“Are you going to behave yourself?” He stands behind me, and I take a sip of water as he sits down.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I reply, side-eying him as he picks up the napkin, placing it on his lap.
“Lucy, I get we need to talk. There are a lot of things which need to be… said.” He shifts and leans closer, so we are out of others’ ear shot. “But this event, this charity, it means a lot to me. So, I please just ask that you are professional.”
I frown, but nod.
Barely.
I am professional, and I realise that I hadn’t been. I’d let my emotions take control. I’d wanted to make him feel uncomfortable. Wanted to hurt him.
His hand is on the table, and I reach out and squeeze it. “Okay.”
He nods once and stands.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes. Try not to kill anyone.” He winks and disappears, falling into step with a man holding a file.
“How do you know Owen?” A deep voice catches my attention, and I turn to see a middle-aged gentleman has joinedme at the table, taking his seat the other side of me. I plaster a fake smile on my face and give the new guest my full attention.
“Honestly, I don’t think I can really say I do anymore.” I glance down, attempting to look bashful and coy. “But we grew up together. I’ve not seen him in years.” I place my hand over my chest. “It’s been quite the shock.”
“It was quite the reunion.” He looks at me knowingly, and I glance behind me, seeking him out in the crowd. A planned move to one, check his location, but two, to make it seem like I’m interested.
Attracted. Seeking. Looking.
“I still can’t quite believe it. He’s changed so much,” I say, smiling and blinking rapidly.
Ergh.
“Were you school friends?” He’s probing.
He knows Owen, and our reunion obviously has him intrigued. Because he wants to either fuck me in this dress, or to see who I am in relation to Owen.
Looking at his appearance, the smug expression, the slight way his lips are turned up, his roaming gaze on my tits.
Yeah, I’d say it’s the first with the second being an added bonus.
His aftershave is overpowering, and not in a nice way. The peppery musk hits the back of my throat, making me desperate to clear it. His suit is crisp and tailored, but there’s just something smarmy about him.
His blue eyes are slightly too small. He has that high school jock look about him that he hasn’t quite let go of. Something that may have worked for him ten years ago, but now looks tired and sad. A man desperately holding onto a past long gone.
“Foster family.”
He pulls back; his eyes widen. “No shit!”
“Shit.” I smile politely.
“Well, Jesus. He never mentioned you, not once.” That doesn’t surprise me. I’m in the part of his life that he has tried to bury, and failed at doing.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you would like to make your way to your tables,” a voice booms over the loudspeaker, and the jock stands up.
“It was so nice to meet you…” He holds out his hand, which I take, shaking it.
“Lucy.”
“Richard. Lovely to meet you. I had best find my table. Ah ha, here’s the man of the moment. Owen.” He claps him on his back as Owen joins us. “You never mentioned this little firecracker you had hidden.”
Owen looks at me and I smile politely, the mask still in place.
