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1
FINLEY
Although most people would never guess, getting all dressed up to go to a big event wasn’t really my thing. Being the niece of a billionaire who’d taken me under his wing, my closet was full of designer gowns, red-soled heels, and jewelry, but I was much more comfortable hanging out in my apartment in leggings and a sweatshirt with my hair in a messy bun. Which was probably a good thing since I’d spent the past two and a half years with my nose buried in textbooks so I could finish college three semesters earlier than most students. But now that I’d graduated, I couldn’t use a paper or exam as an excuse to get out of attending something with Uncle Lennox and Aunt Brie.
“Oh my,” my aunt sighed as she stepped into my bedroom in their penthouse in the Plaza overlooking Central Park. “You look so beautiful, Finley.”
She had tried to talk me into taking the floor-length mirror with me when I moved into my apartment in Greenwich Village a few years ago so I’d be closer to where most of my classes would be held at NYU’s School of Business. And to give them more privacy as they built their life together since they’d quickly gotten pregnant with their first child. I wanted them tobond with baby Justice without me getting in the way. After everything my uncle had done for me, he deserved the perfect home life with his growing family.
I hadn’t been able to picture myself needing the mirror often, so I’d chosen to leave it here. Which came in handy at times like this since it allowed me to appreciate the result of the effort that I’d put into attending the charity gala tonight. Between the floor-length black gown paired with ankle-strap black sandals with a three-inch stiletto heel, total glam look makeup, and updo for my hair, I looked nothing like the grungy, recent college grad who’d walked in their door a few hours ago.
Meeting her gaze in the reflective surface, I smiled. “Thanks, you did an amazing job picking out my gown and shoes.”
“I could’ve put you in a potato sack, and you still would have been gorgeous.”
“I’m going to be the luckiest man at the gala tonight,” Uncle Lennox murmured as he came up behind his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Since I’ll have the two most beautiful women in attendance on my arms.”
Brie rolled her eyes, her hand moving to cover her round belly. “I look like I’m about twelve months pregnant.”
“Which only makes you even more stunning as far as I’m concerned. You’re sexy as hell when you’re carrying my babies.” Lennox placed his hand over hers. “But if tonight turns out to be too much for you, just say the word, and I’ll whisk you back home so you can get comfortable again.”
Brie beamed a smile up at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. The twins have been on their best behavior so far today.”
Watching my uncle bend low to murmur to his unborn babies brought happy tears to my eyes. I got a lot of flak from my classmates over my lack of interest in dating, but I wanted what my aunt and uncle had found together. I hadn’t really believed in happily ever after until my uncle had met Brielle at my cousinGabe’s destination wedding. He’d fallen head over heels for the stunning woman who’d been the bride’s best friend and maid of honor, and I’d never seen him happier than he was when she agreed to run off to Vegas to marry him only days after they’d met.
Unfortunately, I’d never met a guy who piqued my interest enough to talk me into a date, let alone anything more. But maybe now that my education was behind me and I didn’t have an easy out when attending events with Lennox and Brie, I’d actually socialize enough for that to happen.
Feeling an unusual anticipation for tonight, I suggested, “With Baylor down for the night and Justice distracted by the nanny, we should probably head out.”
“That’s a good call,” Brie agreed with a wistful look toward the nursery just a few doors away from my room.
“C’mon, baby.” Lennox guided her down the hallway with his palm on her lower back as I followed them. “The kids will be fine while we’re gone. We’ll go, dance a little, enjoy some dessert, write a big fat check, and then when we get home later, I’ll—”
Brie’s cheeks turned pink as she pressed her palm against my uncle’s mouth. “Finley might’ve recently turned twenty-one, but I’m sure the last thing she wants to hear about are your plans for me tonight.”
“Yup, I can wholeheartedly confirm that is true.” I shook my head with a soft laugh. “This is why I plan to head back to my place instead of returning here with you two later. So please, feel free to dip out early. Don’t let me keep you there longer than you’d like.”
Lennox narrowed his eyes at me. “Why do I have the feeling that you’d be out the door a few minutes after us?”
“Because you know your niece so well,” Brie chimed in.
“I’ll do my best to enjoy myself tonight,” I promised.
“Just not too much fun at the open bar,” my uncle muttered. “I don’t like the idea of you drinking while we’re not there to look out for you. You’re barely twenty-one, so you don’t know your limits yet.”
I quirked a brow at him as we entered the private elevator. “Didn’t you strong-arm some of your players into attending tonight?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, “but I don’t pay them millions of dollars so they can keep an eye on my beautiful niece while she finally spreads her wings.”
Brie elbowed him in the side with a giggle. “More like you don’t want one of them to swoop in and claim her for themself. I swear, they’re almost as bad as you when it comes to their wives.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Lennox grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You never know…Finley is all grown up now.”
After climbing into the limousine waiting to take us to the gala, I pulled out my cell phone and mumbled, “I need to check some stuff in the Asian markets.”
Neither of them blinked at my excuse to avoid the awkward turn of conversation. Heaving a small sigh of relief, I distracted myself during the drive, only tucking my phone back in my purse when we arrived at our destination. We stopped to have our photos taken at the step before heading inside, where we were immediately swamped by people who wanted a moment of Lennox’s time.
