"I was out on the patio smoking a cigarette that I'd slipped out of some woman's purse."
"Where was I?"Claire asked, intrigued by an unknown tale from her youth.
"I don't know.I think you were inside dancing.Anyway, I was all alone out on the patio pretending I was someone famous when Hamish strolled out there to check on me.I'll never forget it.His hair was combed straight back, and he was wearing a white tuxedo jacket.He had a cigarette in one hand and a cocktail shaker in the other.He looked exactly like William Holden inSabrina."
"He did look incredible in a tuxedo," Claire agreed.
"He looked incredible in everything."
"So, what happened?He didn't do anythinginappropriate, did he?"
Molly laughed."Of course not.It was nothing like that.He jerked the cigarette from my hand and gave me a good verbal tongue lashing.He was furious.Of course, I argued back with him.Then, he looked at me, held his own cigarette out and said, ‘Heaven help the man who falls in love with you, Molly Wise.He won’t know what hit him.’I melted on the spot."
"I can't believe you never told me this."
"What was I going to say?Claire, I'm in love with your uncle.You would have been furious."
"No, I wouldn't’ve.To be honest, I was a little in love with him myself—not in a weird, sexual way, but you know what I mean.He was just so cool."
"He was like a character out of a movie, wasn't he?"
"Kind of like Gregory Peck inRoman Holidaymeets Robert Redford inThe Great Gatsby?" Claire summoned a mental picture of Plain Ol’ Jay.
"Exactly.I want to stand on a patio overlooking a lush estate with someone who looks as gorgeous as Hamish did that night."
"That's a great story, Molly.And one he'll want to hear first-hand when you come with me to his party.Now say you will."
"Isn't there some hottie from work you'd rather step out with?"Molly hinted after a pregnant pause."I’m sure Isaac would love to go.”
"He’s my boss and the answer is no,” Claire said firmly.
"Are you still wearing the ring?”Molly asked after a long silence.
"Of course not," Claire said, as she reached and touched the platinum band sitting on her bedside table.The diamond sparkled in the early morning light spilling in through the windows.
"It's been six months, Claire," Molly said.
"I can count, Molly!"
"Geez.Sorry."
Claire sighed."No, I'm sorry."
"I just hate to see you torment yourself."
Claire studied the ring, thinking back to Christmas Eve of the previous year."A part of me feels like…” Her voice trailed off.
"So, is your father coming to Hamish’s shindig?"Molly changed the subject.
Claire eyed her alarm clock."I don't know.I need to call him but he’s fast asleep by now."
"That didn't stop you from calling me, now did it?"
Claire could almost hear her best friend’s smirk through the phone.
CHAPTERELEVEN
CLAIRE
