AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ash Talmadge, you have known me for more than two decades. Would you ever think I’d want to get on a sailboat?”
He smirked. “Fair.”
“Did someone say Ash Talmadge?” a voice boomed from behind us.
Ash turned around, confusion on his face, and then he broke out into a genial laugh. “Nolan!”
He clapped hands with a guy that I’d never seen before, but dear God, he was attractive. Taller even than Ash in a sharp navy-blue suit. He had dark brown hair with eyes the color of the sea in a thunderstorm and a strong square jaw. Dimples appeared in his cheeks when he shook hands with Ash.
“Fuck, man, what are you doing here?”
“Holden Holdings was part of the team to help with the movie. The director sent us an invitation to the party, and since I was already in town on business, I thought I’d swing by. Didn’t think you’d be here.”
“It’s my building,” Ash said with a laugh.
“Should have known.”
Amelia softly cleared her throat. “Introductions perhaps?”
Ash’s eyes found hers, and the light in them was so bright. “Right. Yeah, sure. This is Nolan Holden. We went to Duke together. His family runs Holden Holdings, originally based out of Williamsburg.”
“Yes, we’re now headquartered in Charleston,” Nolan filled in.
“I heard that your father is stepping down and naming you CEO.”
“That’s right. Rob is coming home for it too.”
“You’re going to get him out of New York?”
“And back where he belongs,” Nolan said. His eyes found me, and he smiled. “Sorry to interrupt your evening. You’re Josephine Reynolds.”
“That’s me,” I said with a smile.
“Talent and beauty, all in one package.”
I laughed, and Maddox put an arm around my waist, claiming me. I kind of loved it.
But it was Marina who made a gagging noise. I hadn’t noticed, but she’d essentially slid behind Amelia so that she was invisible to Nolan Holden. But at that one sound, his face snapped to her, and something predatory was there for a beat before disappearing.
“Marina,” he said, drawing out her name. Low and tempting.
“Nolan,” she practically growled.
“What a surprise.”
Marina narrowed her eyes at him. Heat bristled in the short distance between them. “I’m sure it is.”
Amelia gave her a questioning look, but Marina just shook her head.
“It’s been a while. Miss me?”
Marina glared daggers at him. “That isn’t the word I’d use.”
Nolan just smiled wider.
But Marina looked like a rabbit ready to flee a fox. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Marina, wait,” Amelia said, hurrying after her.
“What was that about?” I asked.
Nolan shrugged his powerful shoulders, feigning innocence. “I have no idea.”
We were interrupted from asking more by someone mistakenly handing Jimmy a microphone. “Can I get Martin and Josephine up here?”
I rolled my eyes. “Lord, preserve me.”
Maddox snickered. “Have fun.”
Marty found me just as we reached the front of the room. He took my hand and held it aloft. “Wrap party!”
I laughed and effortlessly extracted my hand from his.
“Thank you all so much for coming out tonight. We’d love to celebrate all of you with an open bar!” Jimmy cried. The crowd cheered. “We wouldn’t be here tonight without every one of you. You have made this movie what it is. I’m so happy to have Martin and Josephine back for this movie, and I can’t wait for it to be in theaters.”
Jimmy droned on, thanking all the individual units who were part of the movie. He toasted me and Martin a few times. It felt ridiculous, but I was too giddy not to indulge. Maddox held his glass aloft to me from his seat at Ash’s reserved table. Where he’d likely stay all night, letting me be the belle of the ball, as I was prone to do. But this time, he wasn’t mad that I was in my element while he was on the outskirts. We were precisely where we needed to be. This was who we were, and we might be different, but that was our strength, not our weakness.
When Jimmy finally finished speaking, I crept off the stage. As I had done earlier, I went around the room, saying my thank-yous until even I was tired from the exertion. I found Amelia alone with her back to the party, her elbows against the brick railing, looking out across the river.
“Are you trying to escape too?”
Amelia laughed. “Nah, Ash went to get drinks. And I’m mostly sad that Marina left.”
“What happened with her and Nolan?”
She shrugged. “She wouldn’t even tell me. Said she needed some space. Hopefully, she’ll confess to me while we’re on the boat this week.”
“He probably fucked her and fucked her over.”
“You’d think, but Marina doesn’t get upset about that kind of thing. It had to be personal.”
“Well, I hope she tells you what happened.”
“Same.” Amelia sighed and hung her head. “Can I talk to you about something else too?”
“Oh boy,” I muttered.
