AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Slow, scalding heat swept over my body, and I was sure my jaw was hanging loose. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I tried to tease, but my voice was squeaky.
Brady arched one dark brow, a playful smile on his face. “Did you not hear the dress line from a bit ago? I thought that was a pretty great start.”
I giggled, dropping my empty glass on a passing tray and taking both drinks from Brady. “I did. Excellent quality. A bit rushed though. You could have led in with ‘how's your night going’ or ‘what do you think of the canapes’ first.” I sipped the soda first, languishing at the explosion of bubbles across my tongue. Soda was a guilty pleasure, and I was a bit shocked that Brady had even noticed.
Brady began to walk, and without hesitation I followed, the pair of us gliding slowly across the restaurant's expansive private dining space. I’d never been here before tonight. It was a little bougie for my taste. Then again, Liam Macklen, my niece’s future husband, had expensive taste and had gone all out for their engagement party.
He’d booked the trendy space, flown my mother to San Francisco from Phoenix where she’d been staying with my sister, Ashlyn’s mother Nora. Both of the older Grove ladies stood front and center, Liam and Ashlyn plastered to their sides.
I swallowed hard.
They were beautiful together. Liam was so dark, his sharp, almost cunning expression in perfect contrast to Ashlyn’s brilliant smile and flashing blonde hair. She was my favorite person on the planet, save my mother, and I was ridiculously happy for her.
She had found her match. However unlikely, they fit together like two pieces of a beautiful puzzle.
Brady slowed as we approached the group of high-top tables at the edge of the room, near to the small dance floor. Setting his drink down, Brady turned his warm, inquisitive gaze to me once again.
“I recently received some advice about approaching women at parties. Let me begin again. How is your night going?”
I tempered my grin, sipping my cocktail and playing coy. “It’s been lovely. How's yours?”
“I’ll be honest… I wasn't sure if this invite was purely an obligation or whether Liam really wanted me here. But I’m glad he asked. I like the kid a lot. I’m glad he’s found somebody like Ashlyn.”
“Did you just call himthe kid?” I raised my brows. “You can’t be but a few years apart from each other.”
Broad shoulders shrugged, making the fabric of his suit tighten. “Probably not, but I was already working in the office when baby-faced Liam Macklen was running errands for his dad and hanging in the mail room. He’ll always seem like a kid to me.” Brady took a long drink. “I guess I should fix that now that the man is CEO. I imagine he won’t love that pet name.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t.”
“Perfect.” Brady sent me another of those smiles, making my toes curl in my unreasonably high heels. “What about Ashlyn? How is she handling all of this?”
“I’m not sure elated is a strong enough word…but it’s something about there.” Together Brady and I watched as my sister laughed along to something that Ashlyn was saying to Liam. Based on the man’s expression, he was massively overwhelmed, but he wore it well. Good for him; my family was not for the faint of heart. He should know that right off the bat.
“Do you approve? It seems your mom and sister are besotted…”
I sighed. “Well, my mother has always had a thing for tall, dark, and handsome.”
Brady laughed, the richness of the sound making me smile before I could stop myself.
“What?” I pressed a hand to my chest.
“No, no, it’s just not what I expected you to say.” Brady leaned in, the delicious pine scent of him washing over me, and I resisted the urge to lean in when he retreated. “You’re not quite what I expected you to be, honestly.”
I quirked a brow. “Right back at you, Mr. Martinez.”
“No, no, thank you. We just got to Brady. Let’s stay there.”
I pretended to think it over, my nails tapping against my jawline. “Fine. As long as you call me Cici like everyone else does.”
“You don’t like Cecelia? I think it’s beautiful.”
I shrugged, feeling awkward with the truth of my answer. “I’m not sure. It just feels bigger, more fancy than I’ve ever been. Like I was named to be in some kind of position of power, and yet I just barely made it into the room. Cici is easier, more relatable. You know?”
This time Brady’s face dropped straight into a serious expression. Warm, heavy fingers traced across the back of my hand. I didn’t dare drop his gaze as he pressed against me.
“Never think like that. You deserve to be in any room, any environment that you choose to be in. And whomever is in there should count themselves lucky that you took the time to grace them with your presence. Alright?”
I was stunned into silence. “Yes. Okay.”
