“When the time is right I will.” Alicia pulled out a chair and seated herself across from Mallory. “Coffee?” She gestured to a waitress.
Mallory nodded. “Thank you.”
“Did you know my daughter’s in law school?” The older woman tucked a strand of short brown hair behind her ear.
“No, I didn’t. Does she enjoy it?”
She smiled. “She’s not sure yet.”
“Then it sounds like she’s got a level head on her shoulders.” Mallory laughed. “Make sure you tell her law school was memorable but not an indicator of real life.”
“True.” Alicia nodded as she toyed with a silver spoon. “But then, what is?”
Mallory read the meaning behind the words and knew they were talking about more than life in general. “I can’t imagine you’re having an easy time.” She felt compelled to acknowledge the other woman’s anguish.
Pain darkened Alicia’s brown eyes to a deeper, sadder shade. “I’m sure you can’t imagine. And I mean no insult. But I’m talking about nearly twenty-five years of marriage. Of partnership. I never dreamed it would end on a whim.” She clutched at a menu lying on the table with both hand
s, turning her knuckles white.
Her gestures communicated more clearly than her words, and Mallory made yet another mental note of Alicia’s sincere anguish regarding her marriage.
“You feel you had a solid partnership?” Mallory felt compelled to ask.
Alicia shook her head. “Make no mistake, I knew my husband’s faults as well as my own, but I did believe we could overcome anything. In fact I thought we once had.”
Mallory looked into the older and wiser woman’s eyes. Despite her obvious pain, Alicia maintained that strength of character and resolve Mallory admired. “You still believe that, don’t you?”
“If you love someone, you want to trust them. You want them to trust you.”
Mallory immediately thought of Jack. How could she not when the last few days with him revolved around that very word. Trust.
“And,” Alicia continued, oblivious to Mallory’s inner thoughts, “you want to believe that if you trust in each other you can get through anything and be together forever.”
She bowed her head and her shoulders dropped.
“But no matter how much I want to believe, I’ve got my eyes open. I’ll look out for me if it comes to that. But I know what we shared was solid even if Paul has changed.” Alicia leaned back in her seat. “Have you ever been in love?”
“No. No time.” Mallory answered quickly before she could reveal her heart to this kind woman. And before she could let her mind wrap around the twin concepts Alicia had linked together. Love. Trust. And forever.
“Then you’re missing out on life’s greatest pleasure. I can tell you that with no regrets, even if I do end up divorced. You’re too young and pretty to waste your life on the practice of law at the expense of everything else.” The woman’s eyes shone with certainty—the knowledge of a woman who’d loved and been loved.
Though Mallory ought to think of Alicia as her adversary, she’d been unable to sever the emotional connection she felt toward her. The woman had a warm, caring nature that Mallory was drawn to. But she wasn’t surprised. With her own mother a parent in name only, it was hardly surprising that Mallory connected with a mature older woman who both sought and gave confidences and understanding.
Only after Alicia had patted her hand and walked away did Mallory realize she’d blown her chance at questioning their client’s wife—in favor of a motherly chat and a lesson in love.
JACK RUBBED his eyes and inhaled deeply. His family emergency wasn’t over yet, but he’d managed to calm his father down and convince him to let Jack drive him to his sister’s house in Connecticut. Leave it to Jack’s mother to show up to pack her things with current boyfriend in tow.
Jack leaned his head against the seat in the car he’d hired to take him back to the hotel.
His parents’ marriage fell into the category he’d once described to Mallory. Two people who had stayed together out of convenience. His father couldn’t imagine not being married to the woman he thought he loved, though Jack had a difficult time believing anything remained of the love the older man had once felt for his wife. His father just didn’t have what it took to stand up for himself. His mother found it equally as convenient to sleep around without relinquishing the financial benefits and security the marriage provided.
Just growing up in their home, watching the two of them coexist while living their separate lives had aged Jack before his time and made him cynical. After all he’d seen and heard in his youth and later in his career, he couldn’t share Mallory’s optimistic view of marriage or even relationships. She might not think she wanted those things for herself, but he admired her for hanging on to her starry views.
More than likely some man would come along and sweep her off her feet. Jack only hoped she’d be able to maintain the faith, and that same man wouldn’t disappoint her and shatter her illusions.
He hoped like hell he wouldn’t be that man.
Because as much as his brain told him to head straight to his hotel room and get some sleep, as the car came to a stop outside the luxury hotel, he knew without a doubt he wouldn’t be sleeping alone.