Moonlight and Roses (4 page)

Caroline
joined her mother on the sofa, handing her another cup of coffee.

“He’s the one, Caroline.”

“He likes my art, Mom.”

“He likes you, too. I saw the way he looked at you, like a wolf at a lamb. I’m not that old, darling…ah…I see grandchildren in my future,” she said with a contented sigh.

Caroline laughed as she
got up to
clear away
Brad’s
coffee cup and saucer.

“You do like him, don’t you?”
Linda asked, putting her hand on her daughter’s forearm.

“How could I not like him? Anyone who loves my art, well…”

“He’s tall, good-looking and probably rich as hell…maybe even old money
,
”
Her mother said with a sigh, resting her chin on her hand.

“Mother! Are you selling me to the highest bidder?”
Caroline asked, raising her eyebrows.

“I only want a secure future…a happy life for you where you don’t have to worry about money,” her mother stated.

Caroline got into bed but she couldn’t shut off her mind. The idea of a man being interested in her art was thrilling and unexpected. She went over the evening again and again in her mind, concentrating on the suggestions Brad
made. They were all sound and showed he knew something about art. She never thought about having a patron, a mentor, someone who cared enough to make her well-known. The ide
a seemed like a wish come true.

The next morning a dozen red roses arrived. They were from Brad. In fact a dozen red roses arrived every Monday for the next month. Brad took Caroline out almost every night. They went to every gallery in New York City, especially the
fashionable
ones. Brad was a backer of several
stylish
galleries. He took one of Caroline’s paintings to the Madison Duguey Gallery and they took it right in
to be prepared for
display. Caroline was floored.

Their relationship moved ahead almost as fast as her career started to take off. Linda vacated the living room early, leaving Brad and Caroline time to be alone. Kissing became pettin
g on the sofa but then stopped.

“Guess I’m spoiled. I’m used to a comfortable bed and complete privacy when I make love to a woman,” he said.

Brad invited her to his family’s house in Greenwich for the weekend and Caroline accepted. Linda bubbled with anticipation as she watched the wealthy young man courting her daughter.
She sewed two new outfits for Caroline to take to Connecticut and gleefully waved goodbye to her daughter when the silver Bentley came to pick her up.
 

****

Caroline couldn’t believe her eyes when the posh car pulled into a long circular driveway. The white house with dark green shutters seemed to go on and on. As soon as Harry, the chauffeur, opened the car door, Brad appeared on the front steps. While Harry carried her bag, Brad whispered in her ear.

“I’m putting your bag in the guest room, but you’re more than welcome to stay with me.”

Caroline gave him an enigmatic smile, since she hadn’t made up her mind if she wanted to sleep with him yet. Brad took her to the guest room, which was decorated all in apricot and light yellow. The small flower print wallpaper reminded Caroline of Laura Ashley. The silk apricot bedspread had several pillows in white and yellow. On the dresser, a large gray vase held a dozen light apr
icot roses.

“I know this is a beautiful room, but it’s missing one thing,” he said.

She arched her eyebrow at him quizzically.

“Me, silly!” He chuckled
as he brushed a stand of hair from her face then rested his hand behind her neck for a moment
.

Brad took her on a tour of the magnificent house, ending with a stark room that was almost empty.

“This room is in transition. I haven’t decided what it’s going to be yet. But I thought…if things work out for us. . .” He seemed
reluctant to admit what was on his mind. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting around the room, then his gaze settled on her face, as he
finally finished in a rush. “Don’t you think this room would make a great art studio?”

Caroline looked at the big windows facing North,
perfect
for diffuse lighting. In the empty space, she pictured an easel, maybe two easels, the space was certainly large enough. She’d need a cabinet or dresser to store her supplies, shelves for canvases. Her imagination soared. Never in a million years would she have imagined a room like this could belong to her. She was speechless.

“No opinion?” he coaxed.

She threw her arms around his neck and pressed a passionate kiss to his lips
while her body came up flush against his.
. He responded, pushing her gently up against the wall. He deepened the kiss and Caroline softened against
him. She had made her decision.

