beside her, hoping she didnât look as disoriented as she felt.
Maryâs Ted wasnât bad-looking, but there was only one Bowie. Mary stared up at him with undisguised fascination, barely aware that he shook her hand and said all the polite things.
âMy goodness,â Mary exclaimed, and then caught herself and laughed. âItâs so nice to meet you, Mr. McCayde. Gaby talks about you all the time.â
âDoes she?â Bowie looked at a beet-red Gaby with undisguised amusement that hid the remnants of an explosive tension.
âShe threatens the other reporters with you,â Ted said with faint sarcasm, grinning wickedly at Gaby.
âI do not!â Gaby exclaimed.
âLiar.â Ted laughed. âShe waves you like a flag when anybody comes too close. Sheâs the original âMiss Donât Touchâ at the office.â
Bowieâs eyebrow went up in an expressive arch, not only at the implication, but at Tedâs frankly insulting way of putting it. His black eyes kindled as he stared at Ted.
âStop embarrassing my friend,â Mary said with a nervous laugh, nudging Ted. âCome on in and have some champagne and canapés,â she added, taking Gaby away. âYouâll have to overlook Ted. Heâs been sampling too much punch,â she added, with a cool smile in her fiancéâs direction.
âThatâs what impending marriage does to a man,â Ted replied with just a little too much venom, despite his forced smile. âWhy women think all the trimmings are necessary is beyond me. Sheâs got a house and a man and a good job, but she has to have a wedding ring.â
Mary flushed and got Gaby out onto the balcony. âHe doesnât want to go through with it,â she confessed miserably. âHe says that marriage is just a social statement. But my parents donât feel that way, and neither do his.â Mary fiddled with the soft ruffle at her bodice. âPlus, Iâm pregnant,â she whispered.
âMary!â Gaby said. âCongratulations...!â
âTed says he doesnât want the responsibility of a wife and child. But it will just kill my parents if the babyâs born out of wedlock,â she groaned, lifting her eyes to Gabyâs shocked ones.
âTed will get used to the idea,â Gaby said gently. âAnd everything will work out just fine.â
Mary laughed coolly. âWill it?â she said. âHeâs started talking about that new girl with long hair whoâs working with the Sports Editor.â She looked resolute. âIf he wants out, he can go and move in with her. My parents said that if I didnât go through with the wedding, I could come home, and I think I will.â Her face tautened. âIâm going to let him go. I know thatâs what he really wants.â
âIf itâs what you really want, too,â Gaby replied.
âWhen you love someone, isnât that the same thing?â Mary asked with a tired smile. She pressed Gabyâs arm. âCome and have some champagne. And donât worry about me,â she added when she saw the concern on the other womanâs face. âIâm not going to do anything stupid.â
Gaby took a glass of champagne punch, but she didnât touch it. She wandered around, talking halfheartedly to the other guests while her eyes searched for Bowie. She found him, finally, by the picture window, looking bored. Which was odd, because heâd been cornered by one of the prettiest women who worked at the officeâMagda Lorne, the Society Editor.
Magda was small and dark and beautiful. Gaby secretly envied her that petite beauty and her success with men. Although thereâd never been any friction between them, the sight of her long, red fingernails crawling on Bowieâs sleeves made something explosive stir in Gaby.
She moved toward the two of them, surprised by the expression on
Learning to Kill: Stories