Barbara relaxed. The baroness sounded truthful. Why would Veronique go to the trouble of befriending the wife of a man she’d had an affair with? It didn’t make sense. “Thank you for telling me that, Veronique.”
The baroness nodded. “I want us to be friends and I know we can’t unless you feel you can trust me. Ask me anything you’d like.”
“There is just one other thing. You said, ‘given what you knew about Bradford back then.’ What does that mean?”
“Well, Barbara. Let’s see, how should I put this?”
“You can tell me the truth. I doubt it’s anything I haven’t heard before. And, besides, this was five years ago, right?”
Veronique inhaled. “Yes, but it’s not a pretty picture.”
“With Bradford, it rarely is.”
Veronique nodded with understanding. “He was coming to Atlanta a lot back then. He had a branch office there.”
“Yes. He closed it down a few years ago.”
“Well, when I was in Atlanta, there were rumors that he was seeing several women down there.”
Women? Barbara thought. Plural? She twisted her lips in disgust.
“Two of whom I knew personally, and both were married. So there was at least some truth to the rumors.”
Barbara twirled a shrimp between her fingers. “I see.”
“I’m so sorry,” Veronique said, knitting her brows with concern.
“No, it’s fine. I’m not surprised. Really.” Barbara had always suspected something like that had been going on in Atlanta. Bradford had spent a lot of time traveling back and forth during those years, and it was then that her drinking problem was at its worst.
“Can we please change the subject?” Veronique asked, smiling. “I want to talk about something fun.”
“Of course.”
“Let’s talk about Noah.” Veronique winked.
Barbara was surprised. Was Veronique interested in Noah? “What about him?”
“He’s a real honey, and I saw the way you look at him.”
Barbara waved her hand. “Oh, please. I was going to say the same thing about the way he looked at you.”
Veronique laughed. “With me, I think the attraction is mainly the title half the time.”
“Well, Noah and I are just coworkers.” Barbara paused as Veronique gave her a “You can’t fool me, girl, so don’t even try” look.
“I’m serious,” Barbara protested. “Whenever I get clients who want to look at houses in Northern Virginia, he shows them around since I’m not licensed in Virginia and he is.”
“You mean he’s never made a pass at you?” Veronique looked genuinely surprised.
“Um.” Barbara paused. She hadn’t told a soul about “the kiss,” not even Marilyn. It was too private and it was embarrassing that she hadn’t resisted more forcefully. She didn’t know Veronique well at all, but in a way that made it easier to talk to her, and she was dying to tell someone.
“He tried to kiss me once but I shoved him away. He’s only thirty-eight. Compared to me, he’s a schoolboy.”
“The baron is thirty-four, and I have a feeling that I’ve got a few years on you.”
Barbara blinked. It sounded like Veronique was almost old enough to be the baron’s mother.
Veronique tossed her head. “Oh, don’t look so shocked. Europeans are much more sophisticated about these things than we Americans generally are. Age is only a number.”
“You’re right.” Barbara shrugged. “Anyway, I probably scared Noah off.”
Veronique studied Barbara for a moment, then leaned in close. “Would you want him to try again?”
“Are you suggesting that I have an affair with Noah?”
“Well, why not? Have you ever had one?”
Barbara laughed nervously. “Absolutely not.”
“You should. You’re an attractive woman.”
Barbara sighed with annoyance. Not at the comments coming from Veronique, but because she knew it would be difficult to explain why she’d never had an affair to a woman who knew Bradford’s history. “I honestly can’t justify it except to say that I would probably feel guilty.”
“Barbara, forgive me for what I’m about to say. I don’t know what Bradford’s been up to recently, but I do know what he was like in Atlanta. And once a cheater, always a cheater has been my experience.”
Barbara nodded reluctantly. “Still, it’s not just that. Noah and I are so different. The baron may be younger than you are, but you have similar lifestyles, I’m sure. Noah is into blue jeans and baseball caps and hip-hop. I haven’t worn a pair of jeans in twenty years and I’m about to become a grandmother.”
