“Ivy,” Imogen said. “I must insist that you do something about the bridal tea this Friday afternoon.”
“We have a very nice event planned,” Ivy assured her. “We’re having it at one of the Greyson Hotel Group’s historic hotels. There’s going to be flower arranging and a woman giving lessons on tea ceremonies.”
“Yes,” Imogen said, sounding disinterested, “but is it going to photograph well?”
“Grace will be there early to scope out the best angles,” Ivy assured my half sister.
“Immie!” Teddy called, coming into their apartment. He bent down to kiss her. “How is my beautiful fiancée?”
“Don’t!” She pushed him away. “You’ll ruin my makeup. I have a ladies’ nonprofit lunch in a bit, and we’re having pictures taken to put up on Instagram.”
Teddy shrugged and grabbed a quiche from the platter.
“Don’t you want to watch your weight for the wedding?” Imogen said, mouth turning down disapprovingly.
“Grooms aren’t supposed to diet,” he said, patting his round belly.
I resolved in that moment to up my exercise routine. Teddy considered himself to be an entrepreneur, which meant he just went to parties and lunches and basically didn’t do much of anything except periodically spend his uncle’s money on some inane concept. Still, he was my ticket to getting the Svenssons off my case.
“Teddy.” I shook his hand. “Just the man I wanted to see.”
“Sucks about your wedding, dude,” he told me, grabbing another quiche. “Cammie’s real tore up about it. Give her a call, eh?”
My jaw tensed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, Evan,” Imogen cried, “she didn’t mean it!”
Ivy was sitting with her back straight, making notes in a sparkly gold and pink notebook. I could feel the disapproval wafting off of her. Maybe she had been telling the truth after all. She wasn’t jumping on the “forgive Camilla” bandwagon.
But if you want that property, maybe you should. Who knows how much clout Teddy has left with Orson Sutherland.
I grabbed Teddy. “Let’s let the ladies plan their wedding. I need to talk to you.”
Ivy all but rolled her eyes as I dragged Teddy into the foyer.
“Look, you know about that deal I had with your uncle, right?”
“The land deal?” he said and took another bite of quiche.
“Right. Look. Can you talk to him for me? You know, we’re going to be family, with you marrying my half sister and everything.”
“Totally, dude, totally. But just give Camilla a call, would you? She is sorry. She’s heartbroken!” Teddy said.
“Sure,” I lied. “I’ll do that.”
A woman cleared her throat behind me. “I’ll be leaving now, Mr. Harrington, since our meeting about womanly things like wedding planning is over,” Ivy said dryly.
“I’ll walk you down,” I offered, grabbing my coat off the rack.
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I was just leaving.”
“I’m leaving first,” she said, pushing past me.
I easily caught up to her in two strides and slid into the elevator before she could mash the close door button. She was quiet as it took us down to the ground floor.
When the doors opened, Ivy brushed past me, saying over her shoulder, “I hope you’re not getting back together with that lying bitch. Though knowing you, you don’t have enough sense not to.”
