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“Not an inquisition,” Carter says. “Well-meaning, friendly interest between business partners.”
“You mean nosy,” he fires back.
Tristan chuckles and cuts through the tension with the ease of a man who’s done it many times before. “Come on in and have a drink. We put a bottle of the ’07 Taittinger to chill so we could toast to your marriage. Cecilia, there are people here who are eager to meet you, and I can assure you, they won’t be as nosy as Carter is.”
“Oh, they will,” Carter says. “They’ll just be more tactful about it.”
“As long as I’m allowed to plead the fifth on occasion, I’ll answer as many questions as I can,” I say.
Tristan leads me through the apartment and gives me a warm smile when I compliment him on the place. It should be weird, perhaps, walking side by side with him again after a year. But he’s welcoming and kind and doesn’t ask the question that I can see dancing in his eyes.
Why the hell had I married Victor?
He introduces me to his girlfriend Freddie, a short, dark-haired woman with incredible curves. She invites me to sit in-between her and Summer, Anthony Winter’s blonde girlfriend, and owner of the friendly golden retriever who was roaming the living room in search of head rubs and scraps of food.
“He’s a living, breathing vacuum cleaner,” Summer says. “Let me know if he bothers you.”
“Oh, not at all. I love dogs.”
Freddie smiles. “So does Tristan’s son, so we try to have Summer and Anthony over as often as possible. Beats having the can-I-please-get-a-dog conversation over and over again.”
I chuckle. “I’m sure!”
Summer looks between the two of us, her giant smile infectious. “Changing the subject here, but… you’ve married St. Clair! We have to talk about it.”
“Yes,” I say. “It still feels very new.”
“Congratulations! You’re a newly-wed!” The sincerity in her voice makes me feel guilty.
“Thank you. It’s been very overwhelming, to tell you the truth.”
Freddie nods. “I can imagine. From what Tristan told me, it all happened rather quickly?”
Translation: give us the details.
So I do, telling them how we dated in secret and reached a point where we needed to make things official. He’d proposed, I’d accepted.
“It was a whirlwind,” I admit. “But sometimes, when you know, you know.”
My gaze lands on Victor as I speak. Standing in between all three of his business partners, his mouth a line, suit jacket still on. Holding himself apart, even here, amongst people he’s known for years.
In the brief time since I agreed to marry him, I’ve seen glimpses of someone else. Someone who is capable of dry, teasing humor and sly comments, who answers questions, often reluctantly, but never dishonestly. Even when he knows what he’s saying might be painful to hear.
“Yes,” I say. “When you know you know.”
Tristan uncorks a bottle of champagne and pours a glass for everyone, hands clasping around the stems of crystal flutes.
“Let’s have a toast to the happy couple,” he says.
Freddie and Summer urge me up and I give a half-embarrassed smile, not fake in the least. I walk across the plush carpet to stand next to Victor. Not lettingmyself hesitate, I slide my arm beneath his and lean into his side.
Blue eyes meet mine. “A toast,” he says, as if it’s the worst thing in the world.
“It won’t kill you,” I whisper. “Look happy.”
He smiles, a small but true smile that sends a shiver down my spine. His arm comes around my waist. “Bossy.”
Tristan clears his throat and I look up to see them all standing in a circle, glasses raised to us. I sweep my eyes over them all: my former boss, Anthony Winter with his charming girlfriend by his side, the constantly grinning Carter, and Freddie with a golden retriever at her feet.
