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ith love； and usually it's through the one part of their body that seems to cause others the most damage。
〃But it's just his body；〃 I told her。 She cried over all of this。 She cried when she found out her father had another woman。 A mistress。 But you have to cry at first； don't you？ To get all those little fairy tales out of your head about how life gets lived； about how there are a few good men； how some men don't cheat。
And it's not true。 All men cheat； and all women marry cheaters； and to not look at that square in the face is like not looking at the good side of marriage； too。
So she cried off and on for a few years； and I held her sometimes； I was cold to her at times … I knew she needed to work this idea out in her mind。
When she fell in love for the first time； she told me that she was grateful for what she'd had to go through with her father。 〃I don't know why men do what they do；〃 she told me。
〃If you did； you'd have solved the greatest mystery of life；〃 I said to her。
Or something like that。
But for my money； she should've avoided that Jimmy McTeague。 He was bad news。 I know every little deb and sorority girl east of the Mississippi thought he was just the end of the world； but they were such goofy little virgins it was hard to have patience with them。
Jimmy McTeague is the devil incarnate。 I know that's an over…the…top way of putting it。 He wasn't evil； but he was cold。 I knew a little about his family； and none of it was very good。 His father had some bad business deals going； and even if he had all the stores； Frank told me some things that alarmed me。
With Jimmy； I felt it the first day I met him； which was sometime before summer。 Perhaps some Easter break？ She brought him by the house in Greenwich； and the first thing out of his mouth was； 〃Hello Catherine。 I've heard so much about you； I almost feel like we've had an affair。〃
He thought that kind of thing was funny； that off…the… cuff jokiness。
Within minutes； he'd given me some nick… name； which of course he had to repeat five or ten times to truly annoy me； and within an hour of chatting with him； I knew more about that boy than I cared to know。
He is dangerous。
And so yes； I think it all has more to do with Jimmy McTeague than with anybody。 At her birthday party in late July； he told me that he thought the world was meant to be owned by people like him。
I believe those were his exact words。
Yes； he had money。 Yes； he was extremely good looking for a boy his age。
Extremely。 Only a fool wouldn't notice that。 But he had no spirit。 What he had was pure badness。 He was absolutely pure in his badness。
I once had a dog like that。 Beautiful。 pletely bad。
Jimmy McTeague's like that。
I really began to hate that boy at Jenna's birthday party。
Chapter Four
The birthday party
1
In the mirror； Owen bed his hair； parting it a bit higher； not to the middle of his forehead； but certainly an inch higher than his usual。 He also brushed it back so it rose a bit higher。 The summer blond…streaks looked better this way。 He rubbed some gel into it； and made sure the part was clean。 He smiled as naturally as he could。 No； that wasn't right。 He let his lips pull back slightly。 He squinted his eyes the way that Jimmy did。 It looked rich to do it。
Like the sun was always on his face； even on a cloudy day。
Then； he rubbed some of his mother's Neutrogena face lotion on his face。 It brought a shine to his cheeks and nose。 He wasn't sure if he liked it； but it seemed to be what the rich boys had。 That shine。
Hanging on the bathroom door： the crisp J Crew shirt； pale blue； the tan chinos。 He dressed； and then returned to his bedroom to get the gift he'd wrapped that morning。
〃You're not going to that party；〃 his mother said； glancing at his father。
Both sat in the small living room in the dark； the television providing the only source of light。 Their faces flickered。 His father laughed。 〃Oh； he'll have fun。
The kids are really going to mix it up。〃
〃Yeah。 It'll be fun。〃
〃You're not one of them；〃 his mother said。 〃You can pretend。 You always pretend。〃 Then； she turned to his father； patting his shoulder。 〃Well？〃
〃Leave it alone； Boston；〃 his father said。 〃It's the kids' party。 You used to go to parties。〃
〃What's that you've got there？〃 his mother asked。 She got up from the couch； setting her beer down on the coffee table。 His father reached over； turning on the standing lamp。 Light came up。 His mother looked gray； despite the fact that she colored her hair。 Even her skin seemed gray。 His father looked like a wisp of smoke。 It was all Owen could do to keep them from vanishing within the room。
Owen looked down at the box in his hands。 〃It's her birthday。〃
〃You bought her something？〃 his mother asked； a grin spreading like blood on her face。 He could imagine her dead； her skull cracked open like an egg。 〃You bought the Montgomery girl something？ Working for tips at the Salty Dog and you bought the richest girl in the world something？〃 She shook her head gently。 〃Owen； you're always trying to impress someone with what you don't have。〃 She said this sweetly； and he felt a twinge of love for her then。
He almost felt bad for what he'd done。 He almost felt bad for what he'd stolen from his mother to put in the box。
He almost felt bad for what he was giving Jenna。
Almost。
2
The party was in full swing by ten at night。 Every Nancy； every Skip； every Jess and Sloan； they all were there； poolside。 The great curtains were drawn back； and the glass doors had been removed for the party。 White tents had been erected along the yard； lanterns of every conceivable hue strung along the walkway to the Montgomery place； and balloons flew with some regularity from the back acre。 The smell of cigarettes and perfume and gin and beer and money were there； too。
Watching it； you'd have seen nearly fifty teenagers dancing； laughing； shouting； a tall blond girl with flowing hair and limbs soaked from having been thrown into the swimming pool； the fat drunk frat boy vomiting over by the birdbath； half…a…dozen homely young women shining under the spotlight of boy's gazes … for lust and money and breeding and privilege all attract beyond mere looks。 The Sound sparkled with moonlight； and summer was at its peak； the sun had only just gone down an hour before； and the smell of salt sea air mingled with the foam of mermaids' souls； lost from true love。
All these things Owen thought。
3
〃Did you see Jimmy at the nationals？ God； I hear he's going to be at Wimbledon someday。 Soon。〃
〃If he's at Harvard …〃
〃When he's at Harvard； I'm going to call him Jimmy McTeague of the Ivy League。 Isn't that cute？〃
〃I think what's cute is his father。 Have you ever met him？〃
〃Well； I've been in the store。〃
〃Sports superstores never interested me。 It seems crass to sell that kind of thing。〃
〃I read in Forbes that his dad is worth several billion。〃
〃Dead or alive？〃
〃Dead； then Jimmy's worth that。〃
〃Jimmy McTeague is shallow。 He is。 He's not smart either；〃 one deb said； her party dress ruined because someone spilled a Bloody Mary down the front。 〃He's pretty but he's dumb。 And my uncle went