Chapter Forty-five

"How are you doing with Dix?" Jenn said.

"He's tough," Jesse said.

They were walking on Newbury Street. It was Saturday and the street was crowded with thirtyish men and women dressed in high-styled weekend casual clothes.

"He's in a tough business," Jenn said.

She stopped to look at some shoes in a store window.

"I love those shoes," Jenn said.

"So why don't you buy them?" Jesse said.

"Because I haven't looked enough," Jenn said. "I might see something down the street that I like better."

They moved on.

"Do you like him?" Jenn said.

"Dix? He's hard."

"So are you," Jenn said.

"Glad you noticed."

"Not like that," Jenn said. "You are like a cold stone when you need to be."

"So?"

"So you are not hard with me, or with people who don't require it."

"Yeah?"

"So maybe that's how it is with Dix. I mean, how hard can he be if he chooses to do what he does?" Jenn said.

"True," Jesse said.

"Is he doing you any good?" Jenn said.

"Yeah, I think he is."

"Can you say?"

"Not yet," Jesse said. "We're ranging pretty far afield."

"Are you talking about us?" Jenn said.

"Yes."

Jenn paused to look at a pantsuit on a mannequin in another window.

"That's adorable," Jenn said.

"Don't you have one just like it?"

"No. I used to have one that color. But I've never owned one with that cut."

"Of course not," Jesse said.

"Is there a connection between me and your drinking?" Jenn said.

"I drank too much before I met you," Jesse said.

"Do you see him regularly?" Jenn said.

"Twice a week if I can," Jesse said. "Sometimes I can't."

"Will you stay with it?"

"Yes."

Jenn patted him lightly on the back.

"You?" Jesse said.

"Stay in therapy?"

"Yes."

"Oh, God yes," Jenn said. "I may be a lifer."

Jenn stopped suddenly and looked across the street.

"Come on," she said and slid through the motionless traffic to a store window on the other side of Newbury. Jesse followed. Jenn was staring at a pair of jewel-studded bright blue silk shoes with a high heel and a strap and long, pointed toes.

"Those are the shoes," she said.

And they went into the store.

Загрузка...