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Rogen and Vin were there—which made her blood sing.
But Rose-Marie was present as well, as Jewel had requested of Rogen. And the sight of her made Jewel’s stomach plummet to her knees. Because this was not going to be a pleasant get-together.
Rose-Marie sat at the far end of the coffee table, sipping her tea. She gently placed the china cup on its saucer as Jewel rounded the squat table, Rogen in a chair on one side, Vin on the sofa opposite him. Today, Rose-Marie wore her trademark color, blue. A pale shade that complemented her delicate features, fair skin coloring, and unique golden irises.
Since Jewel had been the one to plan the rendezvous, she’d carefully selected her own attire—a bronze satin short-sleeved, off-the-shoulder mini. Elegant and subtle versus flashy and risqué.
Jewel left a quick kiss on Rose-Marie’s cool cheek and said, “Lovely to see you again.”
“You, as well. Although I wasn’t expecting you for tea.” Rose-Marie slid a glance from Vin to Rogen, who opened his mouth as though about to explain.
But then Jewel’s mother—always one to make a grand entrance—came blowing into the room with her signature Giorgio Beverly Hills Red perfume surrounding her in an alluring cloud while she chatted animatedly on her iPhone.
She pulled up short when she saw the small gathering and stopped mid-sentence, her jaw instantly slacking.
Sophia, dressed in a semi-sheer leopard-print button-down blouse, and slim black pants and ankle boots, eyed Rose-Marie while saying to her caller, “I’ll have to get back to you.” She disconnected and dropped her phone into the beige leather handbag dangling in the crook of her arm at her side. Her palm up. She waggled a few fingers and said, “What the hell is this?”
Jewel returned to the entryway and closed the pocket doors to the main restaurant for privacy.
“I believe it’s called a Come to Jesus meeting,” Rose-Marie said in a tight voice. “Which I am not interested in attending.” She got to her feet.
“Mother,” Rogen countered, also standing. “Vin, Jewel, and I set this up. Because Dad reneged on his deal with Jewel.”
“And you blame me?” Rose-Marie demanded.
“For the record,” Sophia chimed in, “we’re not signing, either.”
“Mother!” Frustration tore through Jewel.
Rose-Marie said to Jewel, “I believe I was abundantly clear at lunch about mine and Gian’s feelings regarding your … relationship. And it is no secret that we do not want an Angelini-Catalano business deal now or in the future.”
“Lunch?” Sophia’s wounded gaze shot to Jewel, now lingering by the sofa, close to Vin. Needing his silent reassurance, his commanding presence, to keep her steady. “Since when do you lunch with Rose-Marie Angelini?”
Jewel bit back a long-suffering sigh. “It was just the once, Mother. She invited me while she was in the city.”
“In the city, my foot,” Sophia scoffed. “Rose-Marie only goes into the city to shop, and that obviously wasn’t the case—she went specifically to see you, Jewel—because that dress she’s wearing is not new. I saw her in it two weeks ago when I passed by the Soroptimist luncheon in the dining room of Voltaire’s on my way to the Junior League luncheon on the patio.”
“Yes, well, it is a bit more appropriate for early-evening tea than leopard print,” Rose-Marie snarled.
Jewel rolled her eyes. After fifteen years apart, they still bickered like sisters.
Oddly, she found that encouraging.
“Ladies, please,” Vin interrupted as he stood, towering over the group, filling the space with his impossibly broad shoulders. Exciting Jewel, despite the tension hanging thick and palpable in the air. “We didn’t get you together to clash over outfits.”
Rose-Marie crossed her arms over her chest. “This is about the property, then?”
“Yes,” Rogen said. “Maybe you can shed some light on why my father is so hell-bent on screwing Jewel over by not honoring his w
ord and handshake, and plotting to trick her out of her bargaining chip.”
“I knew it.” Sophia tsked, full-on admonishment toward Rose-Marie and just shy of an I told you so to Jewel.
“Mother,” Jewel quietly scolded.
“Fine,” Sophia said. Though she pinned Rose-Marie with a stern look and suggested, “Why don’t you tell them? Jewel, specifically. She has a right to know, doesn’t she?”
Rose-Marie gave a slight shake of her head. “This has nothing to do with Jewel.”
