Chapter 1

After being the last two people to leave the charity gala dance, Nikki and David sat silently in the back of the limousine on their way back to the hotel. After dozing off for a few minutes, Nikki opened her eyes and spoke.

“Oh, did I fall asleep?” she said.

“You did,” David replied. “No problem. It’s very late, or early, depending on how you look at it.”

“I can’t believe we danced for so long. We closed the place down. Some of the staff looked like they wanted to throw us out.”

“Right. You were the featured speaker and one of the most important guests. And besides, who would kick the great Nikki Barzini out of anywhere.”

“Oh, please. The great. Give me a break.”

“It’s true and you know it. I’m sure you lost track a long time ago of how many awards you’ve won. I’m surprised you’ve only won one Emmy.”

“The show won the Emmy. I can hardly take all the credit for it.”

“Yes, but you deserve plenty of credit. Not to mention that you’ve been nominated personally what, three other times?”

“Right, but who’s counting,” Nikki said. “Seriously David, you know those things don’t really matter to me.”

“I know,” he replied. “I’m just saying, you’re a highly recognizable woman, with a ton of influence and I can’t imagine you getting kicked out of anywhere. Not even out of bed for eating crackers.”

Nikki laughed.

“Shut up!” she said. “What a thing to say.”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

“Jerk,” she said.

“Guilty,” David replied.

They returned to silence for a few minutes, though Nikki didn’t doze off this time. She was thinking.

“You know,” she began, “speaking of dancing, I was a little surprised by something tonight.”

“What?” David asked. “You can’t be surprised that your feet hurt.”

“No, nothing like that. Although, I can’t believe that they don’t hurt. Nothing does. I could have kept going. I have to say, most women my age probably couldn’t dance for so long without being wiped out for a week afterward.”

“What are you talking about, ‘your age’?”

“You know what I’m talking about. I’m going to be fifty next year!”

“And no one can believe it. I’m sure people Google you endlessly to find out your age, then they’re shocked and they say, ‘She can’t be that young!’”

“I don’t know about that,” Nikki said. “But thank you.”

“So what was it? What were you wondering, about the dancing?”

“I don’t know. It just seemed like ... No, never mind. It’s no big deal.”

“What? What are you talking about? What’s no big deal?”

“Really, it’s nothing.”

“I hate it when you do that. Seriously, what were you wondering about?”

“Well, OK. It just ... seemed like ... I don’t know. There was just something about the way you were holding me.”

“How was I holding you?”

“Just, really close. The whole time.”

“So? Was I holding you too tightly? You should have said so.”

“No, no. I don’t mean that it was too tight. It was just, noticeable. Several times I wondered if people thought I was with a young escort or something. A man half my age, give or take.”

“Don’t a lot of them know who I am?”

“Yes, I’m sure a lot do.”

“I’m not getting the problem,” David said.

“I’m not saying there was any problem. I just, was aware of it.”

“Well, for people who don’t know us ... don’t know you ... they might get the wrong idea. We’re both married, you know.”

“What wrong idea? What are you talking about? Besides, we’re both barely married, right? My first marriage is going down the tubes and you’re all but done with your third.”

“Really? Things are that bad with you and Paige? I thought they were getting better.”

“So did I. I was wrong. Anyway, I still don’t know what about tonight upset you.”

“I’m not upset, really. Not at all. I’m just kind of thinking out loud. You know I don’t care that much about what people think. I do know all about the gossip mill, but that’s totally unavoidable no matter what I do.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t really know, David. Like I said, I was just ... aware of how you were holding me. And it made me think. And ... there was one other thing.”

“OK,” David said. “What else did I do wrong.”

“Stop it,” Nikki replied. “I never said you did anything wrong at all. I’m just processing.”

“So what’s the other thing?”

“Well, it just seemed like ... at the end, when it looked like they were going to turn the lights off on us...”

“Yeah, we were definitely the only ones left, besides the clean-up staff. Yes? So, what about it?”

Nikki was just forming the words when they heard the voice of the limo driver over the car intercom. They were separated from him by a glass panel.

“We’re here at the hotel folks. I’ll take you to the below ground entrance so you can get right in the elevator. Anything else I can do for you?”

“No thanks,” Nikki said. “We’re good. Thanks so much for getting us home safely.”

“Yeah, thanks,” David said.

“My pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

The intercom clicked off.