Kendall clarke was looking forward to the most exciting night
of her life.
Only thirty-one years old, she would be the youngest recipient
of the prestigious Sharpened Pencil Award for being chosen Actuary
of the Year.
For the hundredth time, she tracked across the carpet of her
hotel room in Charlotte, North Carolina, to practice the acceptance
speech she'd give tonight at the closing banquet of the actuarial
association dinner. She wanted to come across as humbled to be
receiving this great honor, but also proud of the work done by
her company.
"Ladies and gentleman, colleagues, friends." She paused
as she'd been taught in the public speaking refresher course she'd
taken the second she learned she'd be making this speech. Breathe,
she reminded herself. Look out at the audience. Smile. "Trust
is the cornerstone of our business," she informed the blue-upholstered
chair in the corner of the room. She put an emphasis on trust.
Such a nice, strong word to start a speech with. Trust.
There was an hour or so before she needed to head down to ballrooms
A and B, where the American Association of Actuaries was holding
its annual conference and awards banquet. She'd sent her dress
down for pressing earlier in the day, wanting everything to be
perfect. She bit her lip. The dress ought to be back.
Willing to leave nothing to chance, she called down to Housekeeping.
After many a long, lonely ring of the phone, a hesitant female
voice said, "Hola?"
It didn't take Kendall long to realize that the woman spoke almost
no English, and Kendall's Spanish wasn't any better. She thought
after a few minutes of labored conversation that she'd got her
request through. She wanted them to hurry up with her dress and
send it to her room.
She'd barely replaced the receiver in its cradle when it rang.
"Kendall Clarke," she said at her most formal, because
you never knew at a business conference who might be calling.
But, as she'd hoped, the voice at the other end belonged to Marvin
Fulford, her colleague and fiancé.
"Kendall, it's me, Marvin," he said. He was so sweet.
They never shared a room when traveling because both agreed it
gave the wrong impression. Indeed, this time Marvin had gone so
far as to book a room on a different floor.
"Hi, Marvin. Are you going to pick me up here so we can
arrive at the banquet together?" That was one of the perks
of working with your fiancé, she'd long thought. She rarely
had to attend big business events alone.
"Um, I was hoping to come up now and talk to you for a few
minutes."
He sounded odd. As if he was nervous. Probably on her behalf.
"Great. I can practice my speech on a real person. Come right
up."
Or maybe, she thought, as she replaced the phone, he wanted to
make love before the ceremony. Her pulse quickened. What a wonderful
way to relax before her big moment. Their sex life had been sparse
to nonexistent lately, so the idea of him wanting to jump her
bones right before the banquet filled her with delight.
She'd planned to surprise him with some sexy new lingerie she'd
bought"well, sexy for her. Her makeup, hair and nails were
all done, courtesy of the hotel salon, so it took her no time
at all to slip into the black demi bra and high-cut panties and
the black silk slip she'd bought at Victoria's Secret. Her black
stockings were sheer as a whisper and her black sandals were strappy,
with a low but shapely heel. She'd debated stilettos but you didn't
work in the actuary business without learning a lot of very useful
facts, like the stats on back pain and injury stemming from the
wearing of high-heeled shoes. Besides, she didn't want to stumble
on the way to the stage. Not in front of all her professional
colleagues.
She was tingling with anticipation when a knock sounded on her
door. Of course, they wouldn't have a lot of time, but with Marvin
not a lot of time was necessary. Oh, well. Once they were married
and things settled down, they could spend more time on the intimate
part of their relationship.
She struck a sultry pose, then felt ridiculous, so she simply
reminded herself to stand up straight, then opened the door.
Marvin stood on the other side wearing khakis and a golf shirt.
The fact that he wasn't yet dressed for the banquet made her very
glad she'd slipped into her sexy underwear.
But Marvin didn't even seem to notice. He glanced up and down
the hall before he entered her room, looking furtive and not remotely
like a man bent on a prebanquet quickie.
"Marvin? Is everything all right?" She'd wondered if
he was a little jealous that she'd received this honor instead
of him. Surely he could be happy for her, as she'd have been for
him. They were planning to spend their lives together. Wasn't
a marriage all about mutual respect, compatibility and support?