“We’re talking about an affair, darlin’, not marriage. You’re already married. And you still haven’t answered my question. Would you want Noah to make another pass at you? Would you handle it any differently if he did?”
“Would I want . . . Um, well . . . I guess.” The fact that she had admitted it out loud likely surprised Barbara more than it did Veronique. But she had thought of Noah constantly since they kissed. She had hoped her feelings would go away during his vacation, but they hadn’t.
“Yes, yes, I would,” Barbara stated more firmly.
“Then do something about it.”
Barbara leaned in and whispered. “Like what? I’m not the type to make a pass at a man. I wasn’t even before I got married.”
“Oh, I’m with you there. I’m old-fashioned enough to think that the first pass is the man’s job. But women aren’t completely helpless. There are things you can do to let Noah know that, well, you’ve changed your tune about him.”
“Such as?”
“You could start with your wardrobe.”
“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Oddly enough Barbara wasn’t insulted by this woman she barely knew asking her probing questions and criticizing her wardrobe. The baroness always looked so young and fresh without looking childish, and Noah had been captivated by her. Barbara was eager to hear whatever Veronique had to say on the subject.
“Don’t get me wrong, Barbara. You always look wonderful and I love your Fendi bag. But just because you’re almost a grandmother doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look sexy. And congratulations, by the way.”
Barbara smiled. “Thank you.”
“Now, what other designers are you wearing?”
“The suit is Dana Buchman, and the shoes are Ferragamo.”
Veronique smacked her lips. “Ferragamo? Oh, Barbara. Instead of Ferragamo you should be wearing—”
“What’s wrong with Ferragamo for an office shoe?” Barbara interrupted. “I wear the more upper-end designers when I go out someplace special, but—”
“Ferragamo’s just too damn practical, darling. You should be wearing Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik on your feet at all times. Prada, Gucci. And nothing works on a man like a little décolletage. If you’ve got it, flaunt it.”
Veronique looked Barbara up and down then continued. “Now, that watch you have on is nice, but what is it?”
Barbara held her wrist out. “Um, Ebel.”
Veronique nodded. “One of the more basic models, I’ll bet. A decent watch, but how about an eighteen-karat white gold and diamond Piaget? Something like this.” Veronique extended her wrist gracefully. “I noticed at the party that Bradford wears a very nice Rolex.”
Barbara focused anew at the diamond jewelry flashing on Veronique’s wrist and hands. “It’s lovely, Veronique, but all that’s never really been me.”
“Well it should be. Men love sexy, feminine things on a woman, and Bradford certainly can afford to buy you the best. Frankly, Barbara, after all he’s put you through over the years, you’ve earned whatever you want.”
Barbara sighed deeply. She was beginning to like the idea of spicing up her wardrobe but didn’t have a clue how to begin. “I wouldn’t know where to start looking for those kinds of things or how to pick them out. I’m used to shopping at—”
“Leave it to me, darling. As soon as we’re
done here, I’ll have my driver take us to Friendship Heights. We’ll hit Saks-Jandel and a few other shops out there. Maybe even take a drive up to New York one day soon. It’s really very simple, Barbara. A change in your wardrobe and hair . . .”
Barbara shook her head vigorously. “No, I’m not changing my hair.”
“Fine. Just the wardrobe for now. And I’ll give you a few pointers on flirting—subtly of course. Trust me. You’ll have Noah eating out of the palm of your hand in no time at all.”
"OH, MY,” MARILYN said, her eyes growing wide as she looked up from a stack of real estate listings. Barbara walked into the office, dropped her new Louis Vuitton bag on her desk, and twirled around slowly to show off her new outfit, from the snugly fitting black St. John jeans to the tweed Chanel jacket. At least someone appreciated her new look, Barbara thought. Bradford hadn’t so much as glanced at her that morning when they passed each other in the kitchen.
But then they weren’t talking much these days. In the past, such a lengthy freeze in their relationship would have been a sure route to the bottle for Barbara. But now she had her morning workouts, a job, and a brand-new look, thanks to the baroness and a few shopping sprees over the past week.
