Nancy’s Theory of Style (24 page)

“Your taste is improving,”
Nancy
said as held up the
girl so she could pluck a shoulder bag of glossy, butter-soft, ruby leather off
a top shelf.
Nancy
chose a stunning deep purple tote for herself and then said, “We have to go
back now.”

“Can we take
Willoughby
with us?”

“No, he doesn’t like stairs, and he
likes being with Marianne.”
Nancy
slipped the vodka bottle in the purple tote so she could dispose of it.

Then she gathered Eugenia’s things and
got her into the car seat. An older Honda drove up and parked beside the Mini,
and
Nancy
waited until her mother’s weekend helper got out. “Hi, Mina!”

“Hi,
Nancy
. Leaving already?”

“I couldn’t stay long. Thanks for the
yummy lunch. But you didn’t have to cut the crusts off.”

Mina opened her truck and took out a bag
of groceries. “You’re welcome. I fed the crusts to that wily
Willoughby
.”

“He was a complete gentleman when we
visited. Oh, my mother is napping now. Would you mind checking in on her in a
few hours? I know she’s going out tonight, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to
oversleep.”

“Sure,
Nancy
.” The woman looked somber and said, “I
always try to look out for her.”

“Thanks, Mina. My sisters and I
appreciate how helpful you are.”

As
Nancy
drove back to the city, she considered her options and was calling Sloane even
before they hit the freeway. “Sloane, how are you?” she said cheerily.

“Almost out the door,
Nancy
. So good to hear from you so soon
again.”

“I don’t want to keep you, but I was
wondering if you were available tonight. Because I need someone to look after
my niece, Eugenia.”

“Oh, how nice that she’s still with you!
We’re having a campout at Lloyd’s co-op pre-school. We’ll be going for a
star-watching night walk, roasting marshmallows, telling stories, and having
sing-a-longs. She’s welcome to join us.”

Nancy
looked in her rearview mirror. Eugenia
was staring out the window and singing softly to herself, and
Nancy
made out, “Nanny likes blue, cows like
to moo…”

Nancy
thought about the girl being abandoned
with a horde of strange grubby children, sticky with burnt marshmallow. She
thanked Sloane and said, “It’s probably best if someone comes to my place. I’m
sure I can find someone else.”

“We’ll get the kids together soon. You
can come to my house for a play date.”

“Absolutely,”
Nancy
said, while thinking ugh! She called
Milagro, who knew nothing about children, but she was out of town. Finally she
called Derek.

“Mrs. Carrington-Chambers, what a
surprise to hear from you.”

“Oh, Derek, an emergency has come up! I
know it’s your day off, but can you come immediately? It’s absolutely
critical!”

“Are you all right? Is Eugenia all
right?”

“Yes, but I need your help. I’m driving
home right now. Can you be there in an hour?”

Chapter 13: The Dangerous Allure of Impulse

Nancy and Eugenia stopped at a drugstore
and bought Disney movies and then went to a gourmet burger shop and got dinner
for Derek and the child. “Desperate times call for desperate meals,” she told
Eugenia, who was saying, “Hot, hot, hot!” as she ate sweet potato fries from a
paper bag.

“Leave some of those fries for Derek.”

Nancy
’s assistant opened the front door of
her apartment as they came up the stairs. “Mrs. Carrington-Chambers, what can I
do to help?”

“Would you stay with Eugenia tonight? My
mother wasn’t able to help because she’s going out. Isn’t my new tote a fab
color? Do you like Eugenia’s pirate bag? I picked up burgers and fries. I know
you like buffalo meat. I got yours with bacon and cheddar cheese.”

She saw an expression – relief? – cross
his face now that he knew he could be the solution to her problem.

“Madame, you called me to babysit?”

“I’ve exhausted every possibility. My
friend Milagro is away, and Sloane wanted to throw Eugenia into a rabble of
unwashed muffigans, in a situation that sounded scarily Lord of the Flies. I
desperately need to go out and repair my reputation.”

“If you really require me to be here…”

“I really, really do.”

Eugenia tugged at Derek’s jacket. “Auntie
Hester had to take a nap, like mama does after she goes to a party. We got
‘Peter Pan’ with pirates and a crocodile.”

Derek’s expression softened as he looked
down at Eugenia. “You do, do you? Is that a new cape you’re wearing?”

“Auntie Nanny and me sewed it.”

“Aunt Nancy and I,”
Nancy
said. “Eat your hamburger first, before
it gets cold.”

“I’m not hungry. Derek, we ate green
sandwiches and saw
Willoughby
.
Auntie has a toy horse and a toy car.”

Derek smiled. “She likes toys, I guess.”

“Do you like toys?”

“Derek likes boy toys,”
Nancy
said and winked at her assistant.

Nancy
had wanted a leisurely bath, but she
had to do with a quick shower. She dried her hair so that it was loose and wavy
and put on her make-up. After pulling on a nude mini-cami slip over her nude
thong, she walked into her room and opened the door to her closet. She’d
planned on wearing a light dress, but a chilly wind had come in with the fog. As
far as she was concerned, goosebumps were a temporary version of cellulite.

“Derek,” she called. “Come help me.”

He came into her bedroom and stopped in
his steps when he saw her. “Yes, Mrs. Carrington-Chambers?”

She pulled out the filmy, spaghetti
strap dress in question. “Is it too cold out for this?”

“It is indeed a little brisk, Madame.”

“What do you think I should wear?”

“I think you look smashing as you are
now,” he said in a husky voice.

