before she got sick and Marie had watched Jane bravely fight her battle with cancer.
Marie’s smile broadened as she approached. “This is a bit of a surprise,” she said. “I’ve never seen you guys at one of our events.” She put out her hand, which Nick took, and then leaned forward to offer a kiss on her cheek.
“Well,” he said, “Jerry said I should come by to meet some of the important people of Atlanta.”
Jerry aimed a not-so-subtle evil eye at Nick and quickly returned his gaze to Marie, extending his hand. “Jerry Lamont. Great to see you again.”
Marie shook his hand, then turned back to Nick. “You’ll have to
do better than that.”
“Truth be told,” Nick said, “Dad told me if we were ever going to start our own agency, I’d better meet the entire town, and I hear this is where the entire town is tonight.”
“Now that I can believe,” Marie said. “So when is this new business venture happening?”
“One day. But right now, I do what Mom told me to do last year.
Take care of Dad.”
“Your mom was such a class act, Nick. I was so sorry to hear
about your losing her. How is Sal doing?”
"Dad’s fine.” Nick smiled. “Always cooking up a storm at home. The only concern I have about Dad is his persistence in dating the neighbor across the street.”
“The neighbor across the street?” Marie asked. “That may be just the thing for him.”
“Good Lord, it might kill him,” Jerry retorted. “She’s forty!” “Actually, she's forty-four, widowed, and a flight attendant for
American Airlines. But Jerry is right, she could kill him. And then I would have to wipe that smile off his face before his wake.” Jerry rolled his eyes at Nick’s off-color comment.
“Well, please tell him I said hi.” Marie moved away to greet a couple who had just walked by, then tilted her head back. “Let me know if I can help with your new venture.”
“Thank you, Marie,” Nick said.
He and Jerry stepped back from the crowd and sipped champagne inconspicuously delivered by a silent waiter carrying a silver tray of glasses.