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connection with me, just for an instant. That’s probably why I looked a bit funny. Something is definitely wrong between Emily and her father.”
    Jeff nodded. “I got the impression he’s not crazy about her marrying Jerry.”
    “I wonder why. Jerry seems like a nice guy; good looking, and according to Gloria, comes from a wealthy family.”
    “Maybe he’s jealous? Some fathers are you know—jealous of the man who wants to marry his daughter.”
    “Could be. He just seems like a nasty type to me. And the mother didn’t have a word to say about anything.”
    “Don’t think she’d get much of a chance with him around. He reminds me of the father in that English Victorian story, you know, where he rules the household with an iron fist. Everyone was terrified of him, did exactly what he said. Then one of the daughters stood up to him…”
    “You mean The Barretts of Wimpole Street?”
    “That’s it. She runs off with the man she loves—the poet…uh, what’s his name…?”
    “Robert Browning.”
    “Right. She was a poet too, wasn’t she?”
    “Elizabeth Barrett Browning.”
    They looked at each other then laughed. “Okay, smarty,” Jeff grinned at him. “What’s the penalty for roughing the kicker?”
    “Now you got me.” Peter chuckled. “I don’t know a tight receiver from a wide end.”
    Jeff roared with laughter. “Ouch. You really do need some education. I’ll give you some lessons when we get home.”
    Peter squeezed Jeff’s thigh. “Hands on, I hope.”
    “You bet.”
    “So step on it, Mister.”
    § § § §
    Jerry held Emily in his arms and kissed her gently on the lips. “I hope you didn’t mind my asking Peter to paint your portrait without talking to you first?”
    “You are so good to me Jerry. I’m just a little nervous of having it done. Gloria is so beautiful. She’s the perfect one to have a portrait hanging in her house so everyone can admire her. Me?” She paused. “I’m afraid I’ll end up looking like one of those ghastly women you see in museums, all pointy chin and pursed lips.”
    “Of course you won’t. You’re a lovely woman and I think Peter’s the one to do you justice. Please do this…if only for me.”
    “How can I say no when you put it like that?” She sighed. “If only my father wasn’t being so stupid about all of this.”
    “He’ll come around eventually Emily, don’t worry. And if he doesn’t, so what? We’re getting married anyway.”
    “Las Vegas, here we come?”
    “Well, I was thinking more on the lines of Tahiti or Australia. That way, your Poppa can’t throw any last minute glitches at us.” They chuckled together then Jerry whispered, “I love you, Emily. Nothing will ever change that.”
    Emily returned his kiss and hoped fervently, in her heart, that what he said was true. She couldn’t quite erase from her mind the earlier confrontation with her father at Gloria’s party. His drunken rudeness toward Jerry had been deliberate and she knew that he had intended to drive a wedge between Jerry and her. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. If it came to a showdown with her father, Emily would leave and go to Gloria’s house. She was not about to let him destroy her chance at happiness with Jerry. Nothing her father could say or do would change her mind about marrying the man she loved— nothing .

CHAPTER FIVE
    Jeff pulled into a parking space behind Joey’s studio in West Hollywood. He had spoken with Joey’s landlord and the man, though sounding like a complete asshole, had agreed to accept two months advance rent on top of the one owing if Jeff delivered a cashier’s check to him personally at Joey’s studio. Despite the inconvenience, Jeff had agreed to meet him and hand over the check. He knew there was only a slim chance Joey would ever repay him and mentally he had already written it off as a loss. He walked round to the front of the building and scanned the nameplates on the outside.
    “Photography by