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.After we removed our coats and gave them over to the coat check, we followed scores of people dressed in black tie into the Garden Court, which was so stunning, it took my breath away.In the center of the room was a long, narrow pool divided by an ornate, intricately carved fountain that bubbled with the soothing sounds of falling water.The pool itself was lit by dozens of floating votive candles and was surrounded by plantings, flowers, and bronze sculptures.In the arcade, was a string quartet playing an Albinoni adagio that made the space seem more magical than it already was.But what struck me most was something I never expected.Between the tall Ionic columns that encompassed the room and soared toward the arched glass ceiling thirty feet above us, hung eighteen massive photographs of all of the authors being recognized tonight.I looked around the room—and in an instant, saw mine straight across from me in what had to be the most coveted and prominent position any writer could have hoped for.As you entered the Garden Court, it was straight ahead at the opposite end of the room—dead center, just beyond and above the fountain.You couldn’t miss it.It was the photo they’d used for the billboard in Times Square and the ad in the Times—the one where I had diamonds on my lips.Just below my face was my name in bold red letters, and in the lower left corner was an image of my book cover.What I was looking at had to be at least ten feet tall, if not more.Blackwell stepped beside me and lifted her chin as she studied the photograph.“Well,” she said.“So it turns out that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, after all.What do you think?”“You put that in that spot, didn’t you?”“Oh, I don’t know.Maybe I had something to do with it.After all, how does that line go? ‘Nobody puts baby in the corner’? Something like that?”I placed my hand on her arm.“Thank you for all that you’ve done.”“It’s my pleasure, Lisa.You’re a good girl.You’ve worked hard for this.So, enjoy tonight.Be with Tank.Be with Jennifer, Alex, and me.And with all of your present and future admirers.Just please don’t get sloppy drunk at the bar because of your nerves.That I can’t have.”“I’m on a one martini maximum.”“Well, don’t be that cruel to yourself.We’ll be here for at least three hours, so if you decide that you want another cocktail, just make sure that two hours have passed between drinks.Hors d’oeuvres will be passed around.Be smart and make sure you indulge in a few of them.If you do that, there won’t be any potential for a booze-fueled faux pas landing you on Page Six tomorrow morning.”Jennifer came up beside me.“I can’t believe this,” she said, looking across the room at my photograph.“And yet I can.I’m so proud of you, Lisa.”I gave her a lingering hug that was filled with so much love and appreciation that I knew she could feel it pass between us.“Only you know what this moment really means to me,” I said.“Only you can fully understand what I’m feeling right now.My God.How long have I dreamed of this?”“Since you were writing about your father’s affair when you were six.”“She was writing about her father’s what at what?” Blackwell said.“My father’s affair.I wrote about it when I was six.It was epic, and let’s just say that it got the juices flowing, even though I didn’t really know what I had witnessed.I think I wrote about their arms and legs kicking and thrashing in the afternoon light—you know, before my mother got home and caught them in the bed she shared with my father.And then there was my father’s naked butt—”“Enough!”“Well, you asked.”Blackwell blinked at us.“Who are you girls? Do I know you? Where am I? Why do I feel deceived?”“We’re your surrogate daughters,” Jennifer said.“Then act like it.”I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Alex, whom I quickly hugged.“I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it,” I said in his ear.“Thank you.None of this would be possible without you.Don’t say differently.We both know better.Just please accept my heart-felt thanks for all that you’ve done.”Typical of Alex, who was nothing if not a gentleman, he kissed me on the cheek and said, “Tonight is your night.Your friends just get to celebrate it with you.Remember, Wenn didn’t write your book—you did.We just saw its potential and acquired it.”At that moment, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, and by the masculine scent of his subtle cologne alone, I knew it was my man before he said a word to me.“Those are some lips you’ve got there, babe.”“Be happy I don’t have those lips on me tonight—if I did, I’d probably cut you with them if I kissed you.”“But you don’t have them on now….”“So, I don’t.” I turned to Tank, held his face in my palms, and met his eyes with mine.He smiled down at me when my lips pressed against his.We were in public, so I kept it brief.Still, I whispered in his ear, “If we were alone, who knows where my lips would be?”“Maybe we can figure that out later.”“Maybe we can [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]