overseas hadn’t been much of a sacrifice, although he did miss Max’s second wedding to Julia, and had only met her later, when she and Max had flown to Paris for a belated honeymoon.
He’d liked Julia immediately, as anyone who could keep Maximillian Rafferty in line had to be one very terrific lady, and his first stop after going through customs at JFK had been to drop in at the Rafferty condo on Park Avenue. Max had already left the building, and the housekeeper had told Colin that Julia wasn’t home, either, so he’d gon e off to his hotel, unpacked… and saw the notice for the Sutherland showing in the main ballroom of that same hotel.
A few smiles, a few General U.S. Grant’s g reasing the right palms, and Coli n had been directed to the staging area, where he’d hoped to surprise Julia.
Okay, so that’s how he’d gotten there. Now he had to figure out how he’d gotten from there to here, here being sitting in a dingy dive, waiting for his first uniquely American hamburger in too many months.
He was also sitting here waiting for Ms. Holly Hollis, just about the least likely woman he’d ever thought he’d be attracted to, even notice.
But there was something about her. Maybe he’d always harbored a secret fantasy for being bossed around by a pint-size female dictator. Maybe it was the way she’d looked as she stood on a stool to tie his tie, that crazy pink boa wrapped around her neck as she blew at the feathers to keep them out of her mouth, her eyes crossing slightly as she tried to get the knot set correctly.
Or maybe he just wanted to get a little of his own back because she’d mistaken him for some no-show boob named Harry Hampshire. A male model? Did she really think he was a male model?
Good old Harry was in for a surprise, when he got his paycheck for a day’s work he didn’t do. That was rather amusing. What wasn’t amusing was that someone might see him on that television show next week, going by the name of Harry Hampshire, parading around a runway in a tux, kissing women.
He’d have to tell everyone he’d lost a bet. Or won it.
Co li n half stood up as Holly approached, balancing a full tray holding several paper-wrapped hamburgers, two bags of French fries and a pair of plastic bottles of spring water.
“Here, let me help you,” he said, taking the tray, placing it on the tabletop. Then he held out his hand. “My change?”
“Change? I had to kick in five bucks. What do you mean, change. We’re in Manhattan, Harry. The lousy water cost three bucks a bottle.”
“Sorry,” Co li n said, fishing into his pocket for another bill. “I guess I lost my head.”
“Along with your watch,” Holly said as site unwrapped a hamburger, lifted the top of the bun to check for onions, then passed the thing over to him. “I’m waiting, you know. What excuse are you going to give me for almost not making the showing? ”
Colin shrugged. Keeping as close as possible to the tr u th would probably be best. “I’m sorry about that, Holly. I just got in from Paris this morning. There was a slight holdup in Customs.”
Holly sat back in her chair and glared at him. “You just got back from Paris? And your agent accepted a booking for the same day? What is he, nuts?”
Colin considered launching into a long story about having been bumped from one plane only to have the second develop engine trouble before they took off, but decided he’d like to get the whole subject gone as quickly as possible, before he slipped up. “Yeah, that’s my agent. Nuts. So, do you live here in Manhattan?”
Holly held up her index finger as she finished chewing, swallowing, her first huge bite of her hamburger. “Um … no, I don’t. I’d go nuts myself, if I had to live in Manhattan.”
“You don’t like big cities?”
“Oh, I love them. I love Manhattan. I’d just go nuts here. Visiting museums, taking in all the Broadway and off-Broadway and off-off Broadway shows. Shopping, lots of
He’d liked Julia immediately, as anyone who could keep Maximillian Rafferty in line had to be one very terrific lady, and his first stop after going through customs at JFK had been to drop in at the Rafferty condo on Park Avenue. Max had already left the building, and the housekeeper had told Colin that Julia wasn’t home, either, so he’d gon e off to his hotel, unpacked… and saw the notice for the Sutherland showing in the main ballroom of that same hotel.
A few smiles, a few General U.S. Grant’s g reasing the right palms, and Coli n had been directed to the staging area, where he’d hoped to surprise Julia.
Okay, so that’s how he’d gotten there. Now he had to figure out how he’d gotten from there to here, here being sitting in a dingy dive, waiting for his first uniquely American hamburger in too many months.
He was also sitting here waiting for Ms. Holly Hollis, just about the least likely woman he’d ever thought he’d be attracted to, even notice.
But there was something about her. Maybe he’d always harbored a secret fantasy for being bossed around by a pint-size female dictator. Maybe it was the way she’d looked as she stood on a stool to tie his tie, that crazy pink boa wrapped around her neck as she blew at the feathers to keep them out of her mouth, her eyes crossing slightly as she tried to get the knot set correctly.
Or maybe he just wanted to get a little of his own back because she’d mistaken him for some no-show boob named Harry Hampshire. A male model? Did she really think he was a male model?
Good old Harry was in for a surprise, when he got his paycheck for a day’s work he didn’t do. That was rather amusing. What wasn’t amusing was that someone might see him on that television show next week, going by the name of Harry Hampshire, parading around a runway in a tux, kissing women.
He’d have to tell everyone he’d lost a bet. Or won it.
Co li n half stood up as Holly approached, balancing a full tray holding several paper-wrapped hamburgers, two bags of French fries and a pair of plastic bottles of spring water.
“Here, let me help you,” he said, taking the tray, placing it on the tabletop. Then he held out his hand. “My change?”
“Change? I had to kick in five bucks. What do you mean, change. We’re in Manhattan, Harry. The lousy water cost three bucks a bottle.”
“Sorry,” Co li n said, fishing into his pocket for another bill. “I guess I lost my head.”
“Along with your watch,” Holly said as site unwrapped a hamburger, lifted the top of the bun to check for onions, then passed the thing over to him. “I’m waiting, you know. What excuse are you going to give me for almost not making the showing? ”
Colin shrugged. Keeping as close as possible to the tr u th would probably be best. “I’m sorry about that, Holly. I just got in from Paris this morning. There was a slight holdup in Customs.”
Holly sat back in her chair and glared at him. “You just got back from Paris? And your agent accepted a booking for the same day? What is he, nuts?”
Colin considered launching into a long story about having been bumped from one plane only to have the second develop engine trouble before they took off, but decided he’d like to get the whole subject gone as quickly as possible, before he slipped up. “Yeah, that’s my agent. Nuts. So, do you live here in Manhattan?”
Holly held up her index finger as she finished chewing, swallowing, her first huge bite of her hamburger. “Um … no, I don’t. I’d go nuts myself, if I had to live in Manhattan.”
“You don’t like big cities?”
“Oh, I love them. I love Manhattan. I’d just go nuts here. Visiting museums, taking in all the Broadway and off-Broadway and off-off Broadway shows. Shopping, lots of
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