CHAPTERTEN
CLAIRE
Three months later
Claire discovered a thick white envelope at the bottom of her mail stack, her name magnificently scripted across the front in calligraphy.The backside revealed another mystery—a wax seal closure with a mark she didn't recognize.Curiosity fully piqued, she broke the seal and removed a printed invitation from the gold-lined envelope.She studied it for a moment, then reached for the phone.
“Hello,” Molly mumbled, her voice as rough as sandpaper.
"It's official," Claire announced brightly.
"What?That you're the only person who doesn't appreciate the beauty of sleeping late on Saturday?It’s not even eight o'clock.”
"Sorry.Did I wake you?"Claire asked, snuggling back in her bed.
"If I had a dollar for every time you’ve asked that question."
"It's here!The invitation for Hamish's dinner."
"Fabulous."Molly yawned unenthusiastically.
"Will you go with me?You know he'd love to see you."
"I doubt he'd even recognize me.It's been years."
"Please say you'll go."Claire begged.
"When is it again?"Molly asked.
Claire re-read the card."Three weeks.And it's at your most favorite venue in all of London.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Do you remember that time he let us take his Bentley into town?And we bought that bottle of wine and a box of cigars?And we swore up and down to that old shopkeeper that Hamish sent us?"
"Do you remember how sick we got?"Molly asked, then made a gagging noise.
"How old were we?"Claire asked.
"I think we were twelve.We turned fourteen shades of green and threw-up for two days straight."
"And you know something else?He never told my father," Claire said.
"He let us do whatever the hell we wanted."Molly laughed."God, I loved spending summers at his country house with you."
"He spoiled us rotten, that’s for sure.”
"That man broke my heart too, you know?"Molly confessed.
"What?"Claire laughed.
"It's true.It's because of Hamish Fielding that I'm still single today."
"Oh Molly, you can't be serious."
"I'm totally serious.Do you remember that one summer, I think we were fifteen maybe, and he threw that huge party?That was the night I really fell in love with Hamish.I've been ruined ever since."
"What?You never told me this."
