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“Good, good.”
“Quite the family you married into, eh?” He waves a hand around at the opulence surrounding us. “Hanson has never thrown this sort of affair.”
I shrug. “My father isn’t one for pomp.”
“Wouldn’t have known that, seeing the wedding he paid for.”
I smile. “Blame my mother for that.”
“Maybe you’ll shake things up when Hanson steps down.” Joseph peers at me closely. I’ve mostly ignored the speculation about the future of Ellsworth Enterprises, even as it’s grown louder. My father is nearing retirement age. I didn’t take a job at the company, the way everyone expected me to. I married Crew, who has an empire of his own to run.
“Maybe.”
Joseph smiles at my vague response and picks up his drink. “Have a lovely evening.”
“You too.”
I turn to the bartender once he disappears. “Hi. Can you make me something without alcohol, please?”
The bartender grins. He’s cute, close to my age. With a lanky build and shaggy hair. “First request I’ve gotten of those tonight.”
“I’ll bet. Businessmen love their fancy liquor.”
“No kidding. If I pawnedoneof these bottles, I’d be able to pay rent for months.” He backtracks quickly. “I’m not going to, obviously. Just a bad joke.”
I laugh. “Don’t worry about it. And I doubt anyone would even notice.”
“Do you like ginger?”
“Yes.”
He nods and starts pouring.
“Have you bartended long?”
“A couple of years. I’m getting my master’s at NYU. It’s good money and works with my class schedule.”
“What are you getting your master’s in?”
He looks sheepish. “Anthropology. You can laugh. I’ll be eating Ramen my whole life.”
“Good for you,” I say, and mean it. “Money is overrated.”
“Easy to say when you have it.”
“You’re right,” I agree. “But I bet most of these people aren’t very happy with their lives.”
“Are you?”
I sigh. “That’s a complicated question.”
“It is.” He studies me for a minute, then holds out a hand. “I’m Charlie.”
I shake his offered hand. “Scarlett.”
“Do you work for Kensington Consolidated?”
“Not exactly. I’m married to a Kensington.”
