Immediate Family Read Free Page B

She started off toward the house, feeling a little wobbly from the two mimosas she’d downed and trying to walk a straight line. In college, her friends used to tease her about being a cheap date—three beers and she was under the table.
    She was on her way back to Jay several minutes later when she bumped into Stu Felder. “Well, well. If it isn’t Franny Richman,” he greeted her, his swarthy face, with its perennial five o’clock shadow, lighting up. “You haven’t changed a bit. Still as luscious as ever.”
    Franny felt anything but, with her hair frizzing in the damp air and sweat oozing from her armpits. But she smiled anyway. “Hey, Stu. You’re looking good yourself. What are you up to these days?”
    “Making money.” His wry tone kept it from sounding too smug.
    “You’re in real estate, right?” She’d looked him up in the alumni directory.
    “Something along those lines,” he replied, just modestly enough to let her know it wasn’t houses in the ’burbs he was brokering. “What about you?”
    She shrugged. “Making a living.” She explained that no one got rich in the book business.
    “Married?” When she shook her head, he commented with a wry chuckle, “Thank God. I was beginning to think I was the only one here without a charge account at Toys ‘R’ Us.”
    Franny gave a knowing laugh. “Tell me about it.”
    “So you’ve never taken the plunge?”
    She shook her head again. “Though I’d like at least one kid before it’s too late.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going the solo route?”
    “More than thinking.” Franny kicked herself as soon as the words were out. Damn. Why had she opened her big mouth? To Stu, of all people.
    “Well, if you’re looking for a volunteer…” He waggled his brows suggestively. Suddenly she was back in the carrel at Mudd Library, Stu with a hand up her shirt and the other one wriggling its way down the waistband of her pants.
    “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied dryly.
    “Why don’t we continue this discussion over dinner some night? You free next Saturday?” he asked. She recalled the alumni directory’s listing a Manhattan address for Stu, and her heart sank. What had she gotten herself into?
    “I’m afraid not.” Franny took a step back, her smile fading as the lie rose to her lips. “I have a client coming in from out of town. In fact, my calendar’s pretty full at the moment. Plus, I’m up to my ears in manuscripts.” She shrugged helplessly, taking another step back. “Listen, I should go. It was good seeing you…”
    She started to move away, but he took hold of her arm, leaning in so close she could smell his breath. I’m not the only one who’s had too much to drink, she thought. “You don’t know what you’re missing.” His tone was teasing, but his coolly assessing eyes were those of a man on a mission: Stu wasn’t used to losing, and she was no doubt the one deal he hadn’t closed.
    “In that case, I’ll just have to dream on, won’t I?” she told him, freeing her arm from his grasp.
    Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Jay walking briskly toward them. From the look on his face, it was clear he’d witnessed enough of the exchange to feel the need to come to her rescue. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he said when he’d caught up to them. His tone was mild, but he flashed Stu a narrow, assessing look.
    Stu’s grin remained intact. “I was just offering Franny here my services.” His tone made it clear it wasn’t a business deal they’d been discussing. “But maybe she has a better offer.”
    “As a matter of fact, she does.” Jay looped an arm around her shoulder. “Me.”
    “Why did you tell him that?” Franny hissed as they were retreating across the lawn. She felt unreasonably annoyed, where moments before she’d been mentally blessing Jay for coming to the rescue. “Now he’ll go around telling everyone we’re