Dance to the Piper by Roberts Nora

Author:Roberts, Nora [Roberts, Nora]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Published: 1988-06-21T04:00:00+00:00

"Valentine Records is the backer for the play."

"Interesting." She started to sip, then latched on to her sister's hand. "Maddy, you're not involved with him? He must be Pop's age.

Look, I'm not saying that age should be a big factor in a relationship, but when it's my little sister—"

"Hang on." Maddy giggled into her wine. "Didn't I read that you were seeing Count DeVargo of DeVargo Jewelers? He must be hitting sixty."

"That was different." Chantel muttered. "European men are ageless."

"Very good," Maddy decided after a moment. "That was really very good."

"Thanks. In any case, we were nothing more than friends. If you're getting dreamy eyed over a man old enough to be your father—"

"I'm not dreamy eyed," Maddy said. "And it's his son."

"Whose son? Oh." Calmer, Chantel settled back again. "So this Edwin Valentine has a son. Not a dancer?"

"No." She had to smile. "He's taken over the record company. I guess he's a magnate."

"Well." Chantel rolled out the word. "Coming up in the world, aren't we?"

"I don't know what I'm doing." Maddy unlaced her legs and rose. "Most of the time I think I must be crazy. He's gorgeous and successful and conservative. He likes French restaurants."

"The beast."

Maddy dissolved into laughter. "Oh, Chantel, help."

"Have you slept with him?"

It was like Chantel to get right down to brass tacks. Maddy let out a deep breath and sat again. "No."

"But you've thought about it."

"I can't seem to think of much of anything but him."

Chantel reached for the bottle to fill her glass again. Once you got past the first swallow, the wine was almost palatable. "And how does he feel about you?"

"That's where I hit the brick wall. Chantel, he's kind and considerate and has the capacity for such—well, goodness, I guess. But he has this safety net when it comes to women. One minute he's holding me and I feel as though this is what I've been waiting for all of my life.

The next minute he's putting me aside as though we hardly know each other."

"Does he know how you feel?"

"I'm half-afraid he does. I wouldn't dare tell him. He's made it clear he's not interested in what he calls'the long haul'."

Chantel felt a little twist of alarm. "And you're thinking in terms of the long haul?"

"I could spend my life with him." With eyes abruptly serious, abruptly vulnerable, she stared at her sister. "Chantel, I could make him happy."

"Maddy, these things work two ways." God, how well she knew it. "Can he make you happy?"

"If he'd let me in. If he'd let me in just a little so I could understand why he's so afraid to feel. Chantel, something happened, something devastating, I know it, to make him so untrusting. If I knew what it was I could do something about it. But I'm flying blind."

Chantel set down her glass and took both of Maddy's hands. "You really love him?"

"I really love him."

"He's a very lucky man."

"You're prejudiced."

"Damn right. And no matter how aloof he is, I don't think he stands a chance.

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