Noah and Damien come back, and this time when I look at Noah, I can glimpse the sadness in his eyes. He’s an exceptionally good-looking man, with rich, auburn hair and the kind of athletic build that demands attention. So it’s easy to overlook the loss that clings to him. But it’s there, and it breaks my heart a little.
The men drift away as Jane and I continue to chat, talking about her movie and the party and all the incredible dresses we’re seeing here tonight.
“Are you hot?” I ask, picking up a program and fanning myself. “I’m dying. Want to walk over to the bar for a drink?”
She peers at me, then down at my ankles. “Assuming you mean water when you say drink, I’m all for it. Mostly, I think we should find you a chair. You do look a little pale.”
We move to the bar area and snag one of the cocktail tables. Jane heads off to get wine for her and water for me, and while she’s gone, Steve and Anderson plunk down in two of the chairs opposite me. “You guys,” I say, giddily. “I haven’t seen you in ages. I’d hug you, but there is no way in hell I’m standing up again right now.”
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Steve says. He’s a working screenwriter who never had a movie produced until they hired him to do some rewrites on The Price of Ransom. Now, he and Jane share credit for the screen adaptation of her book.
“They are. Just a few months and I’ll be a parent, too. How’s Lily?”
“Amazing,” Anderson says, pulling out his wallet and opening it to show off the picture of the smiling little girl with dark curls they adopted almost two years ago.
“We’re thinking she needs a sister,” Steve says.
“We weren’t,” Anderson clarifies. “But my sister and brother-in-law just got back from China with their son, Matthew. He’s precious. I’d bore you with a picture, but my phone ran out of charge. Anyway, Matthew is the reason Lily may not stay an only child.”
“Lily was privately adopted,” Steve says. “But we’d adopt from China in a heartbeat if they’d let us. It’s a ridiculous system.”
Anderson pats his hand. “Give it up, sweetie. There are a lot of kids who need homes.” He returns his attention to me. “We can’t adopt from China,” he explains. He leans forward as if to convey a secret. “We share the love that dare not speak its name.”
Steve rolls his eyes. “In other words, China doesn’t like that Lily has two daddies.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “But Anderson’s right. There are a lot of other kids who need you.”
Steve waves it away. “Didn’t mean to get morose or political on you. Especially when you’re on the nest. When are you due?”
“I’m not exactly sure. My first official appointment is Monday. But the doctor in Texas thinks I’m about ten weeks along.”
“And are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”
“Either. But I think it’s a girl.”
“Well, I have to give a personal thumbs up to little girls,” Anderson says. “But don’t be disappointed if you’re wrong.”
I laugh. “A miniature Damien Stark? How could I be?”
“A mini-me?” Damien asks, coming up to join us. “Hi, Steve. Anderson. Do you mind if I steal our girl? Jamie wants to do the interview before Lyle and I talk to the crowd.”
“Sure,” I say. “Keep me posted,” I add to the guys. I’m about to relay our conversation to Damien as we walk away when he tugs me into the shadows. I’m expecting a quick kiss before we go see Jamie. Instead, he says, “I talked with Bruce.”
“My old boss? Giselle’s ex-husband?”
“One and the same.”
I frown. “How does he feel about Giselle being here?” I haven’t actually seen her tonight, but since she donated the Glencarrie, I’m sure she’s around. “And did you tell him about the texts and the email? What does he think of her state of mind lately? Could she be sending them? Even though she’s got money now? She’s bound to still be pissed at you and me.” My words come spilling out, but it won’t make me sad to learn that Giselle’s the one harassing me. I’ll just be glad to have answers.
“I did tell him,” Damien says. “Considering he went through a lot of the earlier shit with you, I didn’t think you’d mind.” Damien’s right. When I’d worked for Bruce, the paparazzi had basically stormed his office to get at me, all because his asshole employee, Tanner Gates, wanted to make a little easy money by leaking my location—and in the process, punish me for doing my job better than him. Then later, Bruce learned that his estranged wife Giselle had done essentially the same thing, selling Damien and me out to the press in order to make a buck.
So, no. I don’t mind Bruce knowing about the harassment. “Well?” I press.
“He doesn’t think it’s Giselle. He confirmed my thoughts, actually. She’s happily married now with the bank account to prove it, so any lingering jealousy of your windfall from marrying me has disappeared.”
I see the amusement dancing in his eyes. “What are you laughing at? It really was a hell of a windfall.” I ease closer and kiss him lightly, my palm against his chest. “Only I’m not talking about your money.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “Bruce did have one interesting theory, though.”
I lean back, intrigued by the serious tone of his voice. “What? About the messages, you mean?”
“Apparently, Tanner was in the running for the Greystone-Branch project. Or at least the company he now works for submitted a proposal.”
I stumble under the force of that revelation. Every message has sounded like a disgruntled competitor.
“I intend to have a little talk with the bastard,” he says, and I grab his arm, shaking my head.
“Don’t do anything rash,” I say. “It’s not like he’s the only one it could be. Please,” I add when he gives me a look that very clearly suggests he is not convinced. “Promise me you won’t fly off the handle.”
His nod is curt but firm, and I’m just about to pull him into another hug, when Jamie rushes up to us.
