She sat in stony silence as Dan pulled out of the parking lot. Within minutes, they were heading south on the Tri State. In the gaudy lights of billboards advertising radio stations and beer, she could see that he was doing a slow burn, as if he were the wronged party instead of her. She made up her mind that she wasn’t going to let him realize how much he’d hurt her.

“I suppose you know you disgraced yourself at the game today by showing up in that snake charmer outfit.”

“1 disgraced myself? Unless my memory’s faulty, you were the one who got evicted.”

“I got ejected, not evicted. That was a football game, not a damn landlords’ convention.” He glanced over at her. “What were you trying to prove, anyway? Don’t you know that when you wear clothes like that, you might as well have a For Sale sign plastered on your chest.”

“Of course I know it,” she cooed. “Why do you think I do it?”

His hands tightened on the wheel. “You’re really pushing me, aren’t you?”

“My clothing isn’t any of your concern.”

“It is when it reflects on the team.”

“Don’t you think those infantile temper tantrums you throw on the sidelines reflect on the team?”

“That’s different. It’s part of the game.”

She hoped her refusal to respond told him exactly what she thought of his logic.

They drove for several miles in silence. Phoebe’s misery settled in deeper. She was so tired of playing a part all the time, but she didn’t know any other way to behave. Maybe if they’d met under different circumstances, they would have had a chance.

Dan’s belligerence had faded when he finally spoke again. “Look, Phoebe. I feel bad about last night, and I want to apologize. I liked being with you and all, and I didn’t mean to be so abrupt. It was just gettin’ kind of late . . .” His apology trailed lamely into silence.

She could feel her throat closing, and she fought against it. Pulling the fragments of her willpower together, she spoke with the bored lockjaw drawl of a South Hampton socialite. “Really, Dan, if I’d known you would react in such an immature fashion, I would never have gone to bed with you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

“You reminded me of a teenager who’d just done it in the backseat of the family car and was having an attack of guilty conscience. Frankly, I’m accustomed to a bit more sophistication on the part of my lovers. At the very least, I expected another round. It’s hardly worth all that effort if you’re only going to do it once, is it?”