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Carly was to me in no time, wrapping me in her long arms covered in poufy chiffon. “You look gorgeous. Brooks is going to be sad he missed this dress.”
There he was again.
“I’m sure he’s enjoying all the business suits and the stale chicken they serve at their dinners every night.” He had complained about the food, especially considering how expensive the conference was for him to attend. Of course, his firm was footing the bill. Apparently it was a badge of honor to present at this conference, and it spoke highly of him and his firm. All the more reason he should be there and not here.
“I don’t think so,” Carly countered me. “When I talked to him last night, he seemed agitated.”
“Really? He’d sounded happy—I mean, at least happy for him—when I talked to him briefly earlier today to wish him luck.”
Carly flashed me a toothy smile. “You do seem to bring out the best in him.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. “Well, enough about him.” I had to quit dwelling on him, for my own emotional well-being. It was weird how much I found myself longing for him to be here. Honestly, I’d thought I was good with just going with my girls. Evidently, I wasn’t. I smiled at Carly and Dillon, who had put his arm around his wife and held her close, making me even more jealous. “You both look fabulous. Make sure to save me and my dates a seat at your table.”
“Will do.” Dillon did the whole finger gun thing.
Carly rolled her eyes at her husband. “See you soon.” She and Dillon headed toward the check-in table to get their name tags.
I was once again on my way to check on the slideshow when none other than Morgan and her date, Olivander, appeared as if they had risen from the throes of hell. She was wearing a wine-red mermaid gown that hugged her so tight I was surprised she could walk or breathe. But, wowzers, did she look stunning. Her hair was done in an elegant twist, and the color of her dress electrified her eyes. Or maybe it was the way she glared at me with such malice. Her date, on the other hand, was a distinguished older gentleman with thick silver-fox hair. He walked in a manner befitting a royal. After what Brooks had told me about him, it was comical. I mean, hello, he was attending a small-town high school reunion. I had an urge to curtsy in front of him just for the fun of it, and to irk Morgan. Instead I decided the best thing I could do was to ignore them.
Without so much as a smirk, I turned from them and headed toward the stage, proud of myself for not rising to the occasion. Brooks had assured me he wanted nothing to do with Morgan, and if I didn’t believe that, then I shouldn’t be contemplating a relationship with him.
Morgan, apparently, wasn’t on board with my way of thinking. How she caught up to me so quickly in her stilettos and tight dress, I had no idea. Maybe she really was half witch.
“Gracie,” she spoke my name with venom. “I want you to meet someone.”
Was this a joke? Why would she want to introduce me to her date? I steeled myself before turning around.
Before I could say anything, she yanked her date toward her, practically ripping his arm out of its socket. “This is Olivander Kennedy,” she purred, “as in John F. Kennedy.”
“Wow.” I played along. “How are you related?”
Without a beat, he answered, “I hate to name-drop.”
Isn’t that what Morgan had just done on his behalf?
“Oh, come on. It’s not every day I get to meet someone related to a president. I mean, unless you count the Bushes’ nieces who have been clients of the spa I own. Such nice ladies.”
Olivander cleared his throat. “You’re associated with the Bush family?”
“Well, it is Texas.” I smiled the smiliest of smiles.
If I wasn’t mistaken, Morgan elbowed him. “Tell her about the time you visited the Kennedy Compound.”
“Yes, yes. Lovely place in Washington, DC.”
“Don’t you mean Hyannis Port in Massachusetts?”
His face turned bright red. “Yes, I mean, no,” he stuttered. “Yes, that is where the original compound is, but they kept houses in DC as well. I attended several fundraisers and mixers there.” He was an awful liar, and once again, I felt a tiny bit sorry for Morgan. Why did she feel the need to live a lie?
“How nice. Excuse me.”
“Where is Brooks?” She asked as if she didn’t already know.
“At his conference.”
She sneered at me. “Of course; his career is everything to him.”
Okay, the tiny shred of sorry I’d felt for her went out the window. “Yes, he’s very dedicated to his clients.”
“You would do well to remember that.”
