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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

Connor leaned on the balustrade, and the breeze blew a lock of hair into his face. He brushed it back, tilting his head to look at her with a smile. The light caught his golden stubble, his eyes more intense than she’d seen before. And then he leaned forward, brushing her lips ever so lightly with his own. She leaned into the kiss, her intense feelings of attraction taking her by surprise.

“Get a room!” someone called from the street down below, while someone else applauded.

“Maybe it’s time to eat?” she said, pulling back. He smiled at her.

“I’m starving.”

He was from a “good” Boston family. His father was a hand surgeon at Boston Children’s. His mother was a Rhode Island Biddle. Growing up, she’d lived right next door to the Bouviers when Jackie was a debutante. Neither one of them approved of his career in the art trade.

“It’s fine to collect art, but dealing it is considered gauche. They wanted me to follow in my father’s footsteps but there was no way.”

She sipped her wine. “So how’d you do it? Fund the gallery, I mean.”

“I found investors.”

She perked up. “How?”

“There’s a lot of money in Boston,” he said. “New York isn’t the only playing field.”

She looked at him with new interest.

“Could you make some introductions for me?”

“For you? Your family is loaded.”

“So’s yours.”

“Touché,” he said. “I guess business mixes better with strangers. Sometimes it’s hard for people to see the value that’s right there in front of them. But when it comes to you, I don’t have that problem.”

He leaned forward and kissed her again. She still didn’t know if she wanted to have sex with him. But the thought of meeting his money people definitely turned her on.

42

Paulina, October 1994

The day Paulina’s “A Diamond Says Love” ads were published in magazines all across the country, she woke up in Liam’s bed filled with dread.

In the months since the gossip item appeared in the New York Post, not a day passed that she didn’t grapple with what was happening. Understandably, Elodie wasn’t speaking to her. But Celeste, too, was angry.

“You dragged me into this, and now Elodie thinks I was colluding with you to keep it from her,” Celeste said.

Her father was irritated that she’d created tabloid drama that threatened to overshadow his marketing of the Electric Rose.

“You go through men like tissues, and your sister was serious about this young man. I hope you’re happy with yourself!” he’d scolded. Her mother, at least, had given her the benefit of the doubt. The only thing she’d asked her was, “Do you love him?”

Paulina could tell her honestly, “Yes.”