divorce. She shakes her head to dislodge the disquieting thought, for Adam and she are divorced, and she will not travel backward in her life.
It is time now to let her mother know what is going on. Taking a deep breath, Kit stands up and walks over to Annabel, who has the little-girl-lost look on her face again as she gazes at Ginny, still locked in conversation with Robert McClore.
“Are you okay? Are you ready to meet her?” Kit leans down and whispers in her ear, and Annabel nods slowly and stands up.
“Mother? ”
Ginny looks up, to see Kit and a tall, attractive blonde standing by her chair.
“Mother, there’s something I need to tell you. Someone, actually, I’d like to introduce you to. This is . . . Annabel Plowman.”
Ginny draws a sharp intake of breath. “Good Lord,” she says, quickly regaining her composure. “I didn’t think tonight would become quite the family reunion it evidently is.” Her voice is icily cold.
Kit is surprised, and upset. Upset for Annabel, who doesn’t know what to say.
