A Certain Age Read Online Free

thought. If he could double it in a year, then in two years she would have a hundred thousand, and so on. "I know you don't ordinarily handle sums that small."
    "All right, I'm thinking. Let me see what I can do. My company doesn't handle accounts of less than a quarter million . . . Well, all right. Here's something you might want to think about. A new restaurant that's starting up. It's a very good friend of mine— he's had nothing but success. You've heard of Belfast Shipyards? East Prussia? The Liberal Party? You can't get a table in those places—all three of them are Derek's. I've done very well—I was actually one of his first friends to put money into the first place."
    "How much does it cost to get in? What's the return?"
    "Put it this way: I doubled my money the first six months. It has slowed a bit since then, but almost five years later he's still paying close to thirty-three percent. Of course, I'm getting more since I was one of the first to have faith in him. And I know that shares in this new place are seventy-five grand apiece. However, if
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    it appeals to you, why don't I talk to him and see if he'd let you take a third of a share for twenty-five thousand. And I'd like to be able to help you out."
    "Oh, it sounds fabulous! I mean, yes, definitely I'd be interested. Thanks, John—I don't want to inconvenience you, but it would be so wonderful!"
    "Why don't you give me a call in New York next week and we can set something up. We'll have lunch. Come on." He pushed his chair back from the table. "We'll go outside and have a drink. I've got a wet bar over by the pool, and some decent port. I have to go out there to smoke my cigars—Natalie can't stand the smell. Is it going to bother you?"
    "Not at all."
    "Good, good. For all I know, maybe you'd like one yourself."
    "Not tonight, thanks."
    She followed him out and sat on a damp plastic chaise while he went into the cabana to get their drinks. He had turned on the underwater pool lights, which made the water a surreal, unnatural shade of blue, and the smell of chlorine was so strong she could almost chew it. She thought it was the way money should taste, chopped into a salad of green bills in large denominations.
    "Can I ask you a question?" John said, coming up behind her in the darkness. "Did you ever think of getting married?"
    "I haven't met the right person, I guess!" she said. She couldn't help but feel slightly irritated. "You know what it's like in New York. Most of the guys are gay, and the straight men that come here are the most ambitious—they don't want to get married, they just like to date some model to show her off to other men."
    "In my office everybody is married, or I'd make one of them marry you. Not that I would have to force any of them. What about a roommate?"
    "I can't," Florence said. "I don't know. I mean, I'm too old."
    "You're not too old. How old are you?"
    "Thirty-two."
    "You're kidding . . . Let me think what I can do," John said. "How's your room, by the way?"
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    "Fine!" said Florence. "It's not going to get too cold tonight, is it? Natalie said I shouldn't need a blanket."
    "I don't know. It can get kind of chilly at night. I'll find a blanket and bring it up to you, if you like. What room are you in?"
    "I'm in the little single room. But I'm sure I'll be all right."
    "What little single room?"
    "It's the small room, there's a twin bed?"
    "I thought that was the storage room!" said John indignantly. "Why are you in that room? Take one of the big rooms with a bathroom!"
    "Oh no, I'm fine, really," she said. "I think Natalie has other guests who are going to be using the other rooms."
    "Up to you," said John, pushing back his chair. "Listen, don't accuse me of sexism. I know I'm walking on sticky territory here"—he laughed uproariously while Florence silently watched, a smile fixed weakly to her face—"but you're still an attractive young woman, and if I were you, I would seriously look around for a marriage prospect. I