“What’s it been… ten years?”
“Not quite, but it feels like it. How are you?”
“You haven’t heard? I thought our lives weren’t so secret to anyone.”
Daisy glanced at Anna, whose face had gone stone. Arms folded, eyes shooting daggers at the man standing anxiously behind Lenny.
“I don’t read tabloids much,” Daisy said.
“Yeah, she doesn’t give a flying f—”
“Anna!”
She cut a look from Daisy to Lenny to Jameson, scowled, flipped her hair, and stomped away.
Lenny squinted after her. “Wow. Remember when we couldn’t get her to shut up?”
Daisy laughed, nervous. “Sometimes that Anna still shows up.”
“Anyway,” he said, taking in the crowd. “I’d ask how you’ve been, but it’s clear you’re doing well.”
“Yes. This is my event.” She peeked around Lenny at Jameson. “My event I’m almost positive neither of you was invited to.”
Jameson stepped up beside his cousin, sly smile in place, and pulled an invitation from his back pocket.
Daisy’s eyes widened. “Where’d you get that?”
“You left it the other day when you… ran away from me. Again.”
She frowned. She hadn’t left an invitation, she hadn’t even mentioned… her train of thought suddenly stopped. “When I dropped my purse?”
Lenny’s head snapped between them. “Oh. I didn’t realize it fell out. I assumed you left it on purpose.” He tapped the line Daisy and Nicole had debated including: “All past clients welcome.” He slid the card away. “And as of last week, I’m pretty sure I qualify.”
She wanted to argue, but he was right. He and his… companion had bought one of her most expensive pieces. That alone earned him entry.
“Well, I suppose you are correct, though I much prefer the presence of your girlfriend over you.”
Lenny busted up laughing while Jameson stood firm shaking his head. “Jenna is not my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend, lover, side-piece, I really don’t care. All I know is that I’d rather her be here than you. Now if you’d both excuse me, I do haveinvitedgueststo entertain.”
She hated storming off, especially from Lenny, who’d only ever been kind, but she knew why Jameson had brought him. He thought Lenny would soften her reaction. He wasn’t wrong.
Daisy scurried away into the restroom, desperate to gather her thoughts, away from prying eyes. She stood in the single stall for a few minutes; she had to allow adequate time for her heart rate to decrease and for her nerves to subside. She must have thought a million times,I’m so glad Amelia isn’t here.
She washed her hands, squared her shoulders, and marched out—into a hard chest.
“I’m so sor—” she began, then realized whose chest she hit. “Jameson?”
“Hi.”
“Please leave me alone. I can’t deal with you right now.”
“But I have a question about a piece I’m interested in.”
Daisy rolled her eyes. “I don’t think—”
“Please,” he said, gentle. “Just a moment of your time.”
