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“St. James!” Fred boomed. “Amelia! Welcome!”
Arm firmly wrapped around his fiancée, Fred approached. Fred wore his usual button-down shirt and slacks, and Nadia was decked out in a fitted, knee-length dress in a pale shade of orange. Her cast, incredibly, had been changed to match her outfit.
They all greeted each other, and Nadia lifted Amelia’s hand. “Gorgeous!” she exclaimed, admiring Amelia’s ring. “The diamond is so small and cute! Adorbs!”
Leo stiffened slightly, but Amelia burst out laughing, clearly reading no maliciousness in the other woman’s words. “I love it,” she said, and it sounded like the truth. Leo felt a glow of warmth in his chest, which he tried his best to ignore. It wasn’t a real engagement ring. It didn’t matter if Amelia liked it or not.
Amelia nodded toward Nadia’s hand. “Yours is a showstopper.”
Nadia admired the pink diamond on her hand, adjusting it on her finger. The weight of the diamond immediately slid to the side again. Nadia glanced at Fred. “He did well. I haven’t been able to take it off for one minute, even to get it sized. It’s just too pretty. I can’t wait to get this silly cast off so I can wear it properly.” She turned back to Amelia, brightening. “But tell me! Have you started looking for a dress?”
Shifting on her feet, Amelia cleared her throat. “Oh, um… Not yet, but my sister just got married, and she brought me along to all her appointments.”
“And?” Nadia was obviously in her element, loving any and all mention of weddings.
“You know,” Amelia said thoughtfully, “I loved the dresses with a sleek silhouette. They didn’t work for Maggie, obviously, because she was getting married in May and she’s much more dramatic than I am. But I love that Old Hollywood vibe.”
Leo’s brows jumped. He tried to picture Amelia in a dress like that and had to wipe the drool from his face as a result. Her future husband was a lucky man.
“Oh,perfect!” Nadia squealed, clasping her hands. “It matches the ring! Vintage!”
“Much easier for us,” Fred said as an aside, clapping Leo on the back. “We just show up and get married.”
“Oh, Leo is taking averyactive role in the planning stages,” Amelia cut in, a wicked little glint in her eyes. “He’ll be able to tell you all about every little detail. He’ll talk your ear off about it. He has a color-coded spreadsheet and everything.”
“Really?” Nadia swung toward him, and Leo had to force himself not to take a step back from the force of her interest. “I would love to see it! Youmustsend it to me.” She pointed to Leo’s pocket. “Do you have it on your phone? Show me!”
Now he did take a step back. Clearing his throat, Leo shook his head. “I, uh, don’t have it on me.”
“You’ll send it to me,” Nadia proclaimed, smiling. She was obviously a woman who got what she wanted.
In his peripheral vision, Amelia grinned. Leo wanted to tackle her to the floor. She’d pay for that.
“Leo has always had a keen eye for detail,” Fred cut in smoothly, just as Nadia looked like she was ready to start a full-fledged wedding inquisition. “He’s highly requested by our clients,” Fred told Amelia. “He’s got real skill at understanding a client’s vision, even when they’re not exactly sure what they want themselves.”
Surprised at the compliment, Leo straightened. Amelia peered at him from beneath her lashes, then smiled at Fred. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s very perceptive.”
Glancing at her, Leo tried to read her expression. It looked sincere. But that would mean she believed the praise Fred had given him, which was unusual. Most people thought he just partied for a living.
“I have to make the rounds,” Fred said. “Here! Have a drink.”
A waiter glided to a stop in front of them, bearing a tray with a selection of beverages. Fred and Nadia excused themselves and moved on to the next guest to greet, and Amelia and Leo turned to the waiter. Leo chose a glass of champagne, while Amelia was intrigued by the green juice the waiter pointed out. “Kiwi, ginseng, and apple,” the man told her. “Energizing and delicious.”
She tasted it, humming in appreciation. Leo couldn’t help but watch her enjoy her sip. He craved that moment of bliss, wanting to witness it any time something touched Amelia’s lips. Did she really think he was perceptive, or was she just playing the part of an adoring fiancée?
“So,” a deep voice cut through his thoughts, “this is the famous fiancée.”
Leo put his hand on Amelia’s lower back and turned to look at the owner of the voice, already having recognized his bitter professional rival, Ari Ashfield. The man was six foot two, lithely muscled, and loved to snipe jobs out from under Leo’s nose. He wore a fitted black shirt and pants, his dark eyes just as sharp as his tailoring.
“Ari,” Leo responded coolly. “This is Amelia.”
“The singer.”
Amelia froze for a beat, then flashed a bright smile. “That’s right.”
They shook hands. His grip was firm.
“Give us a tune, then.” Ari’s eyes narrowed in challenge. “We’ve heard so much about your talent.”
