Page 89 of Eternal Obsession

“And she did invite me, too,” he threw in.

We hadn’t talked about Orpheus yet, and that conversation would no doubt bring more pain and suffering, and right now we had had our fill of that.

“How did you meet her again?” He looked amused.

“At the gallery.” I didn’t want to say more.

“Let’s go home,” I whispered, my gut telling me this was a bad idea.

Alex detected this and rang the doorbell. “What?” He avoided my glare. From the noise coming from inside the apartment, the party was in full swing.

The door opened. “Now which one’s the art collector?” James Lemont welcomed us into his luxuriously furnished home. “Ingrid’s told me all about you. She’s over there trapped in the corner by one of my other guests. I know she’ll be relieved that you’re here to save her.”

James was obviously well educated, wealthy, and traveled. His taste was somewhat eccentric, and the eclectic artwork seemed out of place in the modern bachelor residence. He made us feel welcome, and my feeling of wanting to bolt soon wore off.

Thirty or so guests mingled comfortably.

An attractive young woman approached us. “Hi guys! You must be Jadeon. Ingrid will be jazzed to know you made it. I’m Belle.”

I detected her soft Cape Town accent. “May I introduce my brother, Alex?” I said.

She laughed at me. “You may.”

“Have you eaten anything?” James said. “Food’s over there. Do make yourselves at home.” He pointed to a table strewn with assorted plates.

James returned to mingle with his other guests.

Belle brightened. “The food’s vegan. He’s going through this health kick right now. Last month, it was Macrobiotics.”

Alex and I stared at her.

“I’ll get Ingrid then.” Belle withdrew to find her.

Alex and I scanned the room. With the growing awareness of numerous admiring eyes, Alex’s self-consciousness increased. He still captivated those around him. For the first time, I saw that same admiration for me.

“You’re doing great,” I reassured him.

“Hey, you made it!” Ingrid greeted me with a kiss on my cheek.

Her subtle perfume rose up. She wore the black halter-neck dress I’d bought for her.

Having a mortal friend should have been impossible, and yet I could never bring myself to stay away from her. Sooner or later, though, I would have to find a way to set this growing affection aside—no matter how much my heart resisted.

“You look . . . beautiful,” I said.

Ingrid beamed. “Thank you, Jadeon.”

“We wouldn’t have missed your party for the world,” I said.

Alex gave a subtle smirk that only I noticed.

“Let me introduce you to one of my dearest friends,” she said.

James Lemont approached us. “We’ve already had the pleasure.”

“I first met James when he was working on a case in Salisbury,” Ingrid said. “He’s a lawyer and was defending a man I had arrested for car theft.”

“Alleged car theft, darling,” James laughed.