Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry(85)

The second time they met in the car, he had told Junior he needed a break. Junior had agreed that time off was in order after he settled these two women, but that was not going to be the case. Far from it.





92





Gina returned from an early morning run to find her cell phone ringing on the kitchen table. A glance at the screen revealed it was her father.

“Hi, Gina. Just wanted to call and see what my little girl is up to.”

If only you knew, Gina thought to herself. “The usual, Dad. I’m still pitching that story to Empire. There’s been some turnover in the editor’s chair so the decision-making wheels are turning slowly.”

“I’m sure it’ll all work out,” he said.

“What’s going on in Naples?” Gina asked, almost reluctantly.

“A group of us are going bonefishing for a few days in the Bahamas. We’re leaving tomorrow. It’s stag, guys only. Don’t worry, dear. I’m not running off to elope.”

“All right, Dad, I get it. How is Marian?”

“She’s fine. In fact, she’s up in your neck of the woods. She has some business to take care of in New York. I took her to the airport this morning.”

Probably arranging to have this apartment put in her name, Gina thought, but then scolded herself. “Dad, if Marian has any free time, I wouldn’t mind having a drink or dinner with her while she’s in town.”

“That would be really nice. I know she’ll be there for a few days,” he said and then gave her Marian’s cell number. She didn’t let on that she’d already obtained the number through Ted’s friend at Goldman Sachs. “I really hope you get to know Marian better.”

“I promise I will, Dad. You don’t have to worry about that. Catch a lot of fish!”





93





Life’s funny, Gina thought to herself. Over the course of her career she had interviewed a lot of powerful people, many of whom resented that circumstances had forced them to sit and answer her questions. It was natural to feel a little nervous before these sessions started. “We all have butterflies,” a veteran reporter had advised her. “As long as you can keep yours flying in formation, you’ll be fine.”

This evening was different. The calculus was turned upside down. If she succeeded in exposing Marian Callow as an opportunist preying on older men, that would be a win. But would it prove to be a Pyrrhic victory? If, in order to protect her father, and herself, she ended up breaking her father’s heart—

Her reverie was broken by Marian, who, after making eye contact, waved and began to make her way to the table. Gina had chosen a small Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side. Unusual for a New York restaurant, the tables were a comfortable distance apart. Gina did not want to have to shout to be heard, and she certainly didn’t want their conversation to be audible at neighboring tables.

“What a lovely place,” Marian said as the ma?tre d’ pulled a chair out for her. “How did you find this?”

Marian was wearing an obviously expensive navy-blue suit with a red-and-white scarf around her neck. Gina realized again how very attractive she was.

“A friend ate here and gave it two thumbs-up,” she replied. That friend was Ted, but she didn’t want to sidetrack the conversation to her love life. That’s not why they were here.

Gina ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir, and Marian insisted that Gina order the entrees for both of them. The two women engaged in small talk as they went through their first glass. Several reasons had brought Marian to New York. She was staying with an old friend who had worked with her at the design studio. They had seen To Kill a Mockingbird the previous night, and it had been fabulous. Tomorrow she would have lunch with the two brokers who managed her money. They had been her late husband’s friends at Goldman Sachs before leaving and setting up their own shop. “Of course, we’re not doing anything that we couldn’t do over the phone, but every now and then it’s nice to look into the eyes of the people you’re trusting with your money.”

I couldn’t agree more, Gina thought, as, trying not to be too obvious, she stared into Marian’s eyes.

Unlike her stepsons, Marian showed genuine interest in Gina. She asked about what Gina was working on now but was respectful when Gina apologized for not being able to share details. She asked if anything was new with her and Ted. When she said she hoped Gina could get down to Naples more often, she seemed to really mean it.

The food came and it was as delicious as ever. There was a friendly quality, a feeling of warmth in Marian that Gina had not noticed in Naples. She could see why her father was attracted to her, why men found her so captivating.

After they finished eating, Gina gently introduced the reason she had asked Marian to dinner. “After Mom died, Dad was a lost soul. He and my mother had been together since they were kids. I was really worried about him. That’s why, when I heard he’d met someone so quickly, I’ll be honest, I had mixed feelings.”

“I can certainly understand that, Gina. If I were in your position, I’d also be asking questions.”

“Marian, you’re very nice. I feel like a heel for even having this conversation. But with my mother gone, Dad’s the only family I’ve got. I feel an obligation to…” She paused, searching for the right words.