Roxanne shook her head. “Always working, huh, Dec?” When he glared again, she burst out laughing. “Go, I’ll be fine. I’ll have security walk me to my car.”
Evie shared a look with Declan and bit her lip before facing Roxanne. “Are you sure, because we don’t mind waiting.”
“I’m positive. Now, go! And thanks again, Evie, for all your help.” She waved them on.
In a move she hadn’t seen coming, Declan swiped the wooden piece from her hands. “Mind if I take a closer look?”
Yes, I do mind!
Roxanne flattened her lips, watching his eyes scan the piece.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Evie asked.
“Yeah, it is.” He flipped it over, and Roxanne’s heart rate spiked when the corner of his mouth curled slightly. He gave her a sideways glance and smirked. “Highest bidder, huh?”
“Yeah, by almost two grand, and the lower bids were extremely generous,” Evie said.
Roxanne drew in a breath, attempting to keep her expression in check. Declan was skilled at reading people. Meanwhile, Evie was clueless of Roxanne’s increased tension filling the hallway. It wasn’t Evie’s fault. She had no clue she was throwing Roxanne under the bus. When she put in the bid, she’d intended to do it without anyone noticing.It was supposed to be my secret.
Declan handed it back to her. “The work is familiar.”
Of course, it was. Much like her brothers, Declan was friends with the artist too.
“Yeah, Jonah something. I couldn’t make out the last name on the back,” Evie offered, and Roxanne’s face heated.
“McMillian. Jonah McMillian.” Declan grinned, keeping his amusement directed at Roxanne. “Over two grand, huh? You must really like his work.”
“He’s talented,” she blurted, sounding defensive.
Shit!
“Yeah, he is.” Declan’s lips twitched. “Good guy too.”
Until now, she thought she’d kept her interest inthe artistconcealed pretty well. Aside from her best friend and some of the other girls, she’d never talked about him.How the hell does Declan know?
Roxanne immediately turned her attention to Evie, taking her friend in for a hug. “Thanks again, Evie.”
She glanced at Declan, who was now openly grinning, holding nothing back during their embrace. She narrowed her gaze and mouthed. “Shut up, Declan.”
It was juvenile and only intensified his amusement, which rolled into a deep chuckle. Thankfully, Evie seemed none the wiser. She stepped back and gave a short wave.
“Bye, Roxanne.”
Declan grasped Evie’s hand and led her down the hallway to the exit. “Later, Rox.”
“Drive safe, guys.”
When the doors closed, she waited a second before touching the wooden art. She’d spent a lot of time inspecting and appreciating the piece when it arrived last week. The moment she laid her eyes on it, her decision was made. She traced her finger over the etched grooves. There was so much attention to detail. It must have taken forever to complete. He obviously hada passion for his work. What else was he passionate about? That thought had her mind shifting in an entirely different direction.
Her heart rate spiked, and a warm rush raced through her veins as she tightened her grip. She was no longer thinking of the art but of the artist.
Jonah.
He was barely an acquaintance. A longtime friend of her brother’s but not the usual type. Jonah hadn’t grown up around the family. Until recently, she’d never seen him at any gatherings or parties. He was a bit of a mystery and one that had intrigued Roxanne since the moment she’d laid eyes on him.
She’d experienced instant attraction before, but nothing to this extent. She was hyperaware of his presence and drawn to him. He was gorgeous, muscular and rugged, which explained the attraction. But there was something else. In any situation, Roxanne was the epitome of confident, calm and engaging. With Jonah? She still hadn’t worked up the courage to speak to him aside from a few pleasantries. The man knocked her off balance.
Roxanne had thought she’d come up with the perfect plan to force another interaction. Under the guise of soliciting a donation, she’d sent an invitation to the benefit. It would’ve been a convenient starting point for getting to know him better without appearing too obvious. Much to her disappointment, he’d declined.
