Finding no supporters and now as red as her dress Madeline fled into the crowd but Lucas didn’t spare her a thought. His gaze followed Sarah like a moth drawn to a light. Her expression and poise during the confrontation surprised him. Since when did Sarah have that kind of attitude?
And when did she meet Silas and know him well enough to call him by his nickname? Lucas could count on one hand the number of people close enough to Silas to have earned that right. He wasn’t alone in his shock if the murmurs running through the crowd were anything to go by. How? When?
The small group moved off and Lucas struggled to keep up with them while avoiding attention. They sat at a table where they could relax and catch up. Thomas and Silas seemed equally enraptured with Sarah as she regaled everyone with stories of the last four years or so Lucas assumed. He was too far away to hear but Sarah seemed lively as she spoke and even had Silas laughing.
Lucas shook as he watched her. How had he not noticed her engaging personality? He always thought of her as demur and squirrely but it seemed she could spin a tale worthy of her audience. Lucas itched to get closer but didn’t dare to disturb the scene in front of him. What should he do?
As he watched Madeline returned with Lidia at her side. Apparently she scurried away to secure herself an ally. But now Sarah was safely absconded with Silas in close attendance and neither dared confront her. They backed off and Lucas breathed easier until Sarah decided to call it a night with Ruth. Lucas trailed them all the way to the door watching them climb into the back of an Uber and disappear into the night.
He stood on the sidewalk his heart hammering in his chest trying to catch his breath as if he had just run a full marathon. She was alive. She was here. She was drop-dead gorgeous.
“Breath, Luke. Breath man,” Alan encouraged seeing his friend on the verge of a panic attack.
“She’s here. That was her.”
“I know. I saw.”
“Where has she been?”
“I—I don’t know.”
“What do you know?”
“Her friend is Ruth Clark and she’s the leading editor of Briarwood Books. She’ll be at the Publisher’s Book Fair tomorrow in the Conrad ballroom. Chances are Sarah will be there too.”
Lucas finally managed to calm himself as he took in the information. He breathed deep and looked in the direction the car had gone. She was here and so close. Tomorrow…he would get his answers tomorrow.
“Call the car,” Lucas said. “I need to go home.”
Alan nodded taking out his phone. He thought Lucas might try to confront Silas but it seemed he only wanted to see Sarah again. It was probably for the best.
* * *
Lucas woke early and was anything but refreshed. He was certain he hadn’t slept at all. All night long Sarah flitted through is mind like some fairy or witch consuming his thoughts. On one side was the willowy shadow he remembered and on the other the goddess she had become. Had she always been that way? How did he not see it?
He stumbled to the shower and stood under the water his mind swirling with images of her. The way she looked…the way she smiled…the way she engaged others…her laughter…he groaned looking down at his rather hard member.
“Yeah. I know how you feel,” he muttered gripping it and working it until he ejaculated with a moan. And still Sarah danced through his mind.
He stepped out of the shower still confused but with a somewhat clearer head. Today he would see her. Today he would get the answers to the questions that haunted him. That was his mantra as he stepped into the closet selecting a simple gray t-shirt and trousers for his confrontation to come. Adding a sports jacket he felt prepared. Today was the day. Ulima greeted him as he made it to the kitchen and he gratefully accepted the coffee she offered. He needed every bit of courage he could muster.
“Knock, knock,” Alan announced as he stepped in and was surprised to see Lucas was already up. “Damn, did you sleep at all?”
Lucas shook his head. Alan looked at him with concern but supposed it couldn’t be helped after the bombshell of last night. When he started looking for Sarah Alan figured they would be surprised when they found her but even he hadn’t expected such a dramatic change. Lucas drank his coffee preparing for what was undoubtedly going to be a dramatic confrontation. Alan still wasn’t sure what outcome either of them hoped for.
“Well, are you ready to see your ex-wife?” Alan asked.
Lucas glared at him but set down his cup with a nod. Breathing deep Lucas headed to the door before he lost his nerve. He still didn’t know what he would say to Sarah once he was face to face with her but he hoped it would come to him.
Alan got into the driver’s seat. Given the intensity of the situation he figured it was best if he acted as driver to keep witnesses to a minimum. After last night he knew rumors were already circulating about Sarah’s sudden return. On the whole the comments were positive and she seemed to have made a good impression given the article he read though most were understandably confused.
New York Take Notice…She’s Back!
Last night’s charity gala was all abuzz and it had nothing to do with the substantial donation contributed by Silas Prescott. It was the sudden return of Sarah Stanton. That’s right! Thee Sarah Stanton! But if you were expecting the same quiet wallflower you are about to be shocked!
She entered the venue stealing the attention of everyone she met and was warmly greeted by long-time friend Avalynn Prescott spending the rest of the night in her company alongside Silas Prescott and his close associates. Everyone who had the privilege to speak with her said she was charming and captivating. Though many wondered where she has been these last few years the Former Missus Stanton was unapologetic for her absence but eager to reconnect to long-lost friends.
[An image of Sarah in her plum-colored gown followed garnering a host of comments.]
“Oh my god! That is not Sarah Stanton!”
“Oh. It is. That’s definitely her.”
“What happened? Did she get a face lift? Boob lift?”
“Did she always look like that?”
“Where has she been?”
“Maybe she’s possessed by a demon? She seems like the kind of person who would sell her soul.”
“What the hell are you on?”
“Typical man. Just because a woman is confident in herself does not mean she is possessed.”
“I notice she’s not wearing a wedding ring. So the rumors of the divorce must be true.”
“Oh, that’s why she’s so happy. She’s rolling in the money!”
“What moron would let a woman like that go? Was her husband crazy?”
