What difference does that make, if I don't want to get married?

Why don't you? Why don't you want a man who wants to marry you, Allegra? What's that all about? She was relentless.

That's just stupid. Roger would have married me, if I'd gone to London with him. I just didn't want to. I had too much going on here.

What makes you think he'd have married you? Dr. Green was like a little ferret, she got into every corner, and sniffed out every possible lead, particle of harmless-looking dust, or insect. Did he ever say so?

We never talked about it.

Doesn't that make you wonder, Allegra?

What difference does it make? That was two years ago, she would say irritably. She hated it when Dr. Green would press a point till she wore it out with her questions. This is silly. She was too young to get married anyway, and too involved in her career at the moment to think of marriage.

And what about Brandon? Dr. Green loved harping on him. Sometimes Allegra hated discussing him with her. She just didn't understand his motivations, or how traumatized he had been by having to get married when his wife was pregnant. When is he going to file?

When they settle the questions about the property and the money, Allegra always explained sensibly, speaking as an attorney.

Why don't they bifurcate the financial issues, and just get a divorce? Then they can spend as long as they like resolving the property issues.

Why? What's the point of bifurcating? It's not like we have to get married.

No. But does he want to? Do you, Allegra? Do you ever discuss it?

We don't need to discuss it. We understand each other perfectly. We're both busy, we both have major careers. We've only gone out for two years.

Some people get married a lot faster than that, or a lot slower. The point is she aimed her sharp brown eyes into Allegra's green ones have you gotten yourself involved yet again with a man who cannot make a commitment?

Of course not, Allegra answered, trying to avoid the laser gaze, but never quite succeeding. It just isn't time yet. And then Dr. Green would nod, and wait to hear what Allegra would say after.

The exchanges were almost always the same. They had been for two years, except that Allegra was no longer twenty-seven, or twenty-eight, but twenty-nine, and Brandon had been only separated for two years now. His daughters, Nicole and Stephanie, were eleven and nine, and Joanie still hadn't succeeded in securing employment. She was still dependent on Brandon for everything she needed. And like Brandon, Allegra explained it by saying Joanie had no training. She had given up college to have Nicky.

In fact, Nicole's voice was the next one on Allegra's answering machine, telling her that she hoped that Allegra was coming to San Francisco with her dad that weekend. She said she missed her, and that she hoped everything was okay, and she hoped they'd have time to go skating. And oh ‘ that's right ‘ I love the jacket you sent me for Christmas. ‘ I was going to write a note, but I forgot, and Mom said ‘ There was an embarrassed silence as the eleven-year-old voice tried to regain her composure. I'll give you the letter this weekend. Bye ‘ I love you’ . Oh ‘ this is Nicky. Bye. She hung up, and Allegra was still smiling, when she heard Brandon's message that he was working late, and was still at the office when he called her. His message was the last one.

She turned off the machine, finished the Evian, dropped it in the garbage, and picked up the phone to call his office.

She was sitting on the kitchen stool with her long legs wrapped around it as she dialed. She looked long and lean and beautiful, and she was totally unaware of her looks as she called him. She had lived in a world of extraordinary-looking people for so long, and hers was a life of the mind rather than the beauty of face and body. She never thought about it, which somehow made her even more attractive. One easily sensed about her that she didn't even care how she looked, she was totally focused on the people around her.

Brandon answered his private line on the second ring, and he sounded busy and distracted. It was easy to believe he was working. Brandon Edwards, he said, and she smiled. He had a deep, sexy voice, and she particularly liked the way he sounded. He was tall, and blond, and clean-cut, and preppy, and perhaps a little too conservative in the way he dressed, but she didn't mind that. There was something very wholesome about him, and very honest.

Hi there, I got your message, she said cryptically, and he knew who it was the moment he heard her. How was your day?

Endless, he said, still sounding frazzled. She didn't tell him about hers. He had very little interest in the clients of her law firm, and he always acted as though he thought her field of law was really more nonsense than legal. I'm going to trial next week. And I'm having a hell of a time with some of the research. I'll be lucky if I get out of here before midnight. He really sounded exhausted.

