pulled over a stool and sat down, he made himself a promise. He would help John in any way he could. They were alike. Neither of them had much money, but both had a clear sense of direction — of what they wanted from their future. Nothing was going to get in their way. Not Rudy’s father. And certainly not Hale Micklenberg.
10
Rhea couldn’t believe her eyes. As she stood in front of her one o’clock Dancercize group on Monday afternoon, the double doors to the dance floor opened and in pirouetted Ben, a big grin on his face. He did a little two-step across to the assembled crowd and then, landing on one foot, took a bow. The women began to laugh and clap. Rhea shook her head, placing a hand on her hip.
“I thought I’d find you in here,” he said, catching his breath.
“I’m in the middle of a class. I can’t talk right now.”
Ben pretended a pout. “Just two minutes. That’s all I ask.”
She glanced at the crowd. “I don’t know —”
“Oh, come on. You ladies understand, don’t you?” He flashed them a boyish smile.
Rhea knew if she didn’t act fast, the entire class would be in shambles. “All right. Two minutes. Then you’re out of here.”
“Deal.”
They moved over to a long wall, covered floor to ceiling with mirrors.
“We still make a handsome couple,” he said, his voice dropping to its most seductive register.
Rhea looked at their reflection. She couldn’t help but agree. “All right. Make it fast.”
“How long does your class last? One hour? Two?”
“Forty-five minutes.”
“Great. I’ll wait for you.”
“Why?” She could see the women watching them. This was becoming embarrassing.
“I want you to come with me over to Hale Micklenberg’s office. I thought I’d drop by this afternoon. Get more specifics on what I’m supposed to photograph.”
“Why should I?”
“Rhea, the place is incredible! He’s set up a gallery in the small gate house behind the main house. He’s got artwork in there from all over the world. Didn’t I tell you that his column in the paper is just a sideline? Most of his time is spent helping rich assholes decide on the best investments for their bucks. Some of the work he sells to them directly. And I’m going to photograph it all for his latest catalogue. This is the most lucrative deal I’ve ever cut! I want you to see it for yourself.”
She hesitated. Ben had never lacked enthusiasm. Sometimes, however, in his excitement, he overlooked details. Important details — like contracts. “You do have all this in writing?”
“In writing? Nah. Hale and I shook hands on it. With a guy like him, that’s all you need.”
He was such a hopeless optimist. And she was so easily caught up in his dreams.
“So? What do you say? Are we on?”
Her class was becoming restless. She couldn’t stand here and talk any longer. “Sure.”
“Great!” He grabbed her and gave her a hug. “And afterward, I’ll take you to dinner.”
“Fine.”
“And after that —”
“Ben,” she whispered, with as much force as she dared, “we just got
divorced.”
“So? That didn’t stop us last Thursday night.” He wiggled an eyebrow.
He was incorrigible. “We’ll talk about it later. You go upstairs to my office.”
“Yes ma’am. See you in forty minutes.” He gave her a quick kiss and then waved to the class as he box-stepped out of the room.
An hour and a half later, they stood in front of the entrance to the Micklenberg gate house, waiting for someone to answer the bell.
“Are you sure he’s here?” asked Rhea.
“When I talked to him on Friday, he said to stop by Monday afternoon. He’d show me around.”
Rhea looked up at the second-floor windows. It was a dark, windy day. A light did appear to be on.
“Here we go.” Ben smiled. “I can hear someone coming.”
The door
10
Rhea couldn’t believe her eyes. As she stood in front of her one o’clock Dancercize group on Monday afternoon, the double doors to the dance floor opened and in pirouetted Ben, a big grin on his face. He did a little two-step across to the assembled crowd and then, landing on one foot, took a bow. The women began to laugh and clap. Rhea shook her head, placing a hand on her hip.
“I thought I’d find you in here,” he said, catching his breath.
“I’m in the middle of a class. I can’t talk right now.”
Ben pretended a pout. “Just two minutes. That’s all I ask.”
She glanced at the crowd. “I don’t know —”
“Oh, come on. You ladies understand, don’t you?” He flashed them a boyish smile.
Rhea knew if she didn’t act fast, the entire class would be in shambles. “All right. Two minutes. Then you’re out of here.”
“Deal.”
They moved over to a long wall, covered floor to ceiling with mirrors.
“We still make a handsome couple,” he said, his voice dropping to its most seductive register.
Rhea looked at their reflection. She couldn’t help but agree. “All right. Make it fast.”
“How long does your class last? One hour? Two?”
“Forty-five minutes.”
“Great. I’ll wait for you.”
“Why?” She could see the women watching them. This was becoming embarrassing.
“I want you to come with me over to Hale Micklenberg’s office. I thought I’d drop by this afternoon. Get more specifics on what I’m supposed to photograph.”
“Why should I?”
“Rhea, the place is incredible! He’s set up a gallery in the small gate house behind the main house. He’s got artwork in there from all over the world. Didn’t I tell you that his column in the paper is just a sideline? Most of his time is spent helping rich assholes decide on the best investments for their bucks. Some of the work he sells to them directly. And I’m going to photograph it all for his latest catalogue. This is the most lucrative deal I’ve ever cut! I want you to see it for yourself.”
She hesitated. Ben had never lacked enthusiasm. Sometimes, however, in his excitement, he overlooked details. Important details — like contracts. “You do have all this in writing?”
“In writing? Nah. Hale and I shook hands on it. With a guy like him, that’s all you need.”
He was such a hopeless optimist. And she was so easily caught up in his dreams.
“So? What do you say? Are we on?”
Her class was becoming restless. She couldn’t stand here and talk any longer. “Sure.”
“Great!” He grabbed her and gave her a hug. “And afterward, I’ll take you to dinner.”
“Fine.”
“And after that —”
“Ben,” she whispered, with as much force as she dared, “we just got
divorced.”
“So? That didn’t stop us last Thursday night.” He wiggled an eyebrow.
He was incorrigible. “We’ll talk about it later. You go upstairs to my office.”
“Yes ma’am. See you in forty minutes.” He gave her a quick kiss and then waved to the class as he box-stepped out of the room.
An hour and a half later, they stood in front of the entrance to the Micklenberg gate house, waiting for someone to answer the bell.
“Are you sure he’s here?” asked Rhea.
“When I talked to him on Friday, he said to stop by Monday afternoon. He’d show me around.”
Rhea looked up at the second-floor windows. It was a dark, windy day. A light did appear to be on.
“Here we go.” Ben smiled. “I can hear someone coming.”
The door
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