“I don’t know,” Rose says, smiling. “Sounds like fate to me.”
“Oh no…Fleur, I love you and all the romantic bones in your body, but this is not some new love story starting up,” Luc tells her and leans over and kisses her cheek. “She looked at him like he was contagious.”
“Thanks,” I say, but I chuckle because it is true. “And she still does. You can see for yourself if you guys come to the fund-raiser.”
“I’ll buy tickets as soon as we get home,” Rose announces happily.
“Thanks,mon ami,” Luc gripes, but he’s smiling. “I love having to wear a suit on my day off. Because wearing them to games isn’t enough.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t take so much joy in my pain and I won’t take joy in yours,” I quip.
Rose rolls her eyes at us and turns to Luc. “We’ll spend the night in the Hamptons. I’ll find a bed-and-breakfast. I’ll make it worth your while.”
She has a look on her face that makes Luc’s expression get darker and definitely more intimate, like he doesn’t realize everyone in this place can see the lust on his face. I clear my throat to remind him I’m alive as I reach for my wallet.
“I’m going to go. My new bed was delivered this afternoon and I can’t wait to give it a test drive.” I drop twenty bucks on the table and lean over it, closer to Luc. “Looks like you are going to thank me for inviting you to this fund-raiser.”
“I hope so,” Luc replies. “I forgot how much she loves beach getaways.”
Rose gets out of the booth and hugs me good-bye. “See you tomorrow night.”
Chapter 7
Brie
Len smiles at me as she carries over two glasses of champagne. She hands me one and then leans in and kisses my cheek. “It’s a fantastic event.”
“I’m not willing to admit victory until the final numbers are in,” I tell her, but I smile. We sold out of tickets and everyone is having a great time and there’s been a lot of activity at the table showcasing the auction items.
“I heard two guys from your dad’s office talking about outbidding each other on the deep-sea fishing trip,” Len says. “And a woman was telling her friend over by the pool that she will do anything for that Barons hockey package.”
I nod at that and my brain instantly goes to Alex. Len told me she saw him walk in about half an hour ago with a pretty brunette. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was looking for him. But the party is spread out all over the first floor of the house and spills out onto the sprawling backyard, since the weather is unseasonably warm for October and that pesky rain from yesterday completely disappeared. We haven’t even had to turn on all the portable heaters yet and it’s almost nine at night.
“Where’s Vic?” Len asks as she sips champagne.
“Victor,” I reply pointedly, “is on the patio with his buddies from his office.”
“Did he bring any cute ones this time?” Len asks. “Does he even have any cute friends?”
“Of course he has attractive friends,” I reply and roll my eyes. “But I don’t think any of the guys he invited tonight would be your cup of tea. Two are married, one is gay and the other is going through a rough divorce. It’s all he talks about.”
“Ugh,” Len sighs dramatically and then perks up instantly. “Maybe you can give him therapy and make him datable again.”
I laugh. “I specialize in family and child therapy, Lennie.”
“Let’s be honest, most men are just overgrown children, so it’s not out of your wheelhouse,” she says tartly and I laugh. Her blue eyes widen and she points, very obviously, at a stunning woman in a red cocktail dress. “Oh! That’s the woman Alex came with. I told you she was pretty.”
I take in the woman walking in from the patio. Her hair is long and silky and a rich color that may actually be more black than brown. Her skin is like flawless alabaster and the perfect amount of smoky makeup accentuates her wide dark brown eyes. The dress is flirty and cute but also clinging enough to all the right places to make sure everyone in this room knows she’s got a killer figure.
“That isn’t the fiancée of the Seattle teammate, is it? The one he was apparently getting jiggy with on that road trip?” Len asks in a lower whisper.
I shake my head no, because I hate to admit it but I kind of memorized that dubious photo. “That woman had longer, lighter brown hair and much lighter eyes. She seemed taller and had more of an athletic build. Not that I analyzed it or anything…”
Len barks out a “Ha!” so loud that a couple near us turns to look. I smile politely and tug her over a few feet to an area near the fireplace where no one is congregating. “Are you interested in Alex?”
“What? Oh God no!” Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I have a boyfriend. And also, he’s not my type.”
“Let’s pretend Victor doesn’t exist for a second.” She pauses and smiles way too happily at that idea. “You’re single. You’re so single you’re contemplating getting a cat. Are you interested in him?”
