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Anyone who loved the theater, and had the means to, would see shows in New York—it was simply the best place to watch them. Besides, Elliott had told her he enjoyed the theater; maybe he and Mary did have a lot in common.
“Did you know that Mr. Foster saved this theater?” Cassie gave Elliott a cute smile. “Tell the story of why.” She cupped her hands, raising them to her chest. “It’s so sweet.”
Elliott frowned. “You young ladies are always getting me to talk about things I don’t want to.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his well-tailored suit and turned to Mary. “When I heard the theater was on the verge of bankruptcy, I bought it in memory of my late mother, who came here as often as she could.” Warmth touched his voice and his features. “In her honor, I always attend opening and closing shows.”
Mary sensed the remaining tightness in her chest vanish away. Not a psychopath. She said to Cassie, “You’re right, that is a sweet story.”
Cassie nodded and sighed. “I know.”
Elliott’s gaze held Mary’s, a flare in their depths holding her captive. Though when someone called Elliott’s name, she blinked, hoping she hadn’t been staring for too long. He inclined his head at Cassie and then said to Mary, “Excuse me, ladies. Please enjoy the party tonight.” Then he left with his easy gait and his alluring Dominant way, but Mary noted tension in his tight posture.
Good. At least she wasn’t the only one totally rattled—and shocked—by this odd coincidence.
With a shake of her head, she pushed all thoughts of Elliott away and turned to Cassie. “My darling, you were just lovely tonight.”
Cassie shrugged. “My voice cracked a couple times.”
“Nonsense, you sounded wonderful.” She placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“You know I always am.” Cassie regarded Mary with suspicious eyes and then whispered, “How do you know Mr. Foster? He seems awfully friendly with you.”
“We have mutual friends in Vegas.”
Cassie nibbled her lip, examining her with a long look. “Did you go on a date with him?”
“Of course not,” Mary exclaimed, alarmed.
Cassie grinned, which always made her eyes sparkle just a little bit more. Her child lit up a room. “Maybe you should. He’s got the whole George Clooney thing going on, don’t you think?”
“Yes, he’s handsome, but I’m—”
“Not dead,” Cassie interjected. “I know you might be blind to this type of thing, but he was totally flirting with you.”
Mary swatted the air, feeling the room closing in on her. “We are not talking about this. I’m your mother.” But that was a silly thing to say because they were always this close. There was nothing Cassie didn’t share with Mary, and she loved that about their relationship. Though now she realized how their conversations weren’t about Mary’s present; she only shared stories about the past.
Because you have nothing to share about the present, echoed in her mind.
Mary clenched her jaw and pushed the conversation elsewhere. “Dad would have been so proud of you tonight.”
Cassie gave Mary a hard stare, then nudged her arm. “He would want you to be happy, too.” She leaned in and kissed Mary’s cheek. “Okay, let me go get changed and then we can celebrate with everyone.”
“Perfect,” Mary replied.
Cassie hurried off and Mary’s gaze went straight to Elliott’s back as he was shaking another man’s hand. Small world, she thought. Though she’d seen it before, how all of the stars aligned perfectly to bring two people together.
Fate has no limits. Mary had always be
lieved that.
The remaining tension coursing through Mary drifted away. As it seemed, Elliott knew many of the cast in the room, and it appeared he knew Cassie longer than he had known Mary. Although above all that, Mary’s mind spun that her daughter would be okay with her dating again. The conversation had never come up.
A lonely pang ached in Mary’s chest. In a crowd of people, it was unusual to sense a feeling of loneliness, yet that unease rocked into her. An awareness cut into her that had simply hidden itself away. Her children were living their dreams. Mary was living alone.
I don’t want to be alone.
There, standing right in front of her, was the one sure way she wouldn’t be.
As if he knew what carried through her mind, Elliott turned and their gazes met. Mary took an absentminded step forward before she forced her foot to the ground.