“Stop teasing. Be serious.”

He came to the closet. “Have you a black
leather catsuit in there?”

“I wish! A skirt, or a dress, or pants? I
can’t look too datey, but I don’t want to look hopeless.”

“Men enjoy a girl in a dress. They like
the femininity of a dress, and your legs are awe..fabulous.”

“I take the stairs so often, I’m
practically French.”
Nancy
brushed back the clothes with her hand so he could glimpse them.

“That one,” he said. “The…what is that
color?”

“Coral.” She pulled the sleeveless dress
from the rack and held it in front of her. It had a low, square neckline and a
rouched bodice that accentuated her slight curves. “You think it’s too much for
a first non-date? I bought it hoping that Todd would take me dancing, but he
thinks only girls dance, preferably in high heels and a g-string.”

Nancy
slipped the dress over her head,
adjusted the straps, and stood in front of Derek. “Does it work?”

He stared for a few seconds and there
was something about the way his blue eyes looked at her that made her almost
shiver. Then he said, “You look smashing, Madame.”

Nancy
had never been told she looked smashing
before. “It’s so nice to have a man who can offer real girlfriend advice.”

“Derek!” called Eugenia from the other
room.

“Eugenia awaits,” he said as the girl
scuffed into the room waving ribbons like streamers in her hand.

“Can Derek come back and watch ‘Peter
Pan’ with me?”

“I’m sure he’d find that much more
interesting than watching a girl prance around in her underwear.”
 

“It was no great hardship, Madame.”

“Now you’re the one being too nice. Would
you call a cab for me? I don’t know if we’ll go anywhere after dinner, but I’m
sure it won’t be too late.”

“Mrs. Carrington-Chambers, if you are
enjoying yourself with your friend, I don’t mind staying. Will you have your
mobile if I need to ring you?”

“Yes, but I know you can handle
anything, because you’re fabulous.” She went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. He
always felt so good that she wanted to rub herself all over his smooth,
musclely body. She must be lonelier than she thought.

After she finished getting herself together,
she took a highly critical look in the mirror, searching for any imperfections.
She took off a necklace and put on a gold cuff bracelet and dangly gold
earrings, then said goodnight to Derek and Eugenia.

The cab was double-parked on the street.
Nancy
gave the
driver the address to the restaurant and said, “I want to arrive at
seven-fifteen.” She didn’t want to arrive before Bailey, and he was the sort of
fellow who made girls wait.

Nancy
was glad to see him standing outside
the brick building talking on his phone. When he spotted her getting out of the
cab, he put the phone away and helped hand her out.

She touched his black leather, zip-front
jacket to confirm that it was lambskin. She liked the textural contrast of the
leather with his jean-cut, sanded corduroys. His finely-woven gray and black
striped shirt showed that he had a more serious side.

“
Nancy
!”
He kissed her cheek and she noticed that his cologne was an acrid sports scent
that Todd and his pals favored.

“Bailey, I hope I haven’t kept you
waiting.”

“Not long. You look amazing.”

He held the restaurant door open for
her, the hostess came forward, and they were escorted to their table. When she
was drinking her Bitter Widow and he had his Salty Dog, he said, “I’ve been
waiting a long time to get you alone.”

He waved to a couple at the bar and said
quietly to
Nancy
,
“She’s a lobbyist for the shipping industry, and he’s a high tech headhunter.”

Most of the meal was like that. Bailey
would smile and say something complimentary, while always aware of the shifting
crowd around them. She admired the way he kept his gaze on her and asked her
questions in his gravelly voice. She liked the way his brushed-back hair showed
off his slight widow’s peak.

“What are you thinking?” he asked
between courses.

“I like your outfit. Todd thinks
dressing up to go out means putting on a clean polo shirt and long pants.”

Bailey laughed. “He wears suits for
meetings.”

“But resentfully. He comes home with his
tie shoved in his pants’ pocket.” There was so much she wanted to ask Bailey: what
product did he use on his hair; did he have a skin care regime; and had the
poutine tasted as divine as it looked?

“Speaking of Todd,” Bailey said.

“You told him we were going out and
explained that that Rich Bitches photo was not what it seemed.”

“Yes,” he said. “Was that all right?”

“I was to glad find out that at least
one person wasn’t eager to think the worst of me.”

“Todd said no one would believe that you
were toasted since you’re a stickler for proper behavior.”

“Those who don’t believe that I’m a slut
think that I’m a priss. I don’t know which is worse.”

“I don’t think you’re either,
Nancy
. I admire a woman
who has standards,” Bailey said. “How is Froth going? I heard you’re going to
drag the
Barbary Coast
party out of the Stone
Age. I go every year, because Mrs. Friendly is definitely someone I need to get
to know, but if you’re going to be there this year, I may even have fun.”

“Bring your checkbook,” she said. “It’s
going to be spectacular.”

“What are you doing?”

“It’s all under wraps for now. GP is
helping and my assistant, Derek, has been invaluable.”

“Is Derek that guy looking all Hugh
Hefner in the pajamas at Gigi’s?”

“All the gentlemen were in pajamas. Derek
doesn’t look like Hef. Derek is tall, handsome, has exquisite taste, and
couldn’t be less interested in Barbietrons.”

“I’ve been to the
Playboy
Mansion
.”

“I don’t want to know. I’m losing my
appetite now thinking of the fetid bacterial swill in that grotto.”

“It was just business,” he said with a
smile. “Most of my contacts are here, but I have to go to SoCal to establish
myself.”