Nate momentarily narrowed his eyes at the grump, but then turned his attention back on her.
“Yes, it is. I guess you know your cars.”
“God, I would love to have a ride in one of those.” She couldn’t help sounding excited.
“You just got your wish. Now, tell me how you know cars.”
Finally, something to impress him with. “Oh, my father loved fine cars, so we grew up with them. Daddy always had a couple of the latest sexy European models at home. He never owned an Aston Martin, but we knew all about them anyway. The classic James Bond car.”
She paused, suddenly worried that she sounded like a total snob. Even though Nate was now very wealthy, he had grown up in a working class family.
“I don’t mean it to sound like we were mega-rich or anything,” she added hastily. “My mother and father always fought about all the money he spent on cars.” Oh, crap. Why did she toss out that little grisly tidbit? Could she possibly screw this up anymore than she already had?
But Nate simply nodded. “Your dad’s gone now?”
“He died four years ago. A massive heart attack while he was playing tennis.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been a heck of a shock to lose him like that.”
“It was hell. It still is hell.” Holly swallowed against the tightness in her throat, always taken aback by how deep the hurt still cut. “We were close, even though he and my mother were divorced. He remarried and started a second family, but the bond between us never really changed.”
Nate reached across the table and gave her hand a fleeting pat. The gesture surprised her, and she flushed with embarrassment and with gratitude for his kindness.
“How old were you when they divorced?”
“Eleven. My brother Sacha was only seven. My father wanted to take us with him, but he couldn’t.” Holly would never forget that terrible day, her mother’s anger and bitterness burned into all their memories like a cauterized wound that still refused to heal. How could it? Her mother had never really gotten over it, always blaming her ex-husband for everything wrong in her life.
And always telling Holly that no man could ever be trusted completely, and that she didn’t want Holly to end up like her.
“Your mother never remarried?” he asked, his dark gaze full of sympathy.
Holly stared at him, then suddenly became aware of the noise and bustle around them. Why was she telling him all this, especially in the middle of the hospital cafeteria? How pathetic.
She had to force a lighter tone in her voice. “Mom finally got past the worst of her depression and threw herself back into work. She’s a clinical psychologist. Work, plus regular tennis and bridge and martinis with her girlfriends—that seems enough for her. She never asks Sacha or me what we think about getting married. Most women her age are desperate for grandchildren, but she couldn’t care less.”
She smiled wryly, hoping she’d made it all sound like a bit of a joke.
Unfortunately, Nate didn’t look fooled. “Your brother’s not married, either?”
Holly shook her head. “He’s had the same boyfriend for a couple of years. He couldn’t stand living with my mother, so he got the hell out of Dodge as soon as he could. He’s a theatrical stage manager in New York, now. In fact, he’s got a hit show off Broadway that I want to see someday soon.”
Nate looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but she’d had enough of blurting out humiliating personal details like an undisciplined child. “I’m sorry, but I have to get to my meeting. Thanks for the tea, and for the invitation. I’m looking forward to Monday.” She pushed her chair back and stood up, eager to get away.
Nate rose too.
“Oh,” she said quickly, “are you really sure you don’t mind picking me up? Won’t that mean you’ll have to drive back into town after your golf game, and then all the way back to Paoli?”
“That’ll be no problem.” He seemed totally at ease, even
“Yes, it is. I guess you know your cars.”
“God, I would love to have a ride in one of those.” She couldn’t help sounding excited.
“You just got your wish. Now, tell me how you know cars.”
Finally, something to impress him with. “Oh, my father loved fine cars, so we grew up with them. Daddy always had a couple of the latest sexy European models at home. He never owned an Aston Martin, but we knew all about them anyway. The classic James Bond car.”
She paused, suddenly worried that she sounded like a total snob. Even though Nate was now very wealthy, he had grown up in a working class family.
“I don’t mean it to sound like we were mega-rich or anything,” she added hastily. “My mother and father always fought about all the money he spent on cars.” Oh, crap. Why did she toss out that little grisly tidbit? Could she possibly screw this up anymore than she already had?
But Nate simply nodded. “Your dad’s gone now?”
“He died four years ago. A massive heart attack while he was playing tennis.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been a heck of a shock to lose him like that.”
“It was hell. It still is hell.” Holly swallowed against the tightness in her throat, always taken aback by how deep the hurt still cut. “We were close, even though he and my mother were divorced. He remarried and started a second family, but the bond between us never really changed.”
Nate reached across the table and gave her hand a fleeting pat. The gesture surprised her, and she flushed with embarrassment and with gratitude for his kindness.
“How old were you when they divorced?”
“Eleven. My brother Sacha was only seven. My father wanted to take us with him, but he couldn’t.” Holly would never forget that terrible day, her mother’s anger and bitterness burned into all their memories like a cauterized wound that still refused to heal. How could it? Her mother had never really gotten over it, always blaming her ex-husband for everything wrong in her life.
And always telling Holly that no man could ever be trusted completely, and that she didn’t want Holly to end up like her.
“Your mother never remarried?” he asked, his dark gaze full of sympathy.
Holly stared at him, then suddenly became aware of the noise and bustle around them. Why was she telling him all this, especially in the middle of the hospital cafeteria? How pathetic.
She had to force a lighter tone in her voice. “Mom finally got past the worst of her depression and threw herself back into work. She’s a clinical psychologist. Work, plus regular tennis and bridge and martinis with her girlfriends—that seems enough for her. She never asks Sacha or me what we think about getting married. Most women her age are desperate for grandchildren, but she couldn’t care less.”
She smiled wryly, hoping she’d made it all sound like a bit of a joke.
Unfortunately, Nate didn’t look fooled. “Your brother’s not married, either?”
Holly shook her head. “He’s had the same boyfriend for a couple of years. He couldn’t stand living with my mother, so he got the hell out of Dodge as soon as he could. He’s a theatrical stage manager in New York, now. In fact, he’s got a hit show off Broadway that I want to see someday soon.”
Nate looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but she’d had enough of blurting out humiliating personal details like an undisciplined child. “I’m sorry, but I have to get to my meeting. Thanks for the tea, and for the invitation. I’m looking forward to Monday.” She pushed her chair back and stood up, eager to get away.
Nate rose too.
“Oh,” she said quickly, “are you really sure you don’t mind picking me up? Won’t that mean you’ll have to drive back into town after your golf game, and then all the way back to Paoli?”
“That’ll be no problem.” He seemed totally at ease, even
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