Remember When Read online

  Dear Readers,

  Remember When is set in Houston, where I lived at the time. My goal with this book was to portray Houston’s unique version of “high society,” along with some of the likeable (and not so likeable) Texans who inhabit it. Houstonians loved it; I hope you will, too.

  Warmly,

  Judith McNaught

  #1 New York Times bestselling author

  JUDITH McNAUGHT

  is “one of the finest writers of popular fiction”*—with more than 30 million copies of her books in print!

  Be sure to read

  SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

  “A sizzling tale. . . . [An] intriguing suspense plot. . . . A page-turner and pure romance fun!”

  —Romantic Times

  “Skillfully blending suspense with not one but two romances, McNaught has penned a tale that is difficult to put down. The characters . . . are distinctive and deftly drawn, the sexual tension sizzles, then sparks, and there are plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing. . . . An engrossing tale of romantic suspense . . . and a top-notch mystery.”

  —AOL’s Romance Fiction Forum

  “A compelling mix of dark desires and unexpected dangers. . . . This expertly crafted page-turner is sure to reward McNaught’s eager fans!”

  —Barnesandnoble.com*

  National acclaim for Judith McNaught and her splendid bestsellers

  NIGHT WHISPERS

  “Never miss a McNaught! Night Whispers heads like the Titanic toward its iceberg of a climax—with shocking revelations. . . . Stunning. . . . Sexy, smart, and pageturning, this is a must-read.”

  —Barnesandnoble.com

  “Fiery passion, taut suspense, and unforgettable characters. . . . McNaught has truly outdone herself. . . . You’ll find yourself delighted with this excellent book.”

  —Rendezvous

  REMEMBER WHEN

  “McNaught has a lot of fun with a marriage of convenience that turns out to be anything but.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “Romantic, witty, and entertaining . . .

  —San Antonio Express-News

  UNTIL YOU

  “Delicious. . . . A perfectly wonderful story. . . . A laughing, loving book, a page-turner and a delight.”

  —The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

  “Brilliantly done and completely entertaining . . . a sure-fire hit.”

  —Ocala Star-Banner (FL)

  PERFECT

  “Judith McNaught undoubtedly knows a thing or two about love. . . . Perfect is a steamy romantic escapade.”

  —The Dallas Morning News

  “The chemistry sizzles.”

  —San Francisco Chronicle

  PARADISE

  “Another incomparable love story Judith McNaught’s readers are sure to cherish.”

  —Dallas Times Herald

  A KINGDOM OF DREAMS

  “Wonderful!”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  WHITNEY, MY LOVE

  “The ultimate love story, one you can dream about forever.”

  —Romantic Times

  Thank you for downloading this Pocket Star Books eBook.

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  To St. Jude, Patron Saint of Impossible Things

  You put a lot of overtime in on this one—Thank you.

  Acknowledgments

  This is the page where, traditionally, authors offer a few words of thanks to those people who have been rather helpful, or extremely tolerant, during the gestation of their novel. In the case of this novel, which has taken forever to write, there is not enough space on this page to properly thank even one of the following people for their enormous help, understanding, and support. I can only hope each of you will realize how important you were, and you are, to me . . .

  To

  Dr. John M. Lewis, protector of hearts;

  Keith Spalding, always and ever the dearest of friends;

  George Bohnenburger, provider of instant answers to complicated questions on boggling subjects;

  Betty Mitchell, builder of dreams;

  Bruce Monical, artist, adviser, and dearest friend;

  Mark Strickler, most patient friend;

  Jim Hime, who redefines the concepts of thoroughness and integrity.

  And to

  John and Whitney Shelley and Clay McNaught—for being my family and my friends.

  Chapter 1

  Houston, 1979

  DIANA, ARE YOU STILL AWAKE? I’d like to talk to you.”

  Diana stopped in the act of turning off the lamp beside her bed and leaned back against the pillows. “Okay,” she called.

  “How’s the jet lag, honey?” her father asked as he walked toward her bed. “Are you exhausted?” At forty-three, Robert Foster was a tall, broad-shouldered Houston oilman with prematurely gray hair who normally exuded self-assurance, but not tonight. Tonight, he looked distinctly uneasy, and Diana knew why. Although she was only fourteen, she wasn’t silly enough to think he’d come there to talk about whether she had jet lag. He wanted to talk to her about her new stepmother and stepsister, whom she’d met for the first time this afternoon when she arrived home from a vacation in Europe with school friends. “I’m okay,” she said.

  “Diana—” he began; then he hesitated, sat down on the bed beside her, and took her hand in his. After a moment, he began again. “I know how strange it must have seemed to you to come home today and find out I’d remarried. Please believe that I would never have married Mary without giving you a chance to get to know each other if I hadn’t been positive, absolutely positive, that the two of you will learn to love each other. You do like her, don’t you?” he asked anxiously, searching her face. “You said you did—”

  Diana nodded, but she didn’t understand why he’d married someone he hardly knew and she’d never met until today. During the years since her mother died, he’d dated some really beautiful and very nice Houston women, but before things got too serious, he’d always introduced them to Diana and insisted the three of them spend time together. Now he’d actually married someone, but it was a lady she’d never set eyes on before. “Mary seems really nice,” she said after a moment. “I just don’t understand why you were in such a hurry.”

  He looked sheepish, but his answer was unquestionably heartfelt. “There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans, and may even seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it. Listen to your instincts and ignore everything else. Ignore logic, ignore the odds, ignore the complications, and just go for it.”

  “And that’s what you did?”

  He nodded. “I knew within hours of meeting Mary that she was just what I wanted for myself, and for you, and I knew when I met Corey that the four of us were going to be an exceptionally happy family. However, all my instincts warned me that if I gave Mary more than a little time to decide, she’d start thinking about all the obstacles and agonizing over them, and that in the end she’d turn me down.”

  Loyalty and common sense made that possibility seem entirely unlikely to Diana. Previous women had gone to absurd lengths to attract and hold her father’s interest. “It seems to me that practically every woman you’ve taken out has wanted you.”

  “No, honey, most of them wanted what I could give them in the form of financial security and social acceptance. Only a few have truly wanted me.”

  “But are you sure that Mary truly wanted you?” Diana asked, think