Now Kate is old enough to recognize it for what it was. A transition period, a momentary lapse. It was never love. Not really. Love was the time spent soaring the Georgia sky, feeling herself ride the breeze like a surfer hugging his wave. The euphoria making her giddy, so that she whooped out of delight, like a child. She cannot remember the last time she felt that happy. Not with Paul. Never with Paul.

So how did he con her into this? Taking her halfway across the world, to New York, where he became a bigshot on Wall Street. He picked up the big talk of city boys. We’re really rolling in the dough now, Honey! Cluttering their penthouse apartment with obscure sculptures and paintings that could put a child through college and still have some money left over to spare for a house in Aruba and Rome.

All the money couldn’t fill the gaps in her then. Hungry still for more, she reached out with starfish fingers towards anything that might satisfy the restless demons within her.