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At least it’s a beautiful evening. Through the windows at the end of the ballroom I can see the sun slowly sliding down the sky, casting an orange glow across the city, making the Kanawha River look like it’s on fire.
Lisa joins Lorena and I as we stand and smile at the guests as they walk in. She looks radiant in a black satin sheath that shows off her perfect shoulders. Even though she gave up competitive gymnastics years ago she still has the best muscle definition I’ve ever seen.
Lorena clears her throat. “Have you organized your highest bidder?” she asks me, kissing the cheek of a man who looks delighted to see her.
“What do you mean?” I reply once he’s moved on. “Won’t the highest bidder be the person with the biggest wallet?”
Her smile wavers. “Oh honey, no. You need to hit somebody up, someone you don’t mind having dinner with. My friend’s boss is bidding for me. He has a lot of cash and he loves to give it away. I’ve already promised him the best night on the town.”
“I’m not offering dinner,” I tell her, relieved because I might have dodged a bullet.
“You’re not?” She frowns. “I swear I saw that on the list.”
“I had the list reprinted.” Yes it was a waste of paper, but I paid for it myself.
Lisa is grinning at me. “Did you tell Michael yet?”
“Nope.”
“So what are you auctioning if it isn’t dinner?” Lorena asks.
“I’m going to give somebody a personalized weather forecast every day for three months. They tell me where they are and what they’re doing that day and I’ll tell them if they’re going to get rained on or have beautiful sunshine.”
It’s a genius idea. And yes, it’s more work than going out for dinner for a night because I’m going to make sure I do it right. But I’ll do it on my time so it won’t affect the team.
“Oh I love it.” Lisa grins. “I would so bid on that.”
“Do it,” I tell her. “I’ll give you the best forecast you’ve ever had.”
I turn to see Ava and Lauren walking toward us. Ava is wearing the gorgeous red dress she chose when we went shopping last week. It’s perfect for her, enhancing her new post-Charlie curves, her skin glowing and pearlescent against the deep ruby fabric.
“Look at you,” she says breathlessly, hugging me tight. “Everybody’s going to want a piece of your forecast.”
“Will you bid on me if nobody else does?” I ask her, remembering Lorena’s warning.
“Everybody’s going to bid on you,” she tells me. “Not because you look amazing – which you do by the way – but because they know what a great meteorologist you are.”
“This is why I love you,” I say. I give Lauren a hug next. She’s as beautiful as Ava, wearing a midnight blue dress with a Bardot neckline and a cinched waist.
“You’re gonna knock this out of the park,” she whispers to me.
“Thank you.” I’m feeling lucky to have them as my friends. Then I feel a weird sensation. My skin starts to prickle like it’s suddenly gotten cold in here. I glance over Lauren’s shoulder and seehim.
Liam’s standing with Myles, the Salinger brothers devastatingly handsome in their tuxedos. They look like they should be in a cologne ad, not laughing about something as they wait for Ava to join them.
Myles sees me and lifts his hand, smiling. I wave back as Lauren releases me and starts talking to Lisa, who apparently knows Lauren from the bakery she runs.
Against my will, my gaze shifts to the man who knows how to push every button I own. It clashes with his and my muscles tense. His gaze wanders lazily over my face, my shoulders, down to the dress I’m wearing, then just as slowly he lifts it back up until he catches my eyes.
There’s something deliciously sensual about the way he doesn’t look away. Just stares until my cheeks start to burn.
His dark hair is casually ruffled, his freshly-shaved jaw in contrast against the stiff collar and bow tie just beneath it. I’ve never met anybody as comfortable in his own skin as Liam Salinger. He could be wearing nothing but a thong right now and he wouldn’t blink an eyelid.
His confidence is annoying. I wish my body didn’t respond to his so much. It would be so much easier to deal with him then.
“Sophie?” Lisa says.
I blink and look at her.
