Microsoft Word - Rogers, Rosemary - The Crowd Pleasers by kps Read Free Book Online Page B

it was the overheated hotel lobby with its chandeliers and the curious looks from the uniformed clerks behind the old-fashioned mahogany desk. And her own ingrained, instinctive shrinking as her mind took over from her senses.
    Webb had wanted to skip the party. He'd wanted her to have dinner with him in his room; he'd wanted her. And that was how the argument had erupted as they stood before the door to his room.
    "But I did promise Carol. And then you told Harris. Webb, why can't you come too?
    Just for a little while .. ."
    "Just to make a polite goddamned appearance? Hell no, baby. I'm not in the mood.
    But if you're anxious to make the party scene and have fun with all your friends, you go right on ahead, huh? Hurry along-you don't want to keep good old Harris waiting, do you?"
    "You want everything your own way, don't you?" she had stormed at him, surprising herself with her own vehemence, "You won't give an inch, and yet you want me ..."
    For an instant, his face had turned somber, looking down at her.
    "That's right. I want you, Annie. But not in a crowd. And not enough to put up with that shit." The jerk of his head indicated the light coming from the open door down the hallway.
    The calculated cruelty of his last words only stiffened her determination not to let herself be dominated by his will. If he had only been reasonable ... but he hadn't. He had been the one to drop the shutter between them, patting her face lightly as if it didn't matter to him one way or another.
    "Run along then, Annie. Have fun. And maybe I'll see you around, huh?" Then his door had closed in her face. End of chapter, end of episode.
    Harris was holding her arm and leading her into the hot, overcrowded room, talking all the time as he did.
    "I told Carol I'd bring you along as soon as you arrived, Anne. She's dying to know how that last scene went. Her last ex-husband turned up unexpectedly; that's him talking to her now, the tall sandy-haired man wearing that absurd-looking string tie.
    He wants to try for a reconciliation, although there's no hope of that! Carol's outgrown him, I think. And she can handle him-he's acting almost decently civilized for a change, in spite of the nasty jealous scenes he used to put her through while they were still married." Switching from one subject to another with hardly a pause, Harris said softly, "I suppose that's why I've never married. Jealousy is pointless and passe.
    I'm a romantic at heart, and I've always hoped to find a woman I didn't need to be jealous of. Oh-there's the mayor. I can see he recognizes you. Listen-no one knows, Anne, so there's no need to be nervous. I can feel your arm tensing up ... But remember that you're merely one of Carol's old school friends-you two got in touch, and she invited you to watch the play and join her here afterwards. Do feel free to relax. It's a good thing Webb didn't accompany you here, in a way. Knowing Webb
    ..."
    How well did he know Webb? Did anyone really know what Webb was like? If she was to go by Harris, or even Carol, by now Webb must have put her out of his mind.
    And yet it had been she who had drawn back! She hugged that thought to herself, even if it didn't give her any satisfaction at this moment.
    "Darling!" Carol said reproachfully. "Where on earth have you been?" Carol's theatrical training made her emphasize certain words when she spoke. "I was hoping you hadn't changed your mind-you don't know how I'd been looking forward to having a little girl-talk with you-it's been such ages, hasn't it?"
    Tonight, Carol was wearing a stunning Halston creation that showed off her figure and her justly famous breasts. She introduced Anne to Ted Grady very smoothly and without any embarrassment. "This is Ted, my ex. He's a very sweet man, but of course I've always been a bitch to live with, haven't I , darling?"
    Grady mumbled something, obviously still concentrating on Carol, and Anne felt herself smile tightly, hoping her smile didn't look too much