Maybe he was annoyed that she’d cornered him into agreeing to a match. She’d expected him to climb into the limousine and give her a few choice words. But he’d merely held her elbow as he guided her inside, where another bottle of champagne awaited them.
She shook her head. Billionaires.
Her mother poured them each a glass. “I had such a lovely time with Susan Spencer.”
Susan and her mother had spent more than an hour together, chatting away, laughing, and hitting it off spectacularly. She was glad Flo had found another friend.
“She even invited me for coffee next week, just the two of us. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Marvelous.” Michaela couldn’t help smiling over her mother’s enthusiasm.
Flo loved meeting new people. “They weren’t at all what you’d imagine a bunch of billionaires to be—not stuffy or standoffish or snobby.” She didn’t even look to Michaela for agreement. “Everyone was so welcoming. Even Smith Sullivan and his wife Valentina. You’d think, being such a mega movie star, that Smith would be a little full of himself. But he was delightful, wasn’t he?” She didn’t pause for Michaela’s answer. “And the Mavericks. Susan couldn’t say enough good things about them.”
Michaela had to point out, “Of course not. They’re her foster sons.”
Flo waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t be silly. They’re her sons,” she said, underlined and italicized. “I’ve never seen a more close-knit family.” She paused. “Unless you compare them to the Harringtons.” Oh, hadn’t she slipped that in ever so smoothly.
Susan had brought Flo over to meet Troy’s family. Gabby had even hugged her, surprising the heck out of Michaela when she said, “I’m so excited. Michaela’s going to matchmake for both me and Troy.” Mischief had sparkled in her gaze.
Matchmaking for those two was going to be a nightmare.
Troy had snorted, but now her mother was giving her a look. That look. Because, while Michaela matched for billionaires, her mother was constantly matchmaking for her.
It was time to steer the conversation in another direction. “Walter Braedon seemed quite smitten with you.”
While her mother was usually direct, looking a person in the eye, never hemming and hawing, she now examined her fingers clasped around the champagne glass and hemmed and hawed. “Oh, well, I don’t know…”
Thank God. Michaela had successfully steered her away from talk of Troy Harrington. “He couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
Her mother took a great gulp of champagne, which went down the wrong way and turned into a cough. Or maybe that was a ruse so she wouldn’t have to answer. Michaela waited her out, then finally asked, “So, did I see a little spark there?”
Flo finally gained her composure. “Don’t be silly. He’s a handsome man, especially with those dimples. I won’t deny that. But seriously, I’m not his type. He’s a billionaire, with all those young ladies hanging on him.”
Michaela could only gape at her. Now it was her turn to say, “I didn’t see a single young lady hanging on him. And I’d match you with a billionaire any day.”
Flo turned it back on her. “Then why don’t you match yourself with one? Do you think you’re not good enough?”
Michaela snorted loudly, but Flo’s words had a little sting to them. “It’s just not a world where I’d fit in. There’s too much money, too many parties, too many events, and too much ego.”
“You certainly fit in tonight,” her mother said dryly.
“That’s because I was working. It’s completely different. I was there to interview Gabby Harrington. It was business, not personal. But for myself, I’d prefer a man who’s worked hard, pulled himself up by his bootstraps.” She huffed out a breath. “Like we did.”
Flo didn’t give in. “I’m sure there are some very nice billionaires out there who’ve pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.”
Michaela came up with another brilliant idea to again steer her mother in another direction. “Maybe we need to look up Walter Braedon. I wonder if he inherited his hotel empire? Or if he started it himself? Maybe he pulled himself up by his bootstraps too.”
Flo gave her a look. “Are you trying to matchmake for me?”
Michaela gave her mother the most innocent smile. “I just noticed a few sparks, that’s all.” Then she waggled her eyebrows. “Sparks are always worth looking into.”
Her mother’s lips flatlined. “Michaela Killian, don’t you dare look up Walter online. And don’t matchmake for me either.”
Michaela noticed her mother hadn’t denied the sparks.
But then it struck her. Were sparks a good thing? After all, Walter Braedon was a billionaire. And Flo could easily get her heart broken a second time. Michaela could not stand it if her mother got hurt.
Maybe, after all, it was better for Flo to steer clear. Just as it was better for Michaela to steer clear of Troy Harrington in any other capacity than as a client.