“Hello? What, did you get lost? Come on. We’re going to do this outside so we can have the theater in the background. And so we can get a few shots of the crowd. Are you okay?” she adds, peering at me. “Your makeup’s about to slough off.”
The men drift away as Jane and I continue to chat, talking about her movie and the party and all the incredible dresses we’re seeing here tonight.
“Are you hot?” I ask, picking up a program and fanning myself. “I’m dying. Want to walk over to the bar for a drink?”
She peers at me, then down at my ankles. “Assuming you mean water when you say drink, I’m all for it. Mostly, I think we should find you a chair. You do look a little pale.”
We move to the bar area and snag one of the cocktail tables. Jane heads off to get wine for her and water for me, and while she’s gone, Steve and Anderson plunk down in two of the chairs opposite me. “You guys,” I say, giddily. “I haven’t seen you in ages. I’d hug you, but there is no way in hell I’m standing up again right now.”
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Steve says. He’s a working screenwriter who never had a movie produced until they hired him to do some rewrites on The Price of Ransom. Now, he and Jane share credit for the screen adaptation of her book.
“They are. Just a few months and I’ll be a parent, too. How’s Lily?”
“Amazing,” Anderson says, pulling out his wallet and opening it to show off the picture of the smiling little girl with dark curls they adopted almost two years ago.
“We’re thinking she needs a sister,” Steve says.
“We weren’t,” Anderson clarifies. “But my sister and brother-in-law just got back from China with their son, Matthew. He’s precious. I’d bore you with a picture, but my phone ran out of charge. Anyway, Matthew is the reason Lily may not stay an only child.”
“Lily was privately adopted,” Steve says. “But we’d adopt from China in a heartbeat if they’d let us. It’s a ridiculous system.”
Anderson pats his hand. “Give it up, sweetie. There are a lot of kids who need homes.” He returns his attention to me. “We can’t adopt from China,” he explains. He leans forward as if to convey a secret. “We share the love that dare not speak its name.”
Steve rolls his eyes. “In other words, China doesn’t like that Lily has two daddies.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “But Anderson’s right. There are a lot of other kids who need you.”
Steve waves it away. “Didn’t mean to get morose or political on you. Especially when you’re on the nest. When are you due?”
“I’m not exactly sure. My first official appointment is Monday. But the doctor in Texas thinks I’m about ten weeks along.”
“And are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”
“Either. But I think it’s a girl.”
“Well, I have to give a personal thumbs up to little girls,” Anderson says. “But don’t be disappointed if you’re wrong.”
I laugh. “A miniature Damien Stark? How could I be?”
“A mini-me?” Damien asks, coming up to join us. “Hi, Steve. Anderson. Do you mind if I steal our girl? Jamie wants to do the interview before Lyle and I talk to the crowd.”
“Sure,” I say. “Keep me posted,” I add to the guys. I’m about to relay our conversation to Damien as we walk away when he tugs me into the shadows. I’m expecting a quick kiss before we go see Jamie. Instead, he says, “I talked with Bruce.”
“My old boss? Giselle’s ex-husband?”
“One and the same.”
I frown. “How does he feel about Giselle being here?” I haven’t actually seen her tonight, but since she donated the Glencarrie, I’m sure she’s around. “And did you tell him about the texts and the email? What does he think of her state of mind lately? Could she be sending them? Even though she’s got money now? She’s bound to still be pissed at you and me.” My words come spilling out, but it won’t make me sad to learn that Giselle’s the one harassing me. I’ll just be glad to have answers.
“I did tell him,” Damien says. “Considering he went through a lot of the earlier shit with you, I didn’t think you’d mind.” Damien’s right. When I’d worked for Bruce, the paparazzi had basically stormed his office to get at me, all because his asshole employee, Tanner Gates, wanted to make a little easy money by leaking my location—and in the process, punish me for doing my job better than him. Then later, Bruce learned that his estranged wife Giselle had done essentially the same thing, selling Damien and me out to the press in order to make a buck.
So, no. I don’t mind Bruce knowing about the harassment. “Well?” I press.
“He doesn’t think it’s Giselle. He confirmed my thoughts, actually. She’s happily married now with the bank account to prove it, so any lingering jealousy of your windfall from marrying me has disappeared.”
I see the amusement dancing in his eyes. “What are you laughing at? It really was a hell of a windfall.” I ease closer and kiss him lightly, my palm against his chest. “Only I’m not talking about your money.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “Bruce did have one interesting theory, though.”
I lean back, intrigued by the serious tone of his voice. “What? About the messages, you mean?”
“Apparently, Tanner was in the running for the Greystone-Branch project. Or at least the company he now works for submitted a proposal.”
I stumble under the force of that revelation. Every message has sounded like a disgruntled competitor.
“I intend to have a little talk with the bastard,” he says, and I grab his arm, shaking my head.
“Don’t do anything rash,” I say. “It’s not like he’s the only one it could be. Please,” I add when he gives me a look that very clearly suggests he is not convinced. “Promise me you won’t fly off the handle.”
His nod is curt but firm, and I’m just about to pull him into another hug, when Jamie rushes up to us.
“Hello? What, did you get lost? Come on. We’re going to do this outside so we can have the theater in the background. And so we can get a few shots of the crowd. Are you okay?” she adds, peering at me. “Your makeup’s about to slough off.”
