ck stru

r heard a cl

the same thing she'd said at din

er held the photograph between two

hs ago. A storm. I was working a double at the diner and I was three days from being evicted. Around ten, a man came in to wait out

eyes narro

ht, and for once she didn't have to fake it. "I paid my phone bill with it. I bought groceries. I thought, someone out there is k

ry was ve

"and you asked if we'd met, I sai

a long moment. Then he gla

member that

e on the

ays on th

d Ivy. "That'

it was irritation or something close to amusement. He f

clair, I'd rather you told me thi

. His shirt w

the rocker wit

elieve me," s

ewed hi

bilt estate had bee

s from sunrise until well into the morning. White tablecloths draped over the terrace. Waiters carried trays of tiny s

rrace with Milo in a tiny linen

d at her elbow with a tray of champagne. "Dressed as a nanny. Gr

nan

outh twitched. "I've turned her away thre

ch dropped.

voice floated ac

anderbilt! I'm

p her blonde hair like a meringue, and a cream leather bag slung over her shoulder that cost more

" she announced to n

th a glass of lemon water in her hand,

, ma

e girl from

very

ar

amed at Milo. "Hello, lit

ered her carefully, the cap,

, opened his mouth, an

with her free hand.

, staring at her ruined a

was borrowed,

and bought, it'

ry moment, Alexander strode through th

ny sa

ehead. "Oh!" she gasped, swaying dramatically. "Oh,

ard in a swoon,

had negotiated hostile takeovers for a

nded face first in an enormous

le

ted slowly t

p from her lemon water.

or a cough. Mrs. Hale was biting her lip so hard it had turned white. Ivy turned

, still mumbling, "I thi

he empty vase, at the scattered flowers, and

uth tw

ked dow

at four. By five, t

rts in the nursery when

jacket and the tie again, and the afternoon li

u thanks,

what,

embarrassed him. "I haven't laughed like that since I can't re

t was your shirt. I onl

rateful for

nough that he could smell cedar and starch and the fain

r," he said,

Vande

dropped, for half a h

some other duty, and the moment broke. He straigh

h a half-folded shirt in her hand

through the east corridor, because the

passed the study, she slowed the pace. The door was op

It was low and clipped, the v

man matching my description came in on a stormy night five

pped br

to know." A pause. "Because I'

ine c

orridor with her son warm agai

been no hundred-dollar tip. There had be

ing, Alexander Vande