Chapter 1 : Part 2

Facets
by Barbara Delinsky

(Page 2 of 4)

Fighting off a wave of panic, she crossed to the nightstand, picked up the phone, and hastily punched out Pam's number. Pam would know the truth. After all, she was John's sister. Surely he'd have shared such news with her.

Then again, he might not have. Hillary pressed the disconnect button. Although Pam was deeply involved in the family business, she and John weren't close. It was no wonder. John was a bastard.

And who better to confirm his plans than the bastard himself. Punching out the number of John's Beacon Hill townhouse, she waited through four long rings, growing more anxious with each.

"St. George residence." There was noise in the background.

"Christian, this is Hillary Cox." She spoke firmly, with as much authority as she could muster, given the probability that if she was a has-been in John's life, his houseboy would know it. "Is John there?"

During the few seconds it took him to answer, she identified the background noise. There were people there. Their voices blended into a single, cacophonous drone. "He's here, Miss Cox, but he's occupied at the moment." She heard a peal of laughter. "May I tell him you called?"

She had the disconcerting suspicion that there was a party going on. "Now," she insisted. "Tell him I'm on the phone and that I'd like to talk with him now."

"Perhaps it would be better - "

"Please, Christian. This is urgent."

Some of her desperation must have reached him. After a brief pause, then a short directive, Christian put her on hold.

The sudden silence was worse for the voices she'd heard before. They haunted her, making her feel shut out, and while she'd felt excluded from John's life many times in the past, this time was harder. It was one thing to be excluded when everyone else was, another thing to be shut out when others so clearly were not.

"Hillary?" His voice came as low and composed as ever. The background chatter was gone. She pictured him in the library, surrounded by walls of books he'd never read, his long lean fingers propped on the gleaming mahogany desk. He would have shut the door to ensure his privacy, a need that suddenly smacked of guilt.

"What's going on, John?"

He seemed oblivious to the strained tone of her voice. "How are you?"

"John - "

"Did you see the show?" He spoke slowly, deliberately.

"Of course. That's what - "

"What did you think?"

"I don't know. That's why - "

"It wasn't bad." His tone smoothly countered the under statement. "Those shows can be poison. As charming as the interviewer may seem in person, once the filming is done and the editing begins, the brightest man can sound moronic."

Hillary was losing what little composure she had. "John, what was - "

"I came across well, I think. I'm pleased."

"So are a lot of other people, from the way it sounded when Christian answered the phone." She hurried the words out before he cut her off again. "What's going on?"

He was silent for a moment. "A few friends dropped in to celebrate."

"They must have had great timing. The show hasn't been over for fifteen minutes." Which could mean only one thing. "They watched it with you, didn't they?"

"Several did."

"Several. Three? Eight? Twenty?" She made no attempt to hide her hurt. "John, I'd have come too, if I'd known you were having a party. But I wasn't invited. You didn't want me there. You rarely do. And you won't now." She took a quick breath. "Is it true? Are you and Janet engaged?"

He hesitated. "I'll call you back later, Hillary."

"No. Now. Are you engaged?" He didn't answer. "Are you marrying her?" Still there was no response. "Tell me, John."

"We'll discuss it later."

Copyright © 1990 by Barbara Delinsky

About the Author

Barbara Delinsky is the author of many novels, including, most recently, Looking for Peyton Place and The Summer I Dared, which is now available as a premium mass market paperback. Published in twenty-five languages worldwide, her books regularly appear on bestseller lists. She lives with her family in New England.