Downsizing Read Online Free PDF

get younger every
time—”
    “— this one’s young enough to be
her son—”
    “— more like her grandson.” The
women laughed, staring quite blatantly at Noah and a red-faced
Kitty.
    “ Mind you, he’s rather hunky. I
love that brooding expression. Very James Dean.”
    “ Hum, me too! I’m closer to his
age than anyone else here, and he looks like he needs rescuing.
Just watch this, girls.”
    Noah had heard enough. In no mood to take more
shit from anyone today, he deliberately made eye contact with the
gossiping trio. Absorbing the full force of his glare they had the
grace to look embarrassed. When he had their full attention he
offered them a roguish smile. Then he placed his arm around Kitty’s
shoulders, turned the smile upon her, and dropped a light kiss on
her lips.
    “ Come on, sweetheart,” he said.
“I’ve had enough of this circus. Let’s go. I can think of much
better ways to spend the rest of the evening.”
    Leaving the women gaping after them, he led a
now smiling Kitty from the room.
    “ Thank you,” she said as they left
the theatre. “But you didn’t have to do that.”
    “ Yeah, I did. I hate bitchiness,
and as far as I know, you haven’t done anything to deserve it.” His
arm still circled her shoulders. “Now then, about this Italian
restaurant?”
    She smiled up at him, suddenly looking years
younger. “Do you really want to spend the rest of the evening in a
restaurant that’s over-priced and pretentious?”
    “ Not particularly, but I
thought—”
    “ Then why don’t we get one over on
Ryan by giving it a miss? One good turn deserves another. I’ll cook
for us and you can keep his blood money for yourself.”
    “ Mrs. Watts,” Noah said, looking
upon her with new respect. “There’s obviously more to you than
meets the eye.”
    She chuckled. “How do you suppose I’ve managed
to stay married to Ryan all these years?”
    Noah wanted to ask why she felt the need to
hang on to the cheating bastard, but it was really none of his
business.
    Back in Kitty’s orderly kitchen, she produced
a surprisingly good meal very quickly. Noah opened a bottle of wine
and leaned against the counter, watching her at work. After they’d
eaten they settled on the settee with their brandies.
    “ What do you think of Ryan’s
latest tart?” Kitty asked conversationally. “Shirley, is
it?”
    Noah’s eyebrows shot skyward. “You know about
her?”
    “ Oh yes. She isn’t the first, but
they never last long and they keep him happy.”
    “ But don’t you mind?”
    “ Well of course I mind, but what
alternative do I have, other than to turn a blind eye.” She
shrugged. “Discussing it with him simply isn’t an
option.”
    In spite of her casual tone, Noah could see
the hurt in her eyes. Watts was even more of a bastard than he’d
realized. He’d chipped away at his wife’s self-confidence, and then
placed the blame for his own ineptitude at her door. Noah took her
hand and kissed her fingers, more conscious than ever of the
resemblance between this woman and Maxine.
    “ You don’t need to take that crap
from him, Kitty-Kat,” he said softly. “You’re worth ten of the
Shirleys of this world.”
    “ Thank you, Noah,” she said,
sighing. “It’s sweet of you to try and make me feel better, but
Ryan’s right in some respects. I do rather lack imagination in the
bedroom.”
    “ Excuse me asking you this, but
have you ever been with anyone other than Ryan?”
    “ Well, no. In my day we didn’t
treat sexual relations as casually as people do nowadays. A girl
saved it until she got married, and that was that.”
    “ Well then, if he taught you all
he knows then he can’t be much good at it himself.”
    She blinked several times. “But all the women
he picks up seem to like him,” she said, a confused expression in
her eye.
    Noah chuckled. “Like his money, more
like.”
    Noah got up and put a slow CD on the player.
“Come and dance with me, Kitty-Kat.”
    She