Page 10 of Nantucket Gala

“He’s lucky he met you,” Greta said, beaming at her.

Sophia bit her tongue to keep from asking if she said that to his last wife, too.

Sophia paid for the navy-blue dress and watched them pack it in a big white box. Afterward, Greta returned to the hotel with her and showed an appropriate amount of shock and pleasure at the beauty of the hotel suite. Together, they shared lemonade on the porch and watched the waves.

Greta spoke briefly about the work she wanted to get back to. She spoke about picking Alana up from theater camp and Quentin up from basketball camp and Ella up from the babysitter’s and Julia up from her writing workshop. She spokeof staying up late tonight to finish writing a chapter she “couldn’t quite figure out yet.”

Sophia listened intently. All she wanted was to contribute her own two cents about writing. But she’d promised Francis the work was his.

She couldn’t tell anyone what she was up to.

She couldn’t do it because she loved him too much.

Suddenly, Sophia couldn’t help herself. “Can I ask you something?”

Greta tilted her head. “Anything, Sophia. Really.”

Sophia took a big sip of lemonade and nearly choked. “Have you ever thought that, um, Bernard was cheating on you?”

Greta’s face transformed. Shadows traced her eyes and mouth. Immediately, Sophia wanted to rip back her question and return to happier things.

“Is Francis cheating on you?” Greta asked. She set down the lemonade.

“No! No. He’s not,” Sophia hurried to say. “I’m just curious, you know. These powerful, intelligent men aren’t always loyal. And I was just curious how you carry that. If you even think about it.” Sophia scratched her eyebrow and returned her gaze to the ocean. Maybe she should run off and dive into it.

Greta was quiet for a full minute. “I’ve never thought Bernard was cheating on me. I’ve barely considered that to be an option. Although, of course, beautiful young women come in and out of the artist residency all the time. I imagine he notices them, just as I notice the handsome men.”

Sophia was surprised at Greta’s mention of other men.

“Don’t take it the wrong way,” Greta says. “I’ve never considered stepping out of our marriage. It’s just that I trust him so completely. I imagine he trusts me back.”

Sophia rubbed her forehead and wondered what it meant to really trust someone.

She realized with a jolt that she didn’t know.

Greta reached out to touch Sophia’s hand. “I know that Francis doesn’t have the best history with that,” she said quietly, choosing her words carefully. “But I know he loves you. It seems that the two of you have built something beautiful together. And I tend to think that the minute we doubt something, it begins to crumble. So don’t doubt Francis for a second. Don’t doubt your marriage.”

Sophia wanted to scream out that he’d be nothing if he lost her!

But she couldn’t.

Besides, she was pretty sure he wasn’t cheating on her.

She was as sure as she’d ever been.

“Have you considered talking to someone about this?” Greta asked. “Maybe a therapist?”

Sophia swallowed. This was something she felt she couldn’t do. Francis was too famous. Their marriage was high profile. Whatever she told a therapist could easily get out.

It was better not to trust anyone.

“I’m fine,” Sophia said, forcing a chuckle. “I’m just a girl in love. It’s hard for me to come to terms with that sometimes. And everyone wants a piece of Francis.”

“He knows what he has with you,” Greta assured her, her eyes narrowed. “I’m sure of it.”

But Sophia wasn’t sure she was.

Chapter Four

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