AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My gaze landed on Connor last, and his eyes flared, causing my heart to leap into my throat.
“You made it!” Lourde said, and my gaze drifted toward her. She walked over and gave me an enormous hug. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in, thankful for the distraction.
I smiled, my Oscar-worthy performance now on display. “Sorry, I’m late,” I said, noticing they’d already gotten through the starters.
I went around the table, saying my hellos to Ari and Magnus, who not so subtly copped a feel of my ass. When it came to Francesca, she turned and greeted me with a huge smile.
“So nice to meet you, Pepper,” she said, leaning in to kiss my cheek but instead kissing the air so as not to mess up her perfect makeup.
“Yes, you too. And congratulations to you both!” I said, putting on a fake smile.
She sat back down, cueing for Connor to stand. My skin heated, and my heart thrashed in my rib cage as he approached me.
“Thank you, Pepper,” Connor said, his hand wrapping around my waist like velvet, his skin sending my skin alight with tiny tendrils of sparks.
His lips brushed my cheek, lingering for a moment longer than usual. I prayed no one noticed, and as I leaned back, I met his eyes for the second time. There was tenderness behind his dark blue eyes and a question. So I smiled, reassuring him I was fine in a silent message that was just for him.
I took my seat at the other end next to Olivia and away from Francesca and Connor.
“That is a smoking hot dress.” Olivia ran her hand along the shoulder of my dress. “What is that… silk?”
Before I could answer, Ari interjected. “Silk, indeed, only the best type. I’d say from Russia?”
“I don’t have a clue,” I admitted.
“How would you know that?” Olivia asked.
“Ari’s family are the Goldsmiths.”
“As in Farrah Goldsmith haute couture?” Olivia inquired.
Ari nodded, brushing his hair to the side. “She’s my grandmama.”
“My grandmama was a house cleaner out of Georgia.” Olivia laughed.
She wasn’t from our world, but it seemed like she belonged from the get-go. It was moments like these that reminded me she came from humble beginnings and not spoon-fed gold bullions for breakfast like the rest of us in this room, Barrett excluded.
“I’d like to meet her one day.” Ari smiled at Olivia, and I wondered if I’d missed something.
“Stop being kind. You wouldn’t venture past state lines.” Olivia scoffed.
He laughed. “Damn straight.”
I picked at the green salad on my plate, then noticed the wine that had been poured in front of me. I lifted the glass to my lips, my gaze drifting to Connor.
He was debating with Magnus on which player deserved to get MVP this season. Francesca appeared less interested with one arm draped over Connor’s shoulder as she admired her manicure. At this angle, her huge diamond ring shined like a beacon at sea, and I couldn’t help but feel a pain in the pit of my stomach.
Something funny was said, and Francesca laughed, pulling him close for a kiss. Immediately, I wondered if Connor had slept with her. By all accounts, of course, he had. We weren’t sleeping together anymore, so he was getting his release somewhere else. His fiancée, obviously.
His gaze instantly fell on mine, and I quickly diverted my attention back to Olivia and Ari, who were arguing about something. Words like sweatshops and unskilled labor were flung around, then Olivia started to raise her voice, while Ari had a smirk on his face.
I gulped down my wine and attempted to be Switzerland between the two firecrackers beside me. “Can you two just settle down?”
“How can I?”
“Mr. Spoiled Rich Kid over here is basically ragging about cheap labor!”
“You’re not, Ari, are you?” I looked at him incredulously. His movie-star smile reached his mocha-colored eyes. He was toying with her and enjoying it by the looks of him.