Do you want me to bring you something to eat? she asked with a small smile. I could come by with a pizza.

I'd rather wait. I've got a sandwich here now, and I don't want to stop. I'll pick something up on the way over, if it's not too late, and you still want me. She could hear something warm in his voice as she smiled in answer.

I always want you. Come as late as you want. I brought some work home too. She had the papers for Bram Morrison's next concert tour in her briefcase. I've got plenty to do to keep me busy.

Good, I'll see you later.

And then she remembered. Oh, by the way, Brandon, I got a call today from Nicky. She must have gotten mixed up on the dates, she thought we were coming to San Francisco. That's next week, isn't it? The coming weekend, he was going to the Golden Globes with her, and the following weekend they were going to San Francisco to see the children.

Actually, I ‘ I might have told her something about ‘ I thought it might make some sense to go up before the trial starts. After that, I really can't get away for a while, or at least I shouldn't. He sounded awkward as he tried to explain, and Allegra frowned as she sat looking at the view from her kitchen.

But we can't go this week. Mom and Dad are both nominated for awards, and so are three of my clients. Among them Carmen Connors. Did you forget? She couldn't believe he'd changed his mind. She'd been talking about it since before Christmas.

No, I just thought ‘ I don't have time to discuss this with you now, Allie, or I'll be stuck here all night. Why don't we talk about it later? His answer didn't put her mind to rest, and she was vague a little while later when she called her mother.

Blaire was shooting her series all week, as usual, and she was tired at night, after hours on the set, but she was always happy to hear from her older daughter. They saw each other frequently, although less so now that Allegra was so involved with Brandon.

Blaire reiterated the dinner invitation for Friday night, and told her that her brother, Scott, would be there. His homecomings were important to all of them, and Blaire liked nothing better than an evening with all her children.

Is he coming to the Golden Globes too? Allegra asked, always happy to see him.

He's going to stay home with Sam. He says award ceremonies are more fun on TV. At least he gets to see everyone he wants to, instead of being trampled by the crowd, unable to figure out who the reporters are running after.

Maybe he's right. Allegra laughed at the description. She knew that Sam would have been thrilled to go, but her parents never wanted her in the public eye, or as seldom as possible, and certainly not at the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards. Every starlet in Hollywood would be there, and every possible reporter. The only reason they had ever agreed to her modeling career was because no one knew who she was when they saw her pictures. She modeled under the name of Samantha Scott, her mother's maiden name, and although her mother was well-known, it seemed less conspicuous than Steinberg. Everyone in Hollywood knew who Simon Steinberg was, and they would have done anything to take pictures of his daughter. Anyway, I'll be there, Allegra reassured her. She was no longer quite as sure that Brandon would be there, though she didn't say anything about that to her mother. But eventually Blaire asked her. It was no secret between them that Brandon was not one of Blaire's favorite people, nor Simon's. They were both concerned that Brandon had gone out with her for two years, but still hadn't divorced his wife yet.

Will Prince Brandon be with us too? Blaire asked with an obvious edge to her voice, and Allegra hesitated for a long moment. She didn't want to get into a fight with her, but she didn't like what her mother had said, or the way she'd said it.

I'm not sure yet, Allegra said quietly, which spoke volumes to her mother. She was always defending him, and as far as Blaire was concerned, she shouldn't have to. He's preparing for trial, and he may have to work this weekend. She didn't think it was any of her mother's business that he might be going to San Francisco to see his children.

Don't you think he could break away for one night? Blaire asked skeptically, and the tone of her voice grated on Allegra like fingernails on a blackboard.

Why don't you just let it go, Mom? I'm sure he'll do his best, and if he can, he'll join us.

Maybe you should ask someone else. There's no reason for you to go alone, that's not much fun for you. It always annoyed Blaire that he left Allegra in the lurch whenever he had other plans, or too much work, or wasn't in the mood. He always did what suited him. She was always a good sport about it, and Blaire didn't see why she should be.