“You look fabulous, girl,” Marilyn gushed as she batted her eyelashes with surprise.
“It’s not too flashy?” Barbara paused with her hands on her hips and struck a pose.
“Not at all. It’s stunning. And I love the new reddish hair color.”
Barbara touched her hair. Veronique had finally persuaded her to take a trip to Pearl’s salon to lighten her drab brown color. When she first got a look at it in the mirror of the salon, she had almost cried, it was such a startling change. And when Bradford had seen it that night and hadn’t uttered a word, Barbara was certain she’d made a terrible mistake. She had called Veronique and Pearl, practically sobbing on the phone. They both assured her that the new color was perfect for her, and each day she had liked it more. Still, for your husband not to even notice such a drastic change, or at least pretend not to notice, was a huge blow.
So Marilyn’s vote of approval was more than welcome. If Marilyn liked it, that meant the changes were stylish without being overboard, and she could relax. She and Marilyn had known each other for years and had similar taste. And although Marilyn had always been more of a clotheshorse than she was, Barbara trusted her old friend’s judgment. Marilyn lived in Fort Washington, just south of Silver Lake, but she used the Silver Lake Country Club twice a week as a guest of Barbara’s. That was where they talked about any- and everything, and Marilyn was always full of good advice.
It was Marilyn who had saved her when she was at a real low point in terms of self-esteem about a year ago. Barbara had just discovered that Bradford was having an affair with Jolene Brown. It was the first time he had cheated with someone Barbara knew, and she had taken up the bottle after months of sobriety. Good old Mr. Belvedere had become her constant companion once again. Marilyn finally stepped into the picture and helped her regain her confidence by introducing her to real estate sales.
Marilyn stood, walked up to Barbara, and gestured toward the diamond studs in her ears. “How many carats?”
Barbara touched her ears. “Two each,” she said, smiling guiltily. “Bradford bought them for me, but I usually just wear them when I dress up to go out.”
“Well, well. So what brought all this on?”
Barbara shrugged. “Sometimes a girl just needs a change.”
“Yes, but I didn’t know you had it in you, Barbara.”
Barbara folded her arms across her waist. “And what is that supposed to mean?” she asked teasingly.
“Nothing. It’s just such a dramatic change for you.”
“I did have some help. The baroness.”
Marilyn nodded with understanding. “Ah. Now I get it.”
Barbara sat at her desk just as a tap came at the door, and they both looked up to see Noah standing in the archway.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said, nodding in the direction of each of them.
Barbara smiled. Just the man she wanted to see. “Morning.”
Noah looked at Barbara. “I wanted you to know that I’m taking Bernice and Bernard back out to Beacon Hill to look at houses today.”
Barbara nodded and stood. She wanted to make sure he got a good look at the new her. “So they’re still together, I take it.”
He smiled. “Still together.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Noah waved good-bye and disappeared.
“I’m surprised he didn’t say anything about your new look,” Marilyn said as she picked up her coffee mug. “He’s usually so observant.”
Barbara stared ahead as Marilyn left the office with her coffee cup. Marilyn couldn’t be any more surprised than she was. Maybe her new look wasn’t so appealing to men after all. First Bradford had ignored her, now Noah. Men. Would she ever be able to figure them out?
Barbara had just sunk back down into her chair when she heard another knock at the door. She glanced up to see Noah standing there again. He leaned against the doorjamb and folded his arms across his chest.
“By the way, Barbara, that new look is off the chain.”
Barbara raised her brows in puzzlement. “Off the chain? I hope that means you like it.”
“Very much. I didn’t want to start babbling like a teenager in front of Marilyn, but you nearly knocked me off my feet.”
“Now, Noah, I can’t picture you babbling about anything. But thanks.” She smiled and turned to her computer as he disappeared again. Now that was what she needed to hear, she thought. He had no idea how much.
“Um, so . . .”
She looked toward the doorway. Noah was back. “Yes?”
