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Judging by the look on Regan’s face, I thought wrong. Very, very wrong.
“Listen, Paige, I think it’s great what you’re trying to do but . . .” she looked at the small boxes on her counter, “I think you’re a little off base here.”
“Oh, okay, well I can fix this—”
“I don’t mean with just the food.” Regan’s voice was soft and a look of pity was in her eyes. Pity for me. And it ate me up. “I can tell you like my brother. Lots of women do, but I think keeping a bit of distance is best for both of you. He’s been through a lot, and you seem like a very nice woman, but . . .”
“But?” I asked, needing to know, though I was pretty sure I already knew what she was going to say.
“I don’t think you two have long-term viability.”
My brows shot up. That had to be the most polite “piss off” I’d ever heard.
“I see.” I looked at the half-full tray of mini quiches and felt like the biggest reject in the world. Apparently my grand plan of impressing Leo’s family, especially Regan, was a bust. I should have gone with pizza. I had thought this party to be semi-formal, but it was looking like it was anything but.
A low beep came from outside that sounded like a tr
uck backing up. Regan clapped her hands. “Looks like the entertainment is here. I’ll be right back.” She stopped before leaving the kitchen and faced me briefly. “I hope you don’t take what I say as an insult to you.”
I nodded and gave my best smile. Shit of it was, I saw in her face that Regan was being sincere. She truly wanted Leo to be happy and was trying to help. She wasn’t being mean, just honest, and I couldn’t really hold that against her. I had had some doubts about Amy and Roman when they first got together. Difference was, Leo and I weren’t getting together. I didn’t know what we were other than a mess.
I just needed to fix this food situation and leave. Maybe someone would still eat the gourmet finger foods so I hustled to get them on the trays, then I’d call for pizza and get my ass out of there before anyone else showed up.
When the sound of footfalls came my way, I knew my luck was out. I looked up to see Leo in the kitchen doorway, holding a six-pack of beer and wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
“Wow, Red. If I had known your business wear transferred to your play attire, I would have adjusted my fantasies accordingly.”
He took a lazy sweep of my body, leaving tingles, and put the beer in the fridge. But all I felt was even stupider. From the food to the way I was dressed—it was all wrong. Which chalked me up to a tee. Wrong. For this place, and for Leo.
Focusing on getting all the food out, I ignored him the best I could, but he came up behind me.
“This looks pretty fancy,” he said, breath hitting my neck and making me want to lean into him. But my whole body was shaking with anxiety to get out of there. Away from a place I clearly didn’t belong.
I glanced at him over my shoulder, trying not to let his presence affect me too much, or the fact that our lips were inches apart derail me from unpacking the food and leaving.
“Since I am on the clock, my outfit is appropriate, and you said this was a family event. Rudolpho’s is the best in town.”
Again, I was cursing myself for not getting more information. Like this was a casual event. Which was weird since the Savas family was wealthy and powerful. And fifty people? That had to include other rich and powerful people right?
Just then Lyssa came running in wearing a sparkly dress and fairy wings. “Yay! Paige, you came!”
She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. Her little head jammed into my lower stomach and about knocked the wind out of me.
“Hi,” I said, holding one mini quiche in hand. Taken off guard, I didn’t know what else to do other than pat her head with my free hand. She disengaged and stepped back, looking up at me.
“I’m so glad you came to my party.”
“Your party?” I asked and she nodded. “It’s my birthday! I’m six now.” She held up the exact number of fingers to emphasize her point. I looked at Leo.
“A kid’s birthday party?” I gasped, instantly horrified. All of it clicked. This wasn’t an event for the rich and powerful—it was a party where the guests included kids under the age of ten. “Oh no . . .” I said, as panic skyrocketed. I was surrounded by food that—
“Eeewww,” Lyssa said, reading my mind and sticking a finger through one of the quiches. “I thought we were having pizza.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to Leo, embarrassment flooding, as I realized why Regan looked at me like a crazy person. As if on cue, I caught sight of the entertainment. With a clear view of the backyard through the kitchen window, I saw a massive bouncy castle being inflated.
I slapped the hors d’oeuvre I’d been holding down on the tray, hard enough for it to splat, and tried to will away the sting behind my eyes and the mortification.
“Hey, Lyss, why don’t you go see if any of your friends are here yet?” Leo said, and the girl ran from the room, singing and jumping.
