Forcing a brittle smile, she opened the door and stepped back into the great room. Heads swiveled toward her, then jerked self-consciously away. Conversations that had stalled at her appearance resumed on a stilted note. Most of the couples at the party had known Burke for more than twenty years. They’d known Kate as well. Some of them, especially the women, behaved as if Kate were still alive and Allison was an interloper who’d broken up Burke’s first marriage.

Sprinkled among these old friends, however, were a few younger people who worked for Burke’s theatrical agency. Garrett Miles, the partner who managed the financial and legal end of the business, caught her eye across the room and cut his way through the crowd toward her.

Garrett had been hired out of Harvard with an MBA and had stayed on to become Burke’s right-hand man. His affable manner and movie star smile masked a mind like a steel trap. Allison couldn’t say she liked him. He struck her as too smooth, too sure of himself. But right now Garrett was the only port in a storm of hostility.

“You look like the Goddess of Angst,” he muttered in her ear. “Are you all right?”

“I’m dandy,” she lied. “Did Burke happen to tell you he was leaving?”

“He did. Don’t worry, everything’s under control here. I’ve spread the word that he had an emergency and couldn’t stay. You won’t need to explain a thing.”

“Thank you, Garrett.” Her tone carried an edge. “I don’t suppose you offered to go in his place, did you?”

“Actually, I did.” He gripped her elbow and propelled her out into the dimly lit foyer. “Burke insisted on going himself. The problem was a personnel issue, not a finance issue, and he didn’t trust anyone else to smooth things over.”

“I see.” Allison exhaled, willing herself to relax. She had nothing to gain by alienating this man, especially tonight, when she needed his support. “Sorry about that,” she said with a raw laugh. “It’s just that I was hoping Burke could relax and enjoy his friends tonight. He’s been so preoccupied lately—working till all hours, coming home exhausted and then lying awake the rest of the night . . .” She glanced up to see Garrett’s gold-flecked eyes watching her intently. “If Burke were involved with another woman, I’d have something to fight. But my rival is that damned business. Short of burning the American Heartland Theater to the ground, there’s nothing I can do!”

Realizing she’d said too much, Allison glanced back toward the brightly lit great room. “Sorry again,” she said, forcing a smile. “I do tend to get carried away. Isn’t your wife here tonight, Garrett? I don’t recall seeing her.”