My eyes scan the room, but still, there’s no sign of Luca.Where is my prince when this princess needs rescuing?
As I tug on the fabric of my not-so-incognito gown, a waiter strolls by with a full tray of champagne, and I quickly grab one of the flutes from the tray.The beverage may not make me invisible, but hopefully it will quell the rising tide of embarrassment.
“Luca’s a great guy, isn’t he?”A gruff voice rumbles from next to me, catching me mid-sip.
I turn, swallowing, before replying, “Yes, he really is.One of the best.”I smile, hoping he’s not here to poke fun at me too.
“I overheard you’re American, but I didn’t catch your name, dear?”The man is older, with a thick mustache framing his full upper lip.
“It’s Jemma,” I say, extending one hand and keeping my other tightly curled around the narrow stem of my glass.
“Alain,” he introduces himself, taking my hand and flipping it over to kiss the top of it, his lips feeling sloppy against my delicate skin.“Luca’s boss,” he adds.
Just great.
I manage an awkward smile, retracting my hand as quickly as I can.I’m dying to wipe his slobber off my skin, but I’m most certainly not going to do it on Gretchen’s dress.Even if it’s not appropriate for this party, I still love it.So, I uncomfortably let my hand air dry, shaking it lightly behind me.
Yuck.
“Luca is one of my best employees,” Alain continues, his voice swelling with pride.“He’s been with me for ten years.I don’t know what I’d do without him.He’s one of the best in the business.”
I nod, a small smile creeping onto my lips.It’s nice to hear of his fondness for Luca.
“Are you here on holiday?”Alain’s beady eyes glint with curiosity, taking more of an interest in me than his employees.
“Yes, but I leave soon.”I frown, taking a sip of my bubbly champagne.
“Paris is dreamy this time of year, isn’t it?”He leans in closer, a wink punctuating his comment.
“It is lovely,” I reply.“I wish I didn’t have to go back to New York so soon.”
“What do you do for work back in the States?”he asks.
“I’m in advertising analysis for Foster & Sons,” I say, the words rolling off my tongue out of habit.“I mean, I was—” My voice trails off as I struggle to find the words to continue.It’s complicated.
Alain tilts his head thoughtfully.“Oh, is that how you met Luca?”
“Pardon?”
“Yes, that must be how the two of you met.Foster & Son’s was one of Luca’s consulting projects while he was in New York.”
Confusion wraps around me.
When I don’t respond, the husky man continues, “My company is one of the most sought-after in the world when it comes to getting businesses back on track before the new year, and Luca is the best at trimming the fat.”
I stare at him, the ground feeling unsteady.“I’m the fat he trimmed,” I say through gritted teeth.
Heat surges to my cheeks as the party around me spins into a blur.
An embarrassed expression crosses Alain’s pudgy face.“I just assumed when you said you worked for Foster & Sons that’s how you and Luca met.”
“No, I met Luca at the airport.”
None of this makes sense, but then suddenly everything clicks into place.Luca was the one sitting at the end of the table in the conference room—the one Tyler had been staring at—the one urging Tyler to say the words they rehearsed together.
My stomach lurches.
“Luca lied to me,” I say under my breath.
