Full Circle by Danielle Steel Read Free Book Online Page B

shared a half-full bottle of scotch. Tana looked at them in despair, and knew that she had just lost her ride back to the city. There was no way she would have driven anywhere with anyone that drunk. Which left the option of the train, or finding someone sober, which did not, for the moment at least, appear likely.
    “Wanna dance?” She turned, surprised to see Billy again, his eyes redder, his mouth leering at her, still gazing at her breasts, barely able to tear his eyes away, which he did at last, in time to see her shake her head.
    “No, thanks.”
    “They're banging their asses off in the pool house. Wanna go watch?” Her stomach turned over at the prospect, and if he hadn't been so revolting she would have laughed. It was incredible how blind her mother could be to the Sacred Durnings.
    “No, thanks.”
    “Whatsa matter? Still a virgin?” The look on his face made her sick, but she didn't want to let on that he was right. She'd rather he thought simply that he repulsed her, which was also correct. He did.
    “I'm not into watching.”
    “Shit, why not? Best sport there is.” She turned and tried to lose him in the crowd, but for some reason he was following her around tonight, and he was beginning to make her uncomfortable. She glanced around the room again, saw that he had disappeared, probably to the pool house to join his friends, and she figured that she had been there for long enough. All she had to do was call a cab, get to the train station, and go home. Not pleasant, but at least not difficult, and glancing over her shoulder to make sure that no one had followed her, she tiptoed up a small back staircase that she knew about, to a private phone. It was very simple, she called information, got the number, and called the cab. They promised to be out there within the next fifteen minutes, and she knew that she was in plenty of time for the last train. And for the first time all night, she felt relief, having gotten away from the drunks and creeps downstairs, and she wandered slowly down the thickly carpeted hall, glancing at the photographs of Arthur and Marie, Ann and Billy as children, and somehow it seemed as though the photographs should have included Jean. She had been so much a part of them, so much of their well-being had been because of her, it didn't feel fair to leave her out, and then suddenly without thinking, Tana opened a door. She knew it was the family room her mother often used as a kind of office when she was there. The walls were covered with photographs too, but she didn't see them tonight. As the door opened slowly, she heard a nervous squeal, a “Shit! … Hey!” saw two white moons leap into the air, and heard a scuffle of embarrassment as she quickly closed the door again, and then jumped in horror as someone right behind her laughed.
    “Ah!” She turned, and found Billy leering at her. “For heaven's sake.…” She had thought he was downstairs.
    “I thought you weren't into watching, Miss Lily Pure.”
    “I was just wandering around, and I stumbled across.…” Her face flushed to the roots of her hair as he grinned at her.
    “I'll bet … what'd you come up here for, Tan?” He had heard her mother call her that over the years, but it annoyed her hearing it from him. It was a private name and he had never been her friend. Never.
    “My mom usually works in that room.”
    “Nah.” He shook his head, as though surprised at her mistake. “Not in there.”
    “Yes, she does.” Tana was sure of it, as she glanced at her watch. She didn't want to miss her cab. But she hadn't heard him honk yet, anyway.
    “I'll show you where she does work, if you want.” He began to walk down the hall the other way, and Tana wasn't sure whether or not to follow him. She didn't want to argue with him, but she knew that her mother used the family room where they stood. But it was his house after all, and she felt awkward standing there, particularly as groans began reaching her from the