Six months later, Caroline and Brad were inseparable. They went to every gallery opening and Caroline had a few shows of her work, arranged by Brad. He threw an elaborate cocktail party with champagne, shrimp, hot hors d’oeuvres and fancy chocolates for each show. His friends hosted parties for her, too, and soon her work was selling. Not just a few sales, but
her artwork was flying out the door. The buzz at the most elegant cocktail parties was all about who bought the latest Caroline Davis painting and how much they paid.
. Caroline Davis had arrived in the art world. Finding it more and more difficult to paint in their small apartment, she thought about the empty
room in the house in Greenwich.

“So when is he going to propose?” Linda asked her daughter.

Caroline shrugged.

“You’d be so much more comfortable in his big house in Greenwich,” prodded Linda.

“Probably.” She smiled at her mother. “But as he hasn’t asked the question,
so what can I do?
”

“He’ll ask,” assured her mother with a confident smile.

Brad swept her away. She was dizzy with the excitement of her growing fame in the art world and the rich lifestyle. He took her to all the fanciest restaurants, showing her off as his beautiful creation. She plowed the money from her art into buying more and more expensive clothing. After all, she convinced herself, an important artist needed to look the part.
Her improved quality of dress was not lost on Brad. He even took her to some of the expensive shops on Madison Avenue for a little shopping spree. The better she looked, the happier he was.

Linda encouraged her to pull Brad closer and closer. They spent every weekend together at the house in Greenwich. Caroline even met his mother, who lived in the Carriage House on the four-acre property.

Still, Brad had made no move to make their relationship permanent. Caroline wondered why as he seemed so besotted with her.
T
hey had not
even
exchanged the words, “I love you” yet.
She made up her mind to say it to him first if he didn’t speak up. After all he did for her, it was one way she could give back.
She’d save it for the right moment after they made love.

When she arrived at the house in Greenwich on a cold December day, Brad had a hot toddy waiting for her and a fire in the fireplace in his cozy den. She curled up on
the sofa and sipped her drink.

“You look beautiful,” he said, eying her hungrily.

It had been a week since they had been together. She smiled at him
, thinking how much she missed his attention, his warmth and his lovemaking.

“I think it’s time we moved in together. What do you think?” he blurted out.

She stared at him in surprise. Of all the scenarios that had run through her mind, she hadn’t been expecting
that one
.

“Living together…well…I’d prefer…”

“What? What would you prefer?”
He said, moving closer to her on the sof
a, running his hand up her arm.

“Something more permanent?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Marriage?”
h
e asked, his eyes wide.

“Crossed my mind.” She chuckled, standing up and walking to the large window, where she pushed the curtain aside and gazed up at the moon
, but spied a star first
.
S
he made a silent wish.

“Hmm. I’m not much of a believer in that sort of thing. Still. If that’s what I have to do to secure you in my bed…”

“It’s more than sex isn’t it?” she asked, turning to look at him and returning to the warmth of the fire
by sitting on the loveseat.

“Of course, of course,” he said, brushing aside her concerns.

“Maybe we should table this discussion.” Caroline set her glass onto a coaster on the fine wood coffee table.

Brad moved to join her, staring into the fire, mesmerized by the flames for a moment before turning to face her.

“Caroline, we’re a great team, marry me, and we’ll take the art world by storm. I’ll make you number one and keep you there,” Brad said, his eyes glistening.

She was speechless. This was not the type of proposal she had envisioned. She saw he looked as smitten as ever as he moved in to kiss her. She opened her lips to him, waiting to feel the magic she expected when a man proposed to her, but it didn’t come. He held her close for a moment longer then broke and stared into her eyes.

“Well?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes. Yes, I will,” she said, smiling, resting her hand on his arm.

“Wonderful,” he said, rising from the loveseat, “now we have so much to do.”

He whipped out his cell phone and sent off two text messages right away.

“Who are you texting?” she asked.

“Mum, of course, and Sylvia. Her to-do list is now doubled. We have a wedding to plan. Aren’t you going to call your mother?” he asked her.

She nodded and dug into her bag for her phone. Caroline got up and walked to the window again, but the moon was hiding behind a cloud. She shivered once as her gaze drifted over the frozen landscape, half covered with snow. Engaged at Christmas! Every women’s dream. Her mother would be so happy she would probably go out and dance in the street. Caroline chuckled as she opene
d the phone and dialed.

