“She does,” I agree. “All the fundraising events she orchestrates are like this.”
Hallie beams, her eyes twinkling as the string quartet on the far side of the ballroom seamlessly move into another song.
“So this is all for low-income city families?” Her eyes bounce around the room in wonder at all of the tuxedos and ballgowns as people move around and talk with champagne flutes in their hands. “Sinclair said over three million has been raised already.”
“She’s correct. And yes, it’s for kids who don’t get the opportunity to leave the city much and also for young caregivers. The charity arranges trips and vacations to the coast for them and their families.”
I pluck two glasses of orange juice from a server’s silver tray, thanking him before handing one to Hallie.
I slide my hand back to its position on her lower back the second she takes the glass from me. It’s been there since the moment I helped her out of our limo, and I have no desire to move it unless she wants me to.
“Young caregivers.” She shakes her head with a small, unbelieving smile. “It sounds like the charity that helped my family when Jenny and I were kids.”
“It does?”
She tugs on her lower lip with her teeth before lifting her eyes to meet mine.
“My parents were there as much as possible for us. But Jenny’s school wasn’t cheap, and they both worked long hours to pay for it. I was the one taking her and picking her up from school and making us dinner each night. Doing the grocery shopping, getting the housework and laundry done. Just regular stuff, you know?”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for a child.”
She frowns. “I guess it is. I used to go to these activity summer camps for kids. My place was funded by a charity. It’s where I met my best friend, Sophie. She’s a lawyer in London now. And I…” She glances around the room again. “I get to come to places like this and help people find love. I’m blessed to be able to do something I care about.”
She turns to me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
I rub slow circles against the base of her spine with my thumb.
I lower my voice discreetly. “You had to grow up fast. It’s okay to be conflicted in how you feel about that.”
She blinks, her eyes shining as she leans into me. “I wouldn’t change it. I loved every second I had with Jenny.”
“And now you dedicate your life to finding love for other people. But who looks after you, Hallie?” I rasp.
Her lips part and her cheeks flush before she breaks our eye contact, dropping her gaze to her glass.
I wait for her to speak.
After a few seconds of silence, she lifts her glass. “Let’s toast.”
I mirror her movement, clinking my crystal flute against hers.
“To?”
“To love. And to dating.”
She smiles as I chuckle.
“To love,” I echo. “And to new friends.”
My eyes fix on hers until she looks away, across the room, spotting something.
She rises on her toes to speak discreetly in my ear. “Is that Lavinia?”
Her fragrance surrounds me. Fresh, young, awakening. Like oranges and honey warmed by the sun. It’s the same as in her hair when we were at Liberty Island. I inhale subtly as I continue tracing circles over her skin with my thumb.
I whisper in her ear, “It is.”
“Wow. She’s beautiful.” Hallie places her free hand over my chest and rests it there. “Can we go and say hello?”
