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Recently, though, Hallie had felt a pull to break out of her habits, which were beginning to resemble deep ruts on a beaten path. She longed to do something outrageous, if only to prove to herself she could. She’d lived almost in fear of breaking rules lest she suffer the consequences. At the age of thirty, that seemed silly.
Her vivacious grandmother and Hannah had always put themselves “out there” and their lives were nothing short of magnificent. Why couldn’t Hallie have a bit of unscheduled fun, too?
Bernie video-called Martina and introduced Hallie. As she chatted to her prospective client, Hallie reconsidered stepping too far out of her comfort zone. She’d count the follow-up appointment she’d scheduled with Martina her win for the night, which, to be fair, was no small feat. There would be another opportunity to run into Gavin and ask him to have a drink. She’d choose her timing carefully. There was no need to cross every item off her list tonight.
Outside in the crisp open air of the rooftop bar, Hallie admired the stars, their shine somewhat diminished against the city lights below. Beaumont Bay, known as the Nashville bedroom community, was lively and posh, and yet beautiful and homey. She loved this town.
“Well, darlin’, I’m heading home. Great job tonight.” Gram pulled on her coat and then hugged Hallie. “It’s chilly out here, so don’t linger. Don’t want you getting sick on me.” Her lipstick was in place, her face fresh and eyes twinkling. How did she do it? Hallie had been at the event a few hours and already she was exhausted by the chatter and the crowd.
“Actually, I’m heading out, as well. I can walk you down.”
“No, no.” Eleanor waved her off. “Stay and have fun. You’ve made solid connections tonight, but the ones made later are better. Because everyone keeps drinking.”
With a wink and a wave, Eleanor picked her way through the bar, offering goodbyes without allowing herself to be waylaid by anyone. She was fabulous. Surely, her fabulous gene would’ve had to be passed on to Hallie, too, right?
“Let’s hope,” she told the stars, hearing the scuff of shoes on the concrete patio behind her. A mental tug in the back of her mind whispered Gavin’s name, but she quickly dismissed it. He’d stayed at the bar most of the evening—with that stunning woman—so why would he seek out Hallie?
“Nice night,” her visitor greeted.
Gavin’s voice was smooth and rich like dark chocolate but made her hungry for something far more decadent. She sucked in a shallow breath and spun to greet him. Wow. He looked better up close. Tall and solid and smiling. His gray-blue eyes darker beneath the shadow cast from the brim of his hat. Hopefully the dark night sky muted the tinge of her blushing cheeks.
His smile faltered as he took in Hallie’s dress and heels. “Hannah.”
The greeting was a splash of cold water onto her rapidly heating pulse. He thought she was Hannah. Which gave Hallie two options. She could either correct him and have what would likely be an awkward, fidgety conversation while she tried to hide her obvious admiration of him, or... She could go along with his assumption and pretend to be her twin sister.
Granted, pretending to be Hannah was a cowardly plan, but it wasn’t as if this was the first time they’d bailed one another out of a thorny situation by doing just that. And Hallie, already socially fatigued, didn’t have the mental energy to charm the youngest Sutherland son tonight.
If ever.
She pulled her shoulders back and softened her voice, easily emulating her twin sister’s smooth cadence. “Hey, Gav. How are you?”
His eyebrows pinched in a show of doubt for a second before he bought the lie. Rocking back on his boot heels, he tucked his hands into his pants pockets. “I thought you and Will had plans tonight.”
“We do. We did. I came to, uh—” Hallie racked her brain for a reason her twin might have come out tonight “—see Gram. Before Will and I go out.”
She schooled her expression, careful not to smile and give herself up—because, dimples—and sipped her champagne. Normally, she knew her sister’s schedule like her own, but Hallie’s brain was a mangled mess. Being this close to Gavin sent her pulse skittering and her thoughts running in Tasmanian-devil circles.
She’d been mistaken for her twin sister many times before, but never by Gavin. It had to be the dress. He would have expected to find Hallie in basic black or a pantsuit. Never a colorful strapless number. She reached up and tugged the bodice of the dress again, which drew his eyes to her chest. To his credit, he jerked his attention away immediately, clearing his throat before he spoke.
“I thought Hallie would be here. This is the perfect venue for her to meet new prospective clients.”
“I know, right?” Hallie nodded in agreement. “I am going to call her the second I leave and tell her to get her booty down here.”
Booty?She’d never used the word booty in her life. God, she felt like a grade-A moron whenever he was around. He was all smooth ease and charm, and she was... Well, she was good at spreadsheets. That had to count for something. Unfortunately, flirting was not near the top of the list of things she’d mastered.
How had she convinced herself she’d both show up in this daring dress and invite him to have a drink with her? Brené needed to manage her viewing audience’s expectations a bit better.
“Well, it’s probably for the best,” he said, looking over his shoulder at the crowd inside. “She doesn’t like me anyway.”
“What?” Hallie squawked.
“Don’t try to spare my feelings, Hannah. We both know your sister is not my biggest fan.”
Um. So not true. If there was an I-Heart-Gavin fan club, Hallie would be the president.
“She hardly speaks to me. Barely looks at me.” He sounded almost stung. How was that possible? Why would Gavin care what Hallie thought of him anyway? “I thought maybe she was in the zone at work functions, but even at your wedding—nothing. You’d think since we’re practically family she’d at least make eye contact.”
She didn’t know what to argue with first. At the wedding, he’d been infatuated with one of the bridesmaids and studiously ignoring Hallie. And Hallie and Gavin were in no way “family.” Hannah had married his brother, not Hallie. When would the world stop seeing them as the same person?
