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Nina hadn’t even been disappointed when Judith didn’t mention the possibility of letting Nina show her work: she’d been too enticed by the possibility of talking to the enigmatic woman she’d read so much about in the two months since they’d met in thepark.
“Consider it an open invitation,” Robin said. “I know it’s short notice for the trip to Kenya next month, but I’ll be going to India again next year and I think you’d love itthere.”
Nina smiled. “Thanks.”
Moni appeared in the kitchen with Angela. “Miss Angela would like a piece of that, if you don’tmind.”
“Absolutely,” Nina said. She held the knife on the cheesecake to indicate a giant slice. “Righthere?”
Angela giggled and shook her head, her curls bouncing against her pink T-shirt. “No!”
“No?” Nina feigned surprise. “Bigger?”
Angela laughed harder. “Smaller.”
“Smaller! Okay, if you’re sure…” She moved the knife. “How’sthis?”
Angela flashed Nina a big smile as shenodded.
Nina’s heart melted a little more every time she was around Moni’s daughter. Angela had a sharp wit and a ready laugh, eyes that sparkled with mischief, and a smile that lit up the room. She was her mother’s daughter in everyway.
Robin started carrying the plates of cheesecake into the living room while Nina handed Angela herplate.
“Want to hang out with us for a bit?” Ninaasked.
“No,” Moni said, directing her daughter out of the kitchen and toward herroom.
“Aw, we’ll be good, Moni, we promise!” Karen called from the otherroom.
Moni laughed and shook her head. “I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you,” she calledback.
Nina returned the rest of the cheesecake to the fridge and they joined everyone in the living room where Amy was describing a woman Moira worked with who was a little toofriendly.
“Just tell her to stop flirting with your wife or you’ll have to cut a bitch,” Karensaid.
“I am not telling my wife’s employee that I’m going to cut her. I can’t believe you still have a job sometimes,” Amysaid.
“I haven’t loved a man in ages,” Karen said. “Never having to threaten to cut a bitch is one of manyupsides.”
“Sounds thrilling,” Amy saiddrily.
They spent the next forty-five minutes talking about Karen’s official breakup with Jude — her choice after she read the writing on the wall of their fizzling relationship — and about the hot lawyer Moni had had four dates with in the past twoweeks.
Nina was glad her relationship with Jack had become old hat for the group. She’d filled them in about the Tony’s and the afterparty — omitting her jealousy of Collette Rousseau — and they’d quickly moved onto othersubjects.
They finished the second bottle of wine and helped Moni clean up before saying their goodbyes. It was a relief to step outside without a coat and Nina breathed in the comfortable warmth of early summer, knowing it wouldn’t last. In another month the heat would come off the pavement in waves and the city’s concrete and steel buildings would still be releasing the day’s heat atmidnight.
“I think I’ll walk,” Nina said. “It’s so nicetonight.”
Jack had left for London a couple days earlier, and the free time felt like the ultimateluxury.
“I’ll walk with you for a bit,” Karensaid.
Nina avoided her eyes. They’d never really talked about their conversation at the park, but it had been thick in the air between them eversince.
“You sure?” Robinasked.
Karen nodded. “There’s another station a few blocks up. Nina’s right: it’s a nice night for awalk.”
