“Pleasure to meet you, Daisy. Your work is amazing,” he said in an accent Daisy couldn’t place, and loved immediately.
“Thank you, Jean-Luc.”
“He works at the law firm I’m at every other week. He’s a mediator,” Anna said, pressing closer to him.
Leave it to Anna to bring someone who might be helping with her divorce. “You’re nothermediator, right?”
Both laughed, shaking their heads. “Of course not,” Jean-Luc said. “Conflict of interest.”
“Well, since this is the first I’m hearing of you, I was left to assume.”
“It’s new. Like… first-date new.”
“Then she must like you. First date and you’re meeting the best friend.”
“Starting strong,” he said.
After a few minutes, Jean-Luc excused himself to the restroom. When he was out of earshot, Daisy shot Anna a look that saidexplain. Anna tugged her to a less-crowded area toward the front of the gallery.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Isn’t it? The last time I checked, you were still married.”
“Barely,” she mumbled.
“Still. Wasn’t it only a few days ago you asked my mother’s opinion on sleeping with Vaughn?”
“Oh God, please don’t speak of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”
“Really? We’re going full Harry Potter?”
She ignored that. “I don’t want your judgment, Daisy. I need your support.”
Daisy bit back the lecture. While she was in no place to judge, she did care about her psyche. Call her crazy, but Daisy didn’t think it was a great idea to start dating a new guy while involved in a nasty divorce.
Instead, she laid a hand on her arm. “I will always support you. Even through your questionable life decisions.”
“I can live with that.” Anna pulled her into a bear hug and held on for a long time. And whereas Daisy loved affection, she didn’t think this party was the time or place for Anna to so thoroughly express hers. Daisy felt Anna hug her tighter and felt a short gasp rocket through her body.
“Are you okay?”
Anna slowly pulled back. But instead of looking at Daisy, her eyes were fixating toward the door. In fact, it seemed that the entire party had taken a quiet turn and everyone was looking in the same direction.
Daisy followed their gaze.
She didn’t gasp. Didn’t flinch. Because she wasn’t all that surprised.
She’d thought he’d honor their bargain, but who was she kidding? Jameson Kingston had always been hardheaded. He’d fight tooth and nail for what he wanted. And apparently, being a cold-hearted bitch hadn’t dissuaded him from wanting to reconnect with her.
A frown pulled at Daisy’s mouth as Jameson spotted her from the entrance. He bit his bottom lip like a boy caught in trouble and started toward her. She tried to hold the glare, but it slipped when she saw the man just behind him.
Lenny Kingston. And he hadn’t changed one bit.
While Jameson had filled out, boyish edges carved into something rougher, Lenny still wore the same baby face and bright, cheeky smile.
Lenny pushed past Jameson and wrapped Daisy in his lanky arms. “My, my, my, Miss Daniels. How I’ve missed you!”
“Hi, Lenny!” She squeezed him back.