“Hmm,” he said, staring at her as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
She lifted her brow. “Yes, what is it?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Just that you look very nice. I already said that, didn’t I?”
Barbara was tempted to giggle. She had never seen Noah act like this around her. She had never seen any man act this way around her. Maybe Veronique really knew what she was doing.
Barbara smiled seductively. “Yes, Noah, you did.”
Noah looked slightly embarrassed and backed away from the door. Barbara’s face fell as he disappeared around the corner. What happened? Was it her smile? Something she had said or didn’t say? Had she scared him so badly when she rejected his kiss that he was afraid to make another move?
She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. This was all so confusing. She felt a headache coming on. The phone rang and she picked it up just as Marilyn reentered the office with a fresh cup of coffee and sat at her desk across the room.
“Barbara?” It was Veronique calling. “How’s it going at the office? Did you dazzle them?”
Barbara sighed forlornly. “Hello, Veronique.”
“What’s wrong?”
Good question, Barbara thought. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a fool, batting her eyelashes and flirting with a younger man at the office. Ridiculous.
“Say something, Barbara. Has Noah seen you?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He saw it. He liked it. End of story.”
“Hmm. What did he say?”
“Not much.”
“You’re awfully tight-lipped about this. When I talked to you last night you were so excited about wearing one of your new outfits and seeing him. Did I call at a bad time?”
Barbara glanced at Marilyn. She was talking on the phone and deep into a Realtor website on her computer. “No, not at all. It just wasn’t the reaction I expected. I think I scared him off for good. But that’s fine. I—”
“I see. So you’re disappointed.”
“Yes, and that’s annoying. I don’t think this is right for me.”
“Don’t give up so easily. Give it some time. Getting a man to ask you
out during office hours can be tricky.”
“Do you understand what I’m saying, Veronique? It doesn’t matter. No time is good for me. In the office or out of the office.”
“Oh, Barbara. Don’t say that. You have to have more confidence in yourself than that. Although it looks like you might have to make the first move after all.”
“No. There’s no way I’m going to do that. I—”
“For goodness’ sakes, Barbara,” Veronique said, cutting Barbara off. “Do you think for a minute that Bradford would hesitate if it were someone he found attractive? Just ask Noah out for lunch or something. What’s the big deal?”
Barbara was surprised by the sudden harshness in Veronique’s tone. She was always blunt but also calm and collected. Now she seemed to be losing her patience with Barbara. Still, Barbara had her limits. “I’m not ready for that, not even close.”
Veronique sighed deeply into the phone. “Fine, Barbara. We’ll have to think of something to get the two of you away from that office. Let me think. Oh, I know. Perhaps it’s time I went house hunting again, this time in Northern Virginia.”
PATRICK WAS COMING over for dinner again, and as Jolene pulled a slinky black dress over her head she couldn’t remember being so excited about anything in ages. She slipped her feet into a pair of Gucci heels and checked herself in the mirror.
She had practically shoved Juliette out the door for her double date with some guy named Phillip. Like the teenager she was, Juliette spent more than an hour getting dressed, and even after her friends arrived to pick her up she was still changing. Jolene finally had to insist that she decide on an outfit and be done with it. She wanted Juliette out of the house before Patrick arrived.
Jolene dabbed a touch of Joy Parfum between her breasts then wiggled her dress up and put a little between her thighs. It was Patrick’s favorite perfume but only because he had no idea that the spicy scent cost her $400 dollars an ounce at Nordstrom. If he knew that, he’d probably learn to hate it. Patrick could be so cheap, and it used to annoy her to no end.
Jolene glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock, and Patrick was already thirty minutes late. She skipped down the stairs, ran to the living room window, and peeked out between the drapes to see if his car had pulled up. She stretched her neck and looked up and down the block. No sign of him. She took a deep breath. She hoped Pearl wasn’t holding him up. The last time they had gone out together all it had taken was a simple phone call from Pearl to get him up and running off. What he saw in that woman was beyond her understanding.
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