“Mom? Are you sitting dow
n?” she asked, smiling broadly.

It was a perfect day in June. Caroline paced in the guest room in Greenwich. Her mother pushed the door open with her foot as she held two Cosmopolitans in her hand.

“Here, drink this. It’ll calm you down,” she said, handing one to her daughter and taking a healthy sip from the other.

Caroline did as she was told, swallowing a large gulp. Caroline always did as she was told, or did she? Feeling too nervous to stand still, she put the drink on the nightstand and continued pacing. The rustling of the satin
, strapless dress was soothing.

“I don’t see what you’re so nervous about, Sunny.”

Caroline abruptly stopped pacing and turned to stare at her mother. “You called me Sunny,”
s
he whispered.

“Guess I did. I was thinking about your father. He would be so happy today,” Linda said, brushing a tear away with her hand before taking another taste of her Cosmo.

Caroline drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I suppose he would.”

“As long as he knew you were happy…you are happy, aren’t you?”

She nodded.

“Why so nervous then?”

“It’s a big step, Mom. I wish…wish I…oh, I don’t know.” Caroline sank down on the bed and directed her gaze out the window. “How did you feel on your wedding day, Mom?”

“Next to your birth, it was the happiest day of my life. Your father was…a…a remarkable man. I felt so lucky to be marrying him. A brilliant artist, hard worker. And he was the kindest person I’d ever known.” Linda said, her gaze softening. With her hand, she moved a stray strand of hair out of her eyes.

Caroline looked down at her hands. She missed her father. He had a way of making everything better for her and now on her big day, he wasn’t here.

“You miss him don’t you?” her mother asked.

Caroline nodded.

“I do, too,” Linda sighed, “you look so gorgeous…like a model from a bridal magazine. Brad is a lucky man. I hope he knows that.”

“I think he does.”

“And does his mother?” Linda asked, straightening her back, a frown on her face.

“Sort of. I’m not from a wealthy family, which bugs her. But she is impressed with my art, so I guess that evens it out
,”
A frown cloud
ed the pretty face momentarily.

“
She and Brad don’t always get along. That’s why she lives in the carriage house. She’s okay. I don’t let her bother me. Brad does what he wants no matter what she says.”

“I like a man with backbone.”

Caroline walked to the window and looked out. A huge tent shielded the three hundred people attending the wedding from the sun. Waiters were moving in and out with trays of champagne while the guests waited for the ceremony to begin. Shifting her focus, she caught her reflection in the glass.
She was struck by the sadness of her expression and on her wedding day, one of the happiest days of her life.
She returned to watching the people laugh and talk. Everyone was happy. An important wedding was about to take place.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Linda asked, coming up behind her daughter and putting her arm around Caroline’s shoulders.

She shook her head, feeling the slight pinch of tears at the back of her eyes but she blinked them back. The happy crowd, the smiling mother, the amazing white dress, the handsome rich groom…it was all there, she thought, but something was missing. Love. She felt an affection for Brad, gratitude for all he had done for her, even a sense of devotion to him…but not that wild, crazy, hotter than hot passionate, all-consuming, burning-you-up love. She’d expected to feel it, waited to feel it, assumed she would feel it. And now the wedding was about to begin, and she was
sad because she didn’t feel it.

She remembered spending the summer with her mother in their cabin at The Birches when she was thirteen. She had a crazy crush on an eighteen-year-old boy named Mickey. She worried
for a minute
at the silly thought
she had been more in love with him then than she was with Brad now. A polite knock sounded on the door and Sondra White, Brad’s mother, entered the room without waiting for an answer.

“You look beautiful, elegant, Caroline.
As my son’s bride should look.” She
picked at an imaginary piece of lint on Caroline’s bodice as her critical gaze swept over the gorgeous bride.
. “Are you ready? Everyone is here and it’s time to begin.”

Caroline nodded her head and took her mother’s hand. Linda laced her fingers with her daughter’s, straightened her pink suit skirt and moved alongside the bride to the door.