The Book Club Hotel(33)

“She’s twenty-six, did I tell you that?” Claudia reached for her glass. “The girl John is now with. Twenty-six. Fourteen years younger than me. No wrinkles, no gray hairs. Abs as flat and hard as oak flooring. She’s nearer to twenty than forty.”

“But she’s not always going to be twenty-six,” Anna said, “whereas you will always be amazing. You’re smart and kind and special and if John doesn’t appreciate your qualities, then you’re better off without him.”

Erica raised her glass. “I agree. Also, I bet she can’t cook the way you do.”

“Judging by how slim she is, I don’t think she eats at all.”

Anna frowned. “You’ve met her?”

“Not exactly. She’s a TV presenter. Annoyingly perky and her career is on the rise whereas everything about me is sliding, from my career to my boobs. I’m like a soufflé that someone took out of the oven an hour ago.”

“Please don’t tell me you’ve been watching her on TV.”

Claudia hesitated. “Occasionally. When I feel like torturing myself.”

“You have to stop that,” Erica said. “It’s not healthy.”

“I know. Chocolate isn’t healthy, either, but somehow it makes me feel better about life. I don’t have your self-discipline. Do you know what I really envy? Confidence. I wouldn’t have the confidence to take my clothes off in front of a twenty-six-year-old, but it didn’t bother John at all. Why is it that men become more attractive as they age and women become invisible?”

“It’s one of the many injustices of the universe,” Anna said but Erica shook her head.

“Don’t let yourself be invisible. I would have no problem taking my clothes off in front of a twenty-six-year-old if I found him attractive.”

“That’s because you never eat chocolate and look about a decade younger than you really are,” Claudia said gloomily. “I envy you being married to Pete, Anna. He’s such a great guy. Also, you’re guaranteed to have great sex whenever you want it for the rest of your life. I will probably never have sex again.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Anna said and Erica nodded agreement.

“That is ridiculous. I can have sex whenever I want it. Being forty doesn’t change that.”

“Yes, because you just call sexy Jack,” Claudia said. “I don’t have a Pete in my life, and I don’t have a Jack, sexy or otherwise.”

Erica raised her eyebrows. “Jack and I are strictly casual.”

“Of course you are.” Claudia exchanged glances with Anna, and Erica sighed and put her glass down.

“Why the look?”

“No reason. And anyway, I don’t want casual sex. I want relationship sex. The sort of sex where you fall asleep together afterward and wake up still together. The sort of sex where you feel close to someone and know you’re going to be seeing them again.”

Erica was still thinking about that look. They obviously thought that her relationship with Jack wasn’t casual, but that was absurd. She and Jack went weeks without seeing each other.

She was about to point that out when she heard the sound of the front door opening.

Lola barked and went racing out of the kitchen, and a moment later returned with Pete.

“This is good. Our kitchen is full of our favorite people.” He greeted them warmly, quietly commiserated with Claudia for her recent woes, and then tugged Anna against him and kissed her on the mouth.

They’d been together for twenty-two years, Erica thought as her gaze slid away, and he still kissed Anna as if he couldn’t help himself; as if seeing Anna was the best part of his day.

She imagined the two of them ten years in the future, then twenty and thirty. They’d grow old together, bound by love and the life they’d shared.

“Could you two have a fight or something?” Claudia took a mouthful of wine. “All this marital harmony is a little nauseating for those of us less fortunate.”

Anna pulled away, her cheeks pink. “Good thing you didn’t arrive five minutes ago,” she said as she brushed flakes of snow from Pete’s shoulders. “We were talking about sex.”

“Damn the traffic.” Smiling, Pete helped himself to the last of the champagne. “Sex is one of my favorite topics.”

It was unfortunate that Meg chose that moment to come into the room. “Ugh, Dad, that’s gross. Please. You are too old to think about sex. It’s disgusting.”

Pete grabbed Anna and kissed her on the neck. “I love you. Have I told you that lately? I love you.”

“I need to leave home right now. I can’t wait until next year. This is cruelty to teenagers.” Meg backed away and sent Erica a pleading look. “How do you stand it? Message me when they’ve stopped.” She fled from the room and Pete grinned and let Anna go.

“Works every time.”

Anna was laughing, too, and she gave him a little push. “You have to stop winding her up, Pete.”

“If ever I want some private time with Anna, all I have to do is kiss her.” Pete shrugged off his coat and slung it over the back of the nearest chair. “The kids leave the room so fast. It’s my best and only parenting tip.”

“They’ll be off to college next year,” Anna said, “and we’re going to have nothing but private time.”