"I have something to tell you, Kendall, that may shock you,"
he said, glancing up and then away. His pale blond hair was shorter
than usual, she noted. He must have had a trim. He'd never be
confused with Brad Pitt, but he was a pleasant-looking man, she
thought. Maybe a little on the pale side, but he did suffer from
asthma.
She smiled at him. "Is it good news?" This was the
kind of conference where networking was abundant. Had he been
offered a job of some kind?
"Good news?" He glanced at her again, as though surprised
by the question. Then, as was typical of him, he took a moment
to ponder. Marvin always looked at all sides of a question. It
was a quality she admired in him.
"In some ways it is good news. Very good news," he
said. "But you may not think so."
"It's a job offer, isn't it? Is it very far away from Portland?"
The possibility had always existed that one of them would get
a better offer elsewhere. They'd never discussed what they'd do
in that eventuality. Did she have to be tested now? Couldn't Marvin
have waited until after the banquet?
"No. It's not a job offer. It's!" He blew out a breath.
"It's personal. I don't know how to begin."
The first icy claws of apprehension scratched the surface of
her happiness. "Personal?"
"I never meant to hurt you, Kendall. I swear. The whole
thing was...unplanned."
"What whole thing?" she asked, feeling a numbness start
to creep into her toes.
Marvin's pale cheeks took on a faint pink hue and he looked everywhere
but at her. She'd never seen him so uncomfortable.
"I've fallen in love," he said at last. "With
someone else."
She blinked. Opened her mouth and then closed it again.
When she didn't speak, he went on. "I never meant for it
to happen. To hurt you. Behind your back. I don't know what I
was thinking. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how. I!"
"You're in love with someone else?" she repeated stupidly.
"Yes."
"But we've interviewed caterers, picked out china. We're
on the third draft of our guest list!"
He was rubbing a spot on the carpet with the toe of his brown
tasseled loafer, giving the nub of worsted his full attention.
After she petered out, there was a moment of painful silence.
"Who is it? This person you've fallen in love with."
Her voice was calm, for which she'd always be grateful.
"Penelope Varsan." He made eye contact and then his
gaze slid away.
Kendall stared at him. "Our colleague? You've been seeing
a woman we both work with behind my back?"
"It was an accident. I swear. We were both working late
night after night on the Wayman file and...one thing led to another.
I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry."
"Why are you telling me now?" She raised a hand to
her head. "I can't even think. I'm supposed to give a speech
and all I'll be able to concentrate on is that my date for the
evening is in love with another woman."
"Well, um, that's why I wanted to tell you now. You see!"
He sighed heavily and sat down in the wing chair beside the small
table where she'd set up her laptop. "Penelope's going to
have a child."
"She's pregnant?" Kendall's voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes."
"Then this must have been going on for months."
"About four months."
"Oh, Marvin. How could you betray me like that?"
"I wanted to wait until after this conference to tell you.
You must have felt that things haven't been close between us for
some time."
She snorted. "Now I know why." "I like and respect
you, Kendall. You have a fine mind and you're an excellent actuary.
I mistook professional respect for...warmer feelings."
"What are you saying?" All her life she'd searched
for the one person who would love her forever. A man like her
father, who'd be faithful and true to his family. She wasn't looking
for fireworks and matinee-idol, multimillionaire hotshots. All
she'd ever wanted was a steady, decent man who'd love her and
any family they might have. She'd aimed so low, and still she'd
failed. Somehow she needed to understand why.
"You're a wonderful person, but you're not... Well, Penelope's
exciting. She's passionate. I realized that's what was missing
with us."
Her leaden stomach grew heavier. "So, I'm not exciting enough
for you?"
"It's not your fault, Kendall. I need more."
"Well, I guess you're getting it." She rubbed her forehead.
"I can't believe this."
"As you may know, when women are in a delicate situation,
they can become quite emotional."
"Thank you for the prenatal lesson, Marvin."
"The thing is, Penelope's feeling very insecure and it's
making her a bit clingy."
"What is your point?"
"She wants me to sit with her at the banquet tonight. That's
why I had to tell you right away. I would, of course, have said
no. I want to support you. This is a big night for you and for
our firm, but she's carrying my child." He paused for a moment,
and she could tell he was savoring the phrase. His narrow chest
swelled a little. "I have to think of my family."
"So, you're dumping me. Just like that. Right before the
biggest night of my life."
