In Love Again Read Free Page B

I’m sorry.” Bronte pulled Sarah into a tight hug. “I’m such an insensitive idiot.”
    “I’m fine. I’m fine.” Sarah finished drying her eyes and took a deep breath. “Whoa. Okay. Totally fine.” She took a sip of champagne. “All better.” Claire and Bronte stared at her as she collected herself. “What?”
    “Are you and Devon going to start trying soon?” Bronte asked point blank.
    Sometimes Claire wondered how these women made it through the day without emotional flak jackets. It was like open season on life’s most intimate details. She stared harder into her own glass of champagne and tried to be invisible.
    “What? No, of course not. You know neither one of us wants to have kids right away. I’m just happy for you.” At least Sarah’s voice was starting to sound normal again. She gestured around her cluttered office, full of sketches and work orders and leather samples. “Does this look like the office of someone who is trying to have a baby?”
    Bronte stared at Sarah. “You don’t really expect me to answer that, do you? We all know you’re going to be checking on the factory work orders when you start dilating.”
    “Would you stop? We’re not trying to have a baby. I swear!” Sarah laughed and the hint of tension left the room. “Not that I don’t mind lots and lots of practice—”
    “Stop!” Claire pleaded through her burgeoning laughter. “He’s my brother. I don’t want to think of you two having lots of practice sex —” She nearly squeaked out the last two words.
    The door swung open just as she said it and Devon Heyworth—the brother in question—popped his head in. “Hi, ladies. Awkward moment?”
    “Oh god!” Sarah walked over to the door and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Did you have a good day at work?”
    He nodded and gave her a firmer kiss on the lips. “I did.” He looked over her shoulder. “What are you all up to?”
    “Drinks with the girls. I love you. Now go away.”
    “Hi, Claire. Hi, Bron.”
    “Hi, Dev,” they both answered.
    “All right then.” He kissed Sarah again. “I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll get dinner started. Because, you know, I want to make sure I’ve got lots of nutrition for tonight’s practice sex—”
    “Get out!” Sarah laughed as she slammed the door in his face.
    The sound of his receding laughter as he dashed up the stairs to their loft apartment echoed through the room. Sarah had a silly smile on her face as she walked slowly back to where Claire and Bronte were sitting.
    Watching Sarah and Devon’s loving banter, Claire wondered if she would ever feel that comfortable in her own skin, much less in a relationship with someone else. It seemed utterly incomprehensible—the teasing, the everyday intimacy.
    Sarah sat down and took another sip of champagne. “Sorry about that.” Then she was back to business. “Okay. So. Where were we?”
    Bronte settled more comfortably onto the long sofa and put on her best bossy expression. “Claire was needing to get a job. J. O. B. That’s where we were. And I couldn’t agree more.”
    Claire stared into her glass, then finally spoke. “I am unqualified to do anything.”
    “That’s patently ridiculous,” Sarah said. “You’re Lady Barnes—”
    Claire shook her head.
    “I mean… Marchioness Claire of Wick—”
    “You’re getting warmer…” Claire smiled this time.
    “Or Lady Wick. Or whatever! I’m no good at titles—you know that. But in terms of getting a job, your title has to mean something. Plus, you need the money.”
    Claire looked down at her Chanel suit and her outrageously expensive jewels. They were all family jewels on loan from her mother, of course. The clothes too. Whenever Claire came into town, she raided her mother’s closet and jewelry drawers. The former Dowager Duchess of Northrop, lately styled the lowly Mrs. Jack Parnell, had always enjoyed the latest fashions and would shake her head at Claire when she would