Come Fly With Me (63 page)

"Thank
you,
now
don't
think
about
a
thing
except
making
the
best
speech
ever
and
smiling
for
the
pictures.
This
dinner
is
always
written
up
in
the
trades
and
you
want
to
look
your
dashing
best.
You'll
get
more
business
than
you'll
know
how
to
handle."

"Thanks,
my
love.
I
have
to
do
a
little
more
press.
I'll
see
you
in
a
bit,"
he
kissed
her
on
the
cheek
and
walked
into
the
crowd.

Allison
looked
at
her
watch
and
realized
her
mother
probably
would
have
landed
by
now.
She
was
glad
her
mother
had
spent
the
last
couple
of
weeks
in
L.A.
with
Aunt
Carol.
They
always
had
a
great
time
together.
She
hoped
she
would
be
refreshed
and
relaxed
before
she
had
to
deal
with
the
likelihood
of
the
murder
of
her
husband.
Allison
gently
excused
herself
from
the
steady
monologue
that
Kenyon's
mom
was
keeping
up
and
went
to
the
anteroom
to
call
and
check
up
on
her
mother.

As
she
reached
for
her
phone,
someone
called
her
name.

"Ms.
Ross,
always
a
pleasure."

She
whirled
around
and
saw
Michael
Essex
walking
toward
her
and
reaching
for
her
hand.
He
kissed
it
and
cocked
his
head
as
if
to
assess
her
reaction.

She
gently
removed
her
hand
from
his
and
nodded
her
head,
"Good
evening,
Mr.
Essex."

"Now
that
sounded
chilly,"
he
admonished.

"Just
trying
to
sound
appropriate
as
per
our
business
relationship."

"And
sounding
even
chillier
still,"
he
said
softly.
"Might
I
add
that
you
look
exquisite
this
evening?
Please
save
some
space
on
your
dance
card
for
me.
I
have
to
go
inside
and
shake
a
few
hands,
and
then
I'll
seek
you
out."

He
nodded
at
her
and
entered
the
ballroom
before
she
could
utter
another
word.
A
fury
rose
from
somewhere
deep
in
her
and
she
bristled
at
his
offhandedness.
As
if,
as
if
she
would
dance
with
him.
Just
because
he
said
so
.
He
didn't
even
ask,
never
even
assumed
she
wouldn't
be
interested
or
available
to
dance
with
him.
Yes,
she
had
issues
with
men
and
their
power—starting
with
her
father.
It
was
the
main
reason
she
never
joined
corporate
America.
I'll
just
own
my
little
gallery
and
plod
nicely
along,
no
thanks
to
all
of
you.
If
only
Kenyon
had
already
received
his
award,
she
would
leave
immediately.
She
calmed
herself
enough
to
phone
her
mother
and
then
braced
herself
to
confront
Michael
Essex.
It
was
time
to
piss
him
off.

She
stormed
into
the
room
and
spotted
him
immediately.
He
was
conversing
with
a
beautiful
woman
about
his
age.
She
arranged
her
expression
into
a
neutral
one;
there
was
certainly
no
need
to
involve
everyone
in
her
heated
put
down
of
Michael.

He
smiled
as
he
saw
her
approach,
"Allison,
come
and
meet
my
sister,
Elizabeth."

Elizabeth
smiled
at
her
disarmingly,
and
she
could
see
some
of
Kaitlin
in
her,
"My
niece
seems
to
be
quite
taken
with
you.
I'm
glad
you've
gotten
through
to
her.
Sometimes
she
closes
up
and
it's
no
easy
matter
to
figure
out
what's
wrong."

"My
guess
would
be
boy,"
said
Michael.
"Don't
women
usually
find
fault
with
us
men?"
He
directed
his
question
to
Allison.

"Well,
actually,
if
we
might
have
a
minute
alone,"
she
responded.

"But
of
course.
Elizabeth,"
he
looked
at
her
and
she
seemed
to
melt
away
into
the
crowd.

He
was
even
high-handed
with
his
own
family;
it
was
unconscionable.

"Look,
Mr.
Ess..."
she
began.

"I
came
on
too
strong
earlier.
I
apologize.
I
have
to
expend
more
effort
in
switching
my
brain
from
work-speak
to
social-speak."

"Well,
I..."

"It's
a
bad
habit
of
mine.
I
assume
everyone
can
read
my
mind,
and
then
agree
with
all
my
thoughts.
I
must
have
sounded
self-centered
and
conceited."

"Not
exa..."

"I
am
terribly
sorry.
Please
accept
my
humblest
apologies,"
he
waited
for
a
few
beats,
as
Allison
said
nothing.
"Aren't
you
going
to
let
me
off
the
hook,
now?"
He
smiled
charmingly.