Perfect Partners

talk to Diana.”
    “Well, I’m going to go see her. Her hotel is only a few blocks from here. I’ll see you back at the office.” Letty turned and started to cross the street.
    “Damn it, hold on.” Joel stepped into the crosswalk with her. “If that’s the way you’re going to be about it, I’ll go with you.”
    Ten minutes later Letty knocked on Diana’s hotel room door. She opened it at once. Her eyes looked bloodshot from a recent crying jag, and her lovely face was pinched and drawn. She glanced from Joel to Letty and back.
    “What do you want? Haven’t you interfered enough with my life?”
    “It’s all right,” Letty said quietly as she stepped into the room. “I know you’re scared. But Keith is going to be all right. He and Joel have everything under control, don’t you, Joel?”
    “Right. Sure. Things are under control.” Joel sounded bored. He followed Letty reluctantly into the hotel room and remained standing near the door after Letty closed it. It was obvious he was more than ready to leave as soon as possible.
    “Keith says Daddy has been told he’s no longer running Copeland Marine.” Diana looked at Joel. “Are you the one who told him?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Dear God.” Diana sat down in the chair near the window. She folded her hands tightly in her lap and gazed silently out over the Seattle skyline. “You don’t know what you’ve done, Joel. But I will tell you this: when it’s all over, I will never, ever forgive you. I realize that probably doesn’t seem like much of a threat, but I promise you I will hate you to my dying day.”
    Letty’s sympathy dissolved. A wave of anger took its place. “Stop it, Diana. This is not Joel’s doing, and you know it. Keith came to us with his proposal to run Copeland Marine. Your husband is the one who instigated this whole thing, and don’t you ever forget it.”
    Joel shrugged. “Escott’s doing it for you, Diana. He’s willing to fight for Copeland Marine. Why don’t you give him a chance?”
    Diana swung her head around. Her eyes were brilliant with fury and pain. “Have you forgotten the past so soon, Joel Blackstone? The last time a man tried to do something for me that went against Daddy’s wishes,
somebody died
.”
    A sudden stillness descended. Letty glanced at Joel’s face and saw that it was set in stark lines.
    “What are you saying, Diana?” Joel came away from the door, took two steps across the room, and grabbed her by the shoulders. He yanked her to her feet. “What are you trying to tell me?”
    “Nothing,” she gasped, looking terrified of his cold fury. “I just wanted you to remember what happened the last time, damn you.”
    “I have never forgotten what happened,” Joel said with deadly softness. “My father was killed when he drove his car off a cliff. Or so they said. Do you know something about that so-called accident, Diana? Because if you do, you’d better tell me right now.”
    “I don’t know anything about it.” Diana’s mouth was trembling uncontrollably. “All I know is that your father died at least partly because of what happened between us.”
    Letty stepped between them. “Stop it, both of you. I don’t want to hear another word on the subject. Joel, I have told you before that you are not responsible for your father’s death. He died in a terrible accident, but you were not driving and that’s the bottom line.”
    Joel’s eyes locked with hers for a moment. She watched him regain his self-control. Then he turned away without a word and went back to stand by the door.
    Letty faced Diana. “As for you, Diana, you’ve got a choice to make. The same one you had to make fifteen years ago. You’re a lucky woman. Few of us get a second chance to make the right choice.”
    Diana’s eyes flew to hers. “What are you talking about?”
    “It’s very simple. For the second time in your life you’ve found a man who is willing to rescue you from your father. Are you going to let Keith do it or are you going to cave in to your own fears the way you did when Joel tried to save you? Think about it.”
    Without waiting for a response, Letty went to the door. She pushed her glasses higher up on her nose as she looked at Joel. “Are you ready to go?”
    “I was ready ten minutes ago.” Joel jerked open the door. He glanced back at Diana before he followed Letty out of the room. “You might try having a little faith in Escott. He could use the support. I think Letty’s