Intimate Betrayal Read Free Page A

afterward, but now they were back in the slip at the
     marina, allowing anybody who wanted to leave early to do so.
    Annie was somewhat surprised that she hadn’t left yet, since Matthew Carlyle was the last person she’d ever wanted to see
     again.
    But she wasn’t sure if he even knew she was there. It must have been Francesca who had put her on the guest list. The socialite
     and philanthropist was one of the leading lights of the building committee of the United Path Church, which had just hired
     Brody Associates to design and build a cathedral. Annie had gotten to know Francesca during the proposal and bidding process.
    The United Path Church was Francesca’s favorite charity. It was a fast-growing, interdenominational Christian sect led by
     one of Annie’s dearest friends, the Reverend Barbara Rae Acker, whose work with battered women and AIDS victims was legendary
     in San Francisco. The UPC cathedral would be one of the largest and most magnificent building projects the city had ever known,
     and Annie was slated to be the project manager.
    Although tonight’s party was to celebrate Francesca’s fortieth birthday, for Annie it was a celebration of her own astonishing
     success.
    “Hi there,” said Sam Brody, her boss. “You look radiant, Annie. Are you by any chance happy about something?”
    His voice was mischievous, and Annie grinned. “You know why I’m happy.”
    “Might it have anything to do with a certain cathedral—for which a designer by the name of Annie Jefferson did most of the
     exquisite interior design?”
    Annie hugged him spontaneously. She loved working for Sam. He was one of those people who seemed to bring sunshine with him
     wherever he went. Sam had blond hair that shone like newly minted gold coins, blazing blue eyes, and an air of distinction
     and old money about him. He’d gone to all the right schools and belonged to all the right clubs but he never displayed a hint
     of social snobbery; he was warm, charming, and very approachable.
    “By the way,” he said, “I found out yesterday that the Pressman project is in the bag. Al Pressman was so impressed with your
     designs for the cathedral that he jumped at the chance to hire us. You deserve a lot of appreciation, and I intend to see
     that you get it.”
    She cocked her head and grinned. “In the form of a raise, I hope?”
    “I was thinking of both a raise and a promotion.”
    “Now that sounds like an offer I can’t refuse!”
    He smiled and in a courtly gesture took her hand and raised it to his lips. “I realized some time ago that hiring you was
     one of the best things I ever did.”
    “Thank you,” she murmured.
    As Sam moved away to continue mingling, Annie took a deep breath. Things were good! No more of this moping around, fretting
     about her work, fretting about her future. Forthe first time since Charlie’s death, she was beginning to feel secure.
    “Would you care to dance?” someone asked her a few minutes later.
    Annie turned to see Sidney Canin standing somewhat hesitantly behind her. Sid had been her architect at Fabrications. She
     had been surprised when, after the company’s demise, Sam had offered a job to Sidney as well. Apparently Sid’s plans to move
     back to New York City had fallen through, and the ever-genial Sam had hired him despite his less-than-stellar reputation.
    Compared to either Sam Brody or Matthew Carlyle, Sid was the sort of man you wouldn’t look at twice. Medium height, medium
     build, unremarkable features, and old-fashioned horn rimmed glasses so thick that they distorted his eyes. He never had much
     to say for himself, and what he did say was always gloomy and petulant.
    Still, not wanting to be rude, she agreed to dance with him, and was surprised when he turned out to be a good dancer with
     a fine sense of rhythm.
    They spoke briefly about the triumph of winning the cathedral contract. Sounding negative as usual, Sid said, “We’d better
     not rest on our