Copper Beach

30

“THIS IS ABOUT DAWSON AND THE DEAL HE’S TRYING TO CLOSE, isn’t it?” Abby said. “I’ve already explained to him that I can’t help him.”

“Keep your voice down.” Diana glanced at the closed door of the office. “This is your father’s breakout launch. I won’t allow you to ruin it.”

Abby measured the distance to the door. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

The office was cramped and utilitarian. Metal file cabinets lined one wall. The window looked out over the street.

Diana folded her arms. “I’ll come straight to the point. My mother says that she will redo the Strickland trust to include you if you agree to get that book for Dawson.”

“Wow. She really is panic-stricken.”

“That’s putting it mildly. What’s more, she’s not the only one.”

“The financial situation is that bad?”

“Yes,” Diana said. “It’s that bad.”

“What about Dad’s new book? If it sells well, that should help the family finances. And if the reality TV show comes through, that will be even better.”

“The book and the TV project would both have to do phenomenally well to make up for what Dawson lost. Even if, by some fluke, the book does become a bestseller and the reality series takes off, the income will be Brandon’s, not mine. That prenup my mother forced me to sign protects him, the same way it does me. He won’t have to give me a dime.”

“Oh, man. No wonder you and Orinda are having fits. Does Dad know what’s going on?”

“No,” Diana said, her jaw very tight. “I don’t want him to find out. Do you understand? He married me for my money and my connections. I’ve known that for years. If he discovers that I’m on the verge of losing both, he’ll be gone in a heartbeat.”

“That is his pattern,” Abby agreed. “His first wife dropped out of college to finance his Ph. D. He dumped her the day after he graduated. His second wife was one of his research assistants. That was my mother. He borrowed a lot of her work, which he published as his own. He divorced her to marry one of his wealthy patients. That would be you.”

Diana reddened with fury. “Shut up. I know his history better than anyone, including you. That’s why I know he’s planning to leave me as soon as the TV show is a sure thing. In fact, I’m almost positive he’s having an affair with the woman who is producing the pilot.”

Abby said nothing. She looked down at her hands.

Diana made a soft, disgusted sound. “You were aware of that?”

“No, but I’m not surprised.” Abby raised her eyes. “If you knew about his problem with monogamy, why did you stay married to him all these years?”

Diana’s eyes glittered with barely subdued fury and frustration. “You haven’t got a clue, do you? I divorced my first husband because he was an abusive man. My mother warned me not to marry him, but I didn’t listen. But after Dawson was born, I realized I had to get out in order to protect him and myself. I married your father because I thought he truly cared for me and because I believed that he would be a good male role model for my son. Then the twins came along. Things were okay for a few years, but eventually I realized Brandon was having affairs on the side. I made myself tolerate his infidelity.”

“For the sake of Dawson and the twins?” Abby said, surprised. “You didn’t want to put them through a divorce? That was very self-sacrificing of you, Diana. I admit, I would never have guessed…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t stay with your father because of Dawson and the twins. They could have handled a divorce. Half their classmates all through school were children of divorced parents.”

“Right.” Abby checked her watch again. “Okay, I get the picture. You’re finally ready to divorce Dad, but suddenly you’re trapped. You can’t leave him, because you don’t have the Strickland money to fall back on. And you think he’s getting ready to leave you before his own ship comes in.”

“Now do you see how important it is for Dawson to recover from the financial losses? I swear that if you help him get that book for his investor, I’ll make sure that you receive a fair share of my mother’s money.”

“Always assuming Dawson can recover it for her.”

“He will,” Diana vowed.

“The thing is, I don’t want your mother’s money,” Abby said quietly.

“Because you think you’ve landed on your feet with Sam Coppersmith? Don’t fool yourself, Abby. It won’t last.” Diana went to the door and wrenched it open. She paused in the opening and looked back over her shoulder. “Money doesn’t just follow blood. When it comes to marriage, it usually follows other money. There are occasional exceptions, but they rarely end well. Witness my marriage to your father.”

Abby looked at her. “There’s just one thing here I don’t understand. If you wanted to leave Dad and you didn’t feel compelled to stick with the marriage because of Dawson and the twins, why in heaven’s name didn’t you file for divorce a long time ago?”

Bitterness edged Diana’s mouth. “In a word? Mother.”

“Why was she a factor? She never approved of Dad, anyway. I would have thought she would have been delighted to see you split.”

“Oh, yes,” Diana said. “She would have been thrilled. You want the truth? I didn’t leave Brandon years ago when I should have because I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of proving that she was right. Again.”

Diana went out into the hall. Abby listened to the fading echo of high heels on the tile floor.

Sam materialized in the doorway. “Everything okay in here?”

“Sure,” Abby said. “Just a little family chat. But I learned something tonight.”

“What’s that?”

“Even for a Strickland, it’s not always about the money.”

“Funny you should mention that. I just had a talk with your father and came to the conclusion that it’s not always about the money for him, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wanted to make sure that I knew you weren’t going to inherit a dime from the Strickland trust. He was trying to protect you from being married for your nonexistent money.”

“Oh.” Startled, Abby took a moment to process that. “Huh.”

“Can we leave now?”

“Yes,” Abby said. “We can leave. In fact, I can’t wait to get out of here.”