Page 128 of Mistaken Impression

“Who?”

“Mac.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I was hired by the studio to take his photograph.”

I remember now and I nod my head. “Oh… so you took the publicity shots?”

“Yeah.”

“And is that how you know Kennedy Black?”

“Yes, but I wasn’t aware you knew I did.”

“She made a point of telling me… and treating me differently once she’d worked out the connection.”

“And you haven’t brought this up before?”

“No. I—I wondered if you might have slept with her, and I didn’t like to ask.”

His eyes widen. “Slept with Kennedy Black? You’re kidding, right? Aside from the fact that she’d eat me for breakfast, I’ve never slept with anyone who’s old enough to be my mother.”

I laugh, unable to help myself. “She’s not that old.”

“You think? Have you ever looked at her hands?”

“Not closely, no.”

He nods his head. “She’s had work done on her face, but if you study her hands, they’ll tell you everything you need to know. Hands don’t lie.”

“How old is she, then?”

“I don’t know exactly, but I’d guess at late fifties.”

“Wow… I’d have thought she was in her early forties at most.”

“That’s what a good plastic surgeon can do.”

I’m amazed, and take my time pouring hot water over the tea bags, bringing the cups to the island unit, along with a lemon, which I slice, adding some to each of our cups.

“How did you end up working at the studio?” I ask, sitting down beside him. “Did you already know Kennedy?”

“No. I heard they were looking for someone. Photographing Mac was my first job for them, but I had no idea you were connected with the show.”

“You must have worked it out since, though.”

“Yes, but I hadn’t seen you… not until Christmas, and I wasn’t sure about bringing it up then. You’d just announced your pregnancy… and made it clear you didn’t want Mac to know. It felt inappropriate to tell you I’d met the guy.”

“So, why are you telling me now?”

“Because I think you should know… he told me he liked you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. The publicity shots were taken on our first day, weren’t they?”

“Yes.”

“In which case, he hated me then.”

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