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It was more than an hour before she had a chance to break away from her bridesmaid duties and hunt down TJ’s table. He was eating salad with one arm draped around Melody’s shoulders. It was probably the only thing on the menu he could eat. Lucy sure was glad his digestive condition hadn’t decided to twin on over to her, too.
“Can I join you?” She cleared her throat. Her voice always rose an octave when she was nervous.
“Of course.” TJ indicated the chair beside Melody. “Ben and Charity stepped out for a diaper change.”
“Lovely.” Feigning calmness, she lowered herself into the chair. “Look, I owe you both a very sincere apology. I came up with the dating app idea because I truly wanted you two to be together. Not because I condone lying and dishonesty in any way. It was a bad idea.”
“Which worked in its own way,” Melody said, giving Lucy a kind smile. “No hard feelings, Luce. I mean that.”
Lucy’s shoulders lost their tension. “TJ?”
“We’re good, I already told you that.”
“I know, but…”
“Learn from the mistake and move on. That’s what I did.” His adoring gaze turned to Melody, and Lucy stood abruptly, afraid they were going to make out in her face.
“Well, I’m glad we had that conversation. I’ll leave you now to…yourselves.”
Melody bit her lip to hide her smile. “Thank you. I’m sure TJ appreciates that.” He murmured something in a low tone, and Melody’s laughter tinkled through the air. It was good to see her back to her jovial, humorous self. Lucy was certain she had very nearly destroyed Melody’s future.
“Now, if you don’t mind.” TJ nuzzled his face in Melody’s hair, and Lucy swung away quickly—and came level with the chest of a man in a tuxedo that could upstage the groom.
“I’m afraid to ask what just happened at that table.” The rumbling, deep voice was much too familiar, and Lucy’s spine snapped straight.
“How didyouscore an invite?”
Her boss offered a calculated smile. “I know a lot of people.”
“Yeah, but.” She pressed her lips together in frank honesty. “I thought this wedding was exclusive. Nice people only.”
One blond eyebrow drifted upward in something of a smolder. He might be a jerk, but Silas McIntyre was not lacking in the looks department. “Is that a fact, Miss Halverson? Then what are you doing here?”
Lucy glared. He always beat her on the comebacks. Why did she even bother?
“The wallet speaks, I’m afraid,” Silas continued, ignoring her dark look. “People crave friendships with money.”
Lucy snorted. “Yeah, well, I don’t want friendship. I only want a paycheck.”
He looked her up and down, slowly, taking in every detail. It made her feel left wanting in his eyes. “Must be the reason we work so well together.”
Did they?
“Speaking of work…”
She held back a groan. Did the man ever rest? At night? On weekends? At a wedding?
“I need you first thing in the morning. I’m about to hire a new property management company, and I can’t find the file that lists all the companies used in the past. You’ll find it in a heartbeat and be out of there before you realized you came.”
Yeah, but she couldn’t show up in her pajamas. “You’re going to have to give me a raise soon, you know that? Don’t you ever need sleep?”
His face deflected her words with a flinch. “Work never sleeps. Only weak-minded people.”
“Charming as ever,” she muttered and walked away, her face heating red with anger. She hated how her face turned into a tomato when she got flustered.
“Are you okay?” TJ intercepted her pathway across the dance floor. “He really rankles you.”
She took a deep breath, fanning herself. “Yes, he does.”
