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“Viviana.” I startle and hold in a cough as I was just taking a drink, when Cyrus and his wife approach.
“Hello, sir,” I say around a cough. Archer pats my back, trying to be discreet. I could seriously kiss him.
“This is a nice party, sir. I wanted to thank you for having us both. I know how much Viviana admires your company.”
His words are perfect.
How is he so perfect?
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.” He gestures to his wife and she steps forward with a polite smile. “This is Lillian, my wife of thirty-four years.”
“Wow, thirty-four.” I shake her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You as well. I love your dress, where did you find that piece?”
“Oh.” I rub a hand over the silky black lace. “It’s actually from a friend’s boutique. It’s called Curve. It’s off of Sixteenth Street.”
“Oh I think I’ve seen that with my daughter!” She exclaims. “I’ll have to take her over to that one of these days.”
“Definitely, just ask for April.”
We launch into a discussion about dresses and shopping while Archer talks to Cyrus about some car or another.
“So.” Cyrus clears his throat and brings Lillian and me back into the conversation. “How did you two meet?”
“Oh!” I exclaim a little too loudly considering our company and surroundings and look at Archer, wondering how clear the panic in my eyes is in this moment. Is it,oops, I accidentally spilled the beans of someone’s surprise birthday party panic,orI’m going to embarrass myself in public if I don’t find a bathroom right now, panic?
Archer grins and says, “Well, actually, she’s my best friend’s little sister.”
“Right, yeah.” I nod along with the truth and Cyrus laughs.
“Really? How did he take that news?”
I shrug and open my mouth, shutting it again and then opening it. Nothing comes out. My mind goes blank as I stare at this lovely couple, my potential future bosses.
“He had a hard time coming around to it. But hey, after she threw herself at me for years—and I do meanyears,” he leans over and lightly nudges Cyrus’s elbow in a friendly gesture. “I couldn’t avoid it any longer and let her lock me down.”
This, for some reason, is all I needed to find words and for a new fire deep down to start blazing.
“Please,” I say, chuckling lightly and glancing from Archer—with laser eyes—to Cyrus and Lillian—without laser eyes. “It was you who kept coming to me, asking me to talk about books and video games,” I look over at the couple and wink. “He was a real nerd.”
He barks out a laugh. “Right, you really hated my undivided attention.”
I bite my tongue at his sarcastic tone and Lillian laughs. “My, you two really have some amazing chemistry. It’s no wonder you two fell for each other.”
“Right,” I mutter and paste a smile on my face.
“Oh, don’t get us wrong,” Archer starts and I give him a look that he ignores. “The second I saw Viv, I knew she was special.” I soften slightly at his tone, one that doesn’t have the teasing but holds truth. What is he doing? “We met when we were really young, but by the time I was fourteen, I was a goner.” Archer looks at me then and I can’t seem to tear my gaze from his. It’s so honest and open and not at all what I was expecting.
Seeming to take this as his opening, Archer leans over and presses a chaste kiss to my lips. A piercing zing zips down my spine at the contact and I nearly jolt in surprise, only his reassuring hold around my waist keeps me from giving us away.
“Aw,” Lillian says as Cyrus raises his glass. “Cheers,” he says.
I blink open my eyes and find Archer smiling down at me.
His smile says doting fiancé, but it’s the look in his eyes that has me questioning everything I know.
Chapter Six
