"Mary Taffs - Martha's Madness" - читать интересную книгу автора (Taffs Mary)

"Out here. I don't know if I told you, but we bought a distributor up in Olympia last year, so I've spent a
fair amount of time in Washington State recently. Sometimes, when I'm there for a week or so, I drive
down to see Carolyn. Scott's around once in a while, which is only natural."

"But how can you - I mean, he's the reason you're not married any longer. I'd think . . ."

He smiled slightly, realizing that he'd wanted this opportunity to make Britt understand. "I know, Britt.
But Carolyn loves him and he makes her happy. That's what matters most to me." There was more he
wanted to say, but this was no place to get into such an intensely personal discussion. "I know her family,
too, of course, and I'd better go say hello."
"I'll go with you."

The Kelleys were all perfectly pleasant but distant, greeting Brittany with considerably more enthusiasm
than Tony. They gave no sign that he'd ever been part of their family. He knew Carolyn would have
emphasized that he wasn't to blame for their divorce, but he supposed they'd assumed he actually was.
They certainly would never have believed the truth - that Carolyn, the life-long good girl, had fallen in
love with another man. And Tony wasn't about to tell them that their brand-new son-in-law had been
both the cause of the divorce and the one who'd broken Carolyn's heart by abandoning her.

As soon as they could, he and Brittany excused themselves to get a drink. He took an already- poured
glass of champagne from the bar, but Brittany settled for sparkling fruit juice. "I have to drive back
tonight." Her eyebrows drew together, giving her a grim look that seemed totally unlike her.

He couldn't politely ignore her distress any longer. She might say the problem was none of his business,
but he had to ask. He steered her into an alcove between the living room and the sunroom and
commented, "You seem kind of uptight today."

Brittany sighed, and just when he thought she might answer, she suddenly plastered on a fake smile.
"Carolyn!" The two women hugged and Brittany added, "That's a lovely dress."

He added, "Such a good color on you, babe." Mint-green always brought out the turquoise of her eyes.

While she hugged him, she murmured, "Thanks for coming, Tony. It means a lot to me."

It did to him, too, but his throat was too tight to say so.

Scott stood uncertainly behind Carolyn for a moment longer; then Carolyn stepped to one side and
introduced him. "Britt, I'd like you to meet Scott."

They shook hands, but Brittany's smile wasn't very encouraging, so Tony offered a greeting. "Good to
see you again, Scott. And congratulations. I hope you'll be very happy."

Scott said, "Thanks. I'm sure we will," but his voice sounded strained.

Carolyn barreled ahead somewhat desperately, "I'll give you a call sometime, Britt. Now that you and
Michael are nearby, we should get together."

Brittany grimaced. "Well, actually, we're heading back to California tomorrow. We'll still have the house
up here, though, so we'll be back once in a while."