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“I—” Was she supposed to tell the Chief Financial Officer of one of the largest hotel conglomerates that she taught children how to tap dance?
“Sophie’s a dancer.” Henry flashed her a dark look. She stiffened further. She wasn’t a dancer. Not anymore.
Muriel’s ice blue eyes flicked down Sophie’s body and then lit on Henry with a mischievous twinkle. “That makes more sense.”
Henry cleared his throat. Was that a flush of red on his high cheekbones? That was