“Absolutely.” I fish into my beaded handbag and extract a business card from my monogrammed silver holder. “My sister and brother-in-law live right there on the lake, so I’m over there quite a bit. I’d love to swing by sometime and take a look at the space.”
“Wonderful,” she says with a little finger flutter that’s equal parts friendly and dismissive. “I’ll be in touch. Ciao.”
“Ciao,” I echo, thanking my lucky stars she didn’t do that stupid trendy air kiss that got so popular with Portland socialites a couple of years back.
As the ladies wander off, I feel Dax watching me. “What?” I ask, not sure how to read his expression.
“You.” He gives a small smile, but I can’t tell how to read it. “You really know how to work a crowd like this.”
“Thanks.” I’m not entirely sure that was a compliment, but I’m choosing to take it as one. “Schmoozing at events like this can be important for my business.”
“I can see that.” He smiles and leans down to plant a kiss at the edge of my ear, and I shiver with pleasure. “And I can see right down to your belly button in that dress. Have I mentioned it’s fucking fantastic?”
I grin and reach up to finger one of the beaded straps. “What, this old thing?”
He laughs and grabs my hand again. “Come on. Let’s go get that wine.”
We’ve almost reached the bar when an elegant blonde steps in front of us. She wears a glittering red Versace gown and a smile so big I could count her teeth.
She reaches out to touch Dax’s arm, and I have to fight the urge to bite her hand.
“Dax, honey.” She smiles wider, and I think maybe I can see her kidneys. “It’s so good to see you again.”
Judging his tense expression, the feeling is not mutual. His arm stiffens in my grip, and I glance up to see he’s clenching his jaw again.
He turns and looks at me with a stony expression, and I know.
It’s her.
“Lisa Michaels,” he says slowly. “I’d like you to meet Kaitlyn Whitaker.”
Chapter 18
Dax
The shock in Lisa’s eyes would be completely undetectable to anyone who hadn’t spent the last month watching for clues to her state of mind.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Kaitlyn.” Lisa says it with so much poise and charm she’s practically oozing it.
My ex-girlfriend extends her own manicured hand, and the two ladies exchange the most civilized, frosty handshake in the history of female handshakes. “Likewise,” Kaitlyn says, eyeing Lisa up and down. “Lovely dress. Naeem Khan, right?”
Lisa nods and tosses her hair, cool as can be. “That’s right. Yours is beautiful, too.”
“Mmm, thank you. It’s Versace.”
“Yes, I recognize it. From their fall collection, yes?”
I grit my teeth, understanding this as part of the mating dance that’s done between the social elite at events like this where everyone’s trying to figure out how some new introduction might benefit their career or social status. Three years with Kaitlyn made me familiar with it, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it. The women chatter on about their shoes and handbags and I start to tune out until I hear my own name.
“Dax, sweetie.” Kaitlyn rests a hand on my arm, and I wonder if Lisa recognizes it’s a power play. Probably not, since she has no way of knowing my ex was never an arm toucher or a pet name user during our time together. Kaitlyn’s shark smile is another indicator, and she flashes it at me before continuing. “How do you and Lisa know each other?”
I glance at Lisa, waiting to see what she’d like to volunteer. How she’d like to frame our relationship. “We met at the Driftwood Room,” Lisa says, taking charge of the conversation and steering it back to safer turf. “Have you been there?” Lisa asks. “Their Sazerac is to die for.”
“I haven’t yet, no.” Kaitlyn’s guarded expression says she’s weighing how crucial this might be to her social standing. “How does it compare to the Sazerac at Pepe Le Moko?”
“Mmm, they use George Dickel rye and a splash of hibiscus tea simple syrup, for starters. Very fresh and unique.”
I start to tune out again, wishing like hell we’d made it to the bar. I could go for two fingers of Jack Daniels neat right about now. I consider slipping away, or maybe signaling Lisa that I need some air. Then again, maybe a connection with Kaitlyn could benefit her business somehow. Far be it from me to fuck that up for her.
