Jake's mother left first. When the last guest departed, Constance led them all to the solarium. Maddie was surprised to see how tired her stepmother looked. Constance rubbed the spot between her eyebrows. "Maddie, would you tell me how you and Jake met after all these years?" Instead of the sharp retort that trembled on her tongue, Maddie replied mildly and gazed at Jake, letting her genuine adoration shine through, knowing that she would look like a woman in love, as she told the story of shopping in New York and running into Jake on the street. She concluded with, "It was love at first sight." Jake took both her hands in his, pulling her close. "I told Maddie I was happy to be her kept man, but she insisted on marriage. What's a guy to do when the most beautiful woman in the world wants to marry him?" "What indeed?" Constance asked. Since her stepmother didn't smile, Maddie couldn't decide if she was being sarcastic or amused. Strack appeared with a coffee service and a decanter of brandy and glasses on a large silver tray.
