more questions.
It was just like Atlanta, only better. They were inseparable, something that David Hadison saw and reluctantly accepted. Bett was sorry for him, but too caught up in the fury of loving and being loved that she hardly noticed him for days afterward.
She and Cul went home to his apartment every night, and together in the big king-sized bed they made love in ways she’d never dreamed they could. As she grew more experienced and less inhibited, she began to notice that he wasn’t taking any precautions. One night while they were watching a late movie on television, she mentioned it to him.
“I wouldn’t mind if I got pregnant, of course, you know how much I want children,” she murmured, feeling him stiffen. “But we’re not really doing anything to prevent it.”
He seemed to take a long time to answer, and she felt the rough rise and fall of his chest under her ear.
“Yes, you’re right,” he said finally, his voice oddly strained. “Look, we’re almost through rehearsals, and I’m going to be in Hollywood for at least a month or so. You’ll be in Philadelphia with the tryout. Let’s cool it for a while.”
She drew back and gaped up at him. He hadn’t mentioned going to Hollywood, and her eyes widened with pure terror. Was he telling her that he’d tired of her, that it was over?
“Don’t look at me that way,” he said, his voice agonized. He caught her roughly against him, hurting her with the strength of the embrace. “God, don’t look at me like that. I love you!”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Then why are you walking out on me again?”
“I’m not,” he breathed. His arms tightened even more. “You know about the play. I have to go out and finish work on the screenplay. And I have casting approval. I can’t drop the project now. Besides,” he sighed, drawing back to touch her wet face gently, “you’re going to be busy yourself, getting geared up to win a Tony. Right?”
She smiled wanly. “Right.” Her eyes searched his, fearfully. “You aren’t breaking it off? I don’t think I could bear it, Cul.”
He swallowed, and his face paled. “It’s just some breathing space, that’s all,” he said softly. He smiled down at her, although his eyes were oddly dark. “I love you, Bett. Believe that, at least.”
“I do.” She snuggled close to him with a long, relieved sigh. But if she could have seen the expression on Cul’s face, she might not have felt that relief. He looked like a man being torn apart.
That was the first night he took her back to her apartment. She didn’t argue with him, his face was set and he had that unbending expression on it. Besides, perhaps he was right. When he’d spent a few late evenings watching the news and movies by himself, when he’d done without her beside him in bed to warm him in the cool night, he’d let her come back. She was sure of it.
In the meantime, dress rehearsals began. The play was ready to go out of town. Set designers were finished with the backdrops, all the props and costumes were ready to go to Philadelphia. Everything was loaded up and Cul said goodbye to Bett all too soon when she drove him to La Guardia to catch his California flight.
“Write to me,” she told him with bleak eyes as he searched her pale face.
“Of course. Darling, you’re so pale, are you all right?” he asked softly, studying her.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a virus. Janet had it, and I had supper with her a couple of nights ago, you know.”
“Take care of yourself. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I doubt that,” she murmured. It was hard not to cry. She felt as if something were ending, all at once. Her eyes searched his frantically for signs that he still cared, that this wasn’t the end. But his eyes were unreadable.
“So long, darling,” he whispered, bending.
It was the most tender kiss they’d ever shared. She clung to him helplessly, needing his strength to support her. Her eyes watered with
It was just like Atlanta, only better. They were inseparable, something that David Hadison saw and reluctantly accepted. Bett was sorry for him, but too caught up in the fury of loving and being loved that she hardly noticed him for days afterward.
She and Cul went home to his apartment every night, and together in the big king-sized bed they made love in ways she’d never dreamed they could. As she grew more experienced and less inhibited, she began to notice that he wasn’t taking any precautions. One night while they were watching a late movie on television, she mentioned it to him.
“I wouldn’t mind if I got pregnant, of course, you know how much I want children,” she murmured, feeling him stiffen. “But we’re not really doing anything to prevent it.”
He seemed to take a long time to answer, and she felt the rough rise and fall of his chest under her ear.
“Yes, you’re right,” he said finally, his voice oddly strained. “Look, we’re almost through rehearsals, and I’m going to be in Hollywood for at least a month or so. You’ll be in Philadelphia with the tryout. Let’s cool it for a while.”
She drew back and gaped up at him. He hadn’t mentioned going to Hollywood, and her eyes widened with pure terror. Was he telling her that he’d tired of her, that it was over?
“Don’t look at me that way,” he said, his voice agonized. He caught her roughly against him, hurting her with the strength of the embrace. “God, don’t look at me like that. I love you!”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Then why are you walking out on me again?”
“I’m not,” he breathed. His arms tightened even more. “You know about the play. I have to go out and finish work on the screenplay. And I have casting approval. I can’t drop the project now. Besides,” he sighed, drawing back to touch her wet face gently, “you’re going to be busy yourself, getting geared up to win a Tony. Right?”
She smiled wanly. “Right.” Her eyes searched his, fearfully. “You aren’t breaking it off? I don’t think I could bear it, Cul.”
He swallowed, and his face paled. “It’s just some breathing space, that’s all,” he said softly. He smiled down at her, although his eyes were oddly dark. “I love you, Bett. Believe that, at least.”
“I do.” She snuggled close to him with a long, relieved sigh. But if she could have seen the expression on Cul’s face, she might not have felt that relief. He looked like a man being torn apart.
That was the first night he took her back to her apartment. She didn’t argue with him, his face was set and he had that unbending expression on it. Besides, perhaps he was right. When he’d spent a few late evenings watching the news and movies by himself, when he’d done without her beside him in bed to warm him in the cool night, he’d let her come back. She was sure of it.
In the meantime, dress rehearsals began. The play was ready to go out of town. Set designers were finished with the backdrops, all the props and costumes were ready to go to Philadelphia. Everything was loaded up and Cul said goodbye to Bett all too soon when she drove him to La Guardia to catch his California flight.
“Write to me,” she told him with bleak eyes as he searched her pale face.
“Of course. Darling, you’re so pale, are you all right?” he asked softly, studying her.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a virus. Janet had it, and I had supper with her a couple of nights ago, you know.”
“Take care of yourself. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I doubt that,” she murmured. It was hard not to cry. She felt as if something were ending, all at once. Her eyes searched his frantically for signs that he still cared, that this wasn’t the end. But his eyes were unreadable.
“So long, darling,” he whispered, bending.
It was the most tender kiss they’d ever shared. She clung to him helplessly, needing his strength to support her. Her eyes watered with
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