An Act of Love Read Online Free Page B

was beaten, admitted that Linda
was right. "The truth is, I need someone to talk to," she said. "And
not just anyone. You. But first of all, I owe you an apology, Lin. I
was upset after your first divorce, because I really loved Jerry, but
when you married Brett, I was… shocked, I suppose. I told
myself you wanted his money, even though I know that's ridiculous.
Neither of us will ever have to worry about where our next designer
dress is coming from. Anyway, I've sort of cut you out of my life for
the last few years and I'm sorry. I was very childish."
    Linda found some paper cups in a half-unpacked box and
took a bottle of wine out of the refrigerator. "Let's go sit in the
bedroom," she said. As they walked across the living room, she added,
"I understood what you felt. You needed to be on your own, away from
the family, to grow up. You also needed to learn a little about life to
stop judging me so harshly. But you got hurt along the way, didn't you?"
    Randy nodded, suddenly unable to speak, and sprawled out
on the bed.
    Linda sat down beside her. "Randy?" she prompted softly.
    She shook her head. "I just—I've never talked
about it." She hadn't even told her apartment-mate, preferring to put
up a false front of sophisticated acceptance.
    A moment later Linda's arms were around her and she was
sobbing on her sister's shoulder, choking out half-coherent phrases. "I
was crazy about him—when he'd touch me—and then he
went to Italy—and all the gossip—people kept
telling me…"
    It took a long time for Randy to control herself, and
Linda patiently waited, murmuring gentle words of sympathy. Eventually,
of course, the story came pouring out. Sean Raley was handsome and
smooth and Randy had fallen like the proverbial ton of bricks. He'd
left for Italy in the middle of their blazing love affair for a minor
role in a film, but it wasn't very long before stories in the local
tabloids appeared, speculating on his relationship with the daughter of
his director.
    "I guess it's an old story," Randy said in a flat tone of
voice. "His letters came less and less often, and when people would ask
about him I'd shrug and say that of course all men played around. But
it was tearing me apart. He used to tell me he loved me. I thought he
wanted to marry me, but obviously he didn't, because he married the
director's daughter four months ago. She'll help his career a lot more
than I ever could."
    "I'd like to kill the man," Linda muttered.
    "He's not worth it." Despite the bitter overtone, Randy
knew it was the truth. Now that she was calmer she could face the most
shattering part of the whole experience. "I don't think I really ever
loved him, Lin. I was crazy about him, and wildly infatuated, but I
never bothered to look beneath the surface and see the selfishness and
egotism there. When I think about how bad my judgment was, about how
stupid I was…" She paused. "Sean hurt me, but I hurt myself
more. And I always prided myself on being so level-headed,
and—and moral."
    "Welcome to liberation," Linda drawled.
    There was something about Linda's expression, so
world-weary yet indomitable, that made Randy smile. "I suppose I'm over
Sean," she said, "and I'm even getting my appetite back. For the first
time in my life I don't have to worry about what I eat, so I guess I
should thank him for that. But I don't have any interest in other men.
Dad's trying to match me up with that insane vice president of his,
Luke Griffin, and I almost wish I could tell him about Sean just so
he'd drop the subject. But I can't."
    "Knowing Dad, I agree. But you need to get back into
circulation," Linda said. "Take it from a veteran, Randy, the best way
to get over an unhappy love affair is with a new man. And you might
even
like
Luke Griffin."
    Randy straightened up, a little irritated. "Do you think I
want to go out with someone who knows that ten thousand shares of Dunne
Industries stock will be part of the package? Not to mention the
presidency of the