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The drive to the club was uneventful, as expected. Conversation remained at a bare minimum. At the club, Karagiani exited first, and circled the car, where he waited a beat as Wood opened my door.
The valets, used to the various rules and roles, smiled and nodded as I headed up the steps with Karagiani. Theportes-cochèreskept the now misting rain off. The doorman let us in and the hostess stepped up to greet us. It wasn’t long before my coat was checked and they took my request for a shift in arrangements in stride.
Fortunately, I arrived ahead of Andrea so I didn’t need to explain a table change. Karagiani had his own table and I’d barely ordered a coffee when a waitress began resetting the table for two to three. The explanation for why followed in her wake.
“Lainey!” Andrea’s voice climbed on the second syllable of my name. Excitement flooded me as I rose to meet my sister. While not the running squealing hugs of her youth, she didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around me.
I hugged her close as I met Adam’s blue-violet gaze. Those eyes could tell me so much, the shift in color between the blue and the purple were a tell he couldn’t hide. The barest sliver of a smile softened the hard lines of his mouth. He shifted his gaze briefly to glance past me. A tiny furrow appeared between his brows.
Someone had clocked Karagiani. That would require an introduction. When Adam looked at me, I shook my head once and mouthed “later.”
Here was hoping he would listen.
But his expression softened as Andrea leaned back. The smile on her face was radiant. “I totally tricked Adam into coming to brunch with us.”
“You tricked me,” he said in an idle, almost bored if amused tone. “That’s what you call fourteen text messages and three phone calls?”
“Aww,” Andrea scolded as she swatted at him. Laughter filled her eyes. “You could at least play along.”
“Hmm. Read me into the plan next time,” he informed her and I had to bite back my own smile as Andrea rolled her eyes.
When she was around, Adam regained some of his humanity. He was the caring, thoughtful guy he’d been when I was younger. The contrast was startling.
Adam pulled out Andrea’s chair and I slid back into my own. He unbuttoned his suit coat before he took the chair opposite me. It put Andrea between us, which was good. If there was one thing the two of us agreed on, it was our sister.
At least we still had that.
The staff wasted no time in delivering drinks and taking our orders. I chose a salad, Andrea went with breakfast options, and Adam settled for a sandwich with french fries.
As soon as the waitress left us, however, Andrea turned to me. “So, the gala—The Masquerade—you said you’d help me get a dress right?”
“I did.” Tally and I had already begun to look at possible dresses and I needed to dress up Pretty Boy too. The more I thought about it, the more I knew how I wanted to dress us. Honestly, I was probably looking forward to that more than I should admit. “But you should probably check that Mother didn’t make arrangements to get you a dress.”
“She didn’t,” Andrea said with all the confidence of a thirteen-year-old.
“She isn’t back from her trip,” Adam said idly. “How do you know?”
The wording, however, was very specific. She was on a trip without Harper. I pocketed that information for now.
“Because,” Andrea said, lifting her chin and giving Adam an imperious look that was so like his it made me want to laugh. “I spoke to the housekeeper and to Alison. They both told me Mother didn’t want to order anything without knowing my sizes because I’m being inconsiderate and growing so much.”
“I don’t think you’ve grown that much, you’re still six, right?” Adam teased her in that warm baritone.
“Oh my god, don’t even,” Andrea said with a wrinkle of her nose then she looked at me again. “If I go with you to get a dress, then I can surprise her when she gets back.”
“And you don’t have to endure whatever lacy monstrosity she picks out.” Having endured more than my fair share, I understood that on a chemical level.
“You’re also more fun to shop with,” Andrea said, like she needed to sweeten the deal.
“Because she spoils you,” Adam observed and it was my turn to give him a dismissive look.
“The horse you bought for her arrived at Der Sonne.” As if I were the only one who spoiled her.
“That’s an investment.”
“So are clothes.”
He shook his head but Andrea laughed, and it cut any tension that had begun to form. It didn’t take long for our meal to be served. Though he tried to refrain, Adam’s gaze drifted to Karagiani repeatedly.