Alan hadn’t shown Lucas the article yet and thought it best to keep it under wraps for a while, at least until after their first meeting in four years was over. He couldn’t remember the last time Lucas looked so nervous sitting in the passenger seat twisting his wedding band with a pensive look on his face. Alan didn’t think either of them was ready for this.
Parking proved difficult but luckily the hotel had a valet. Alan slipped the driver an extra hundred to ignore the fact they weren’t guests and park the car for them. They headed into the spacious lobby. Lucas paused at the prominent sculpture of a blown-up pool swan with a woman reclining on it. He stared at it with some confusion before allowing Alan to lead him away. They followed signs to the hotel ballroom where they found it transformed into a convention space.
Booths formed a crowded maze each one manned by a different publisher. The books they offered ranged from children’s picture books to adult romance all arranged randomly with no rhyme or reason as far as genre or subject matter was concerned. It was a reader’s paradise but there was only one he was remotely interested in.
Briarwood Books was not difficult to find. As one of New York’s major publishers it had a rather large booth easily twice as big as any other. Lucas found a place across from it where he could view all sides as he waited for Sarah to appear.
Three people manned Briarwood’s booth eagerly answering questions as people passed by stopping when something caught their eye and grabbed flyers for books that interested them. One of the people at the booth was a pretty brunette Lucas vaguely remembered from the night before. She had to be Ruth. To think he had been searching for Sarah all this time when that woman probably knew exactly where she had gone.
“Oh, no way!” Alan suddenly exclaimed leaving Lucas’s side briefly to retrieve a brochure from the Briarwood stand before returning.
“What’s that?”
“The new Rosemary Thomas book is coming out.”
“What?” Lucas asked.
Alan rolled his eyes, “Rosemary Thomas only tops the best seller list every year. This year is her tenth book.”
“Oh. What are they about?”
“Well…I guess you’d call them mysteries since she’s always solving a crime or investigating something but they are also mystical.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“You see Rosemary is a medium so she talks to spirits and they help solve the cases she’s investigating. A couple books back she finally got a love interest. He turned out to be a prince who was already engaged so she left him, but she ended up pregnant so she has a daughter now with the same gifts.”
Lucas sighed as Alan rambled on. He had never been much of a reader but Alan loved books and read at least one a week though Lucas didn’t know where he found the time.
“Oh no way!”
“What!” Lucas jerked to attention thinking Sarah had appeared.
“They are actually going to reveal who Rosemary is!”
“What?”
“The author. Whenever Rosemary has a book signing she always wears these big glasses so you can never see her face…and she might actually be wearing a wig too. But anyway, no one knows who she is.”
“Wait, I thought Rosemary was the character.”
“She is. She’s also the author.”
Lucas blinked, confused.
“It’s a penname,” Alan rolled his eyes. “And the books are written in first person so it’s like Rosemary is talking to you, telling you the story.”
“Oh.” Lucas nodded his attention wandering.
“Anyway Rosemary, the author, does extensive research for her books to make sure they feel real. The first book takes place in a school and the author claimed she worked as a teacher for authenticity. The second book takes place in Paris where the author said she lived for a time. The third book centered around a rodeo…”
“And the author alleged they lived on a ranch,” Lucas surmised.
“Exactly. Rosemary’s been skydiving, rock climbing and scuba diving, Mardi Gras and Carnival. And the author claims its all real life experiences…but really who could travel like that and do that much? Actually there is a whole online community that debates different theories of who she is and there was one thread claiming she is actually a bunch of different people. Like each book was written by a different author and they hire an actor for book signings.”
Lucas sighed hoping they were nearing the end of the conversation.
“And now they are finally revealing the real Rosemary! I have to go to the release party. I don’t know when it is but I’m going to need the day off.”
Lucas shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. Leave it to Alan to completely lose the reason why they had come in the first place. He didn’t care who Rosemary was or how many books she sold. There was only one reason he was here…and there she was.
Lucas suddenly came to attention as his gaze fell on Sarah. She wore faded blue jeans that hugged the supple legs her gown had hidden. A blue-gray cardigan was thrown over a simple white shirt and she wore a matching wine-colored knitted cap and infinity scarf. Her clothing might be more casual now but she was no less elegant or beautiful.
As she came up to the booth the brunette stood to the side so they could talk. Lucas cursed his luck. He was too far away and the ballroom too noisy to overhear. But Sarah was all smiles laughing at whatever her friend said.
Lucas felt his throat tighten as he watched her. He had never been intimidated by anyone before so why now? Why was it so hard to approach her? What could he say to her? Would she even listen to him?
“’Cuse me, mister.”
Lucas stepped aside as a toddler scooted by him with a corgi on a purple leash, “Sorry.”
The little girl dressed in bedazzled jeans and denim jacket gave him an impish grin before trotting away with the dog whose blonde fur nearly matched her own. Lucas’s lips twitched with a smile at her audacity.
“Mommy! Mommy! Look what I found!” the little girl announced as she reached the booth.
Sarah turned immediately scooping up the little girl and blew raspberries on her cheek to the child’s delight. Only then did Sarah look at the brochure the little one delivered for a new children’s book about a little girl and her puppy.
“Wow!” Sarah exclaimed loud enough for him to hear.
“It’s going to be a good one!” the little girl declared making Sarah laugh heartedly.
Lucas stood with his jaw practically on the floor. It couldn’t be…it just couldn’t…but there was no denying Sarah’s perfect miniature. He felt himself go cold as he broke out in a sweat. The first and only night he spent with Sarah came back and hit him like a ton of bricks as did Alan’s assurances the next day that the chances of a pregnancy were almost impossible.
“Luke? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Alan asked looking up from the Rosemary brochure. His gaze followed Lucas’s. “Oh…”