dentified herself when starting a telephone conversation. There was no n

see you at once. Meet me at your a

late. This i

ut giving her a c

ast Mc Nichols Road and started to walk the two b

ter, and heavy, quilted, full-length Brown Coat. she wore a cream-colored knit cap pulled over her ears and her shoulde

partment. The public transportation was excellent in my part of the city, and on stormy days she and the other three working women in her apa

ferries, a gift from Drake, parked at the curb of the

ica was never bothered by trivial

always assumed that everything would

s d

's side opened and Jessica stepped out. She felt the

as the result of the ballet and acroba

she always felt

ar like everybody else it wouldn't take you forever to get places. H

use and up the stairs to her apartment. she turned

into the kitchen to make coffee. Jessi

just a case of bridal nerves. Jessica

xcitement about her that se

t with no means of refusing began to wane, This was

headed, how she would get there, and

What could have happ

aven's sake calm down and tell me what's happened. It can't be too much of a disaster the d

em? That couldn't wait until we see each other tonight at the rehearsal?" Jessica opened the cupboard door, found a bott

said, and the excitement Lisa h

fered The face of Q

The what? I do

turing the face of a Queens girl. Sort of the all-American glamor girl type that every woman dreams of bei

otographing me at all the exciting

r's Basilica in Rome, th

tions of what she was saying. "Now just a minute," she interrupted, "you're marrying Drake on Saturday. Ho

her long swig of

talk to you about. I'm not goi

disbelieving. You're what?" she finally

Drake. He'd never agree to my taking

ll save my career.

of the money. You wouldn't believe how lucrative something like this can be

?" Lisa couldn't belie

of distress. "You know it breaks my

dedicated career woman for a wife, and we both know that's what I'll always be. Now tha

lif

se of relief. Jessica wasn't going to marry Dr

she was trembling. She took a few steps to the ye

-centered and incapable of loving anyo

ity. "How could

voice was rising. "He loves you. I've never seen a m

tte

ou think this is easy for me? I know he loves me. I kn

ugh the mess of a divorce. He'll get over it, Lisa, and someday a sweet, submissive wo

had the good sense to w

believe this,"

eived and acknowledged. The caterers will have to be p

Jessica, how can y

m not Cinderella and Drake's not Prince Charming. You always did believ

on. We've already started a lot of the passion we felt for eac

? Jessica didn't even comprehend what she was talking about. She thought sexual desire and love were indistinguishable. She couldn

instantly captivated by Jessica. Swept off his feet, as her mother would say. He'd

dsome Greek billionaire. When she'd finally agreed to marry him he'd po

t out the painful thoughts. "Have

nother thing I wanted to talk to you about, Lisa. I was hoping maybe...I mean, you a

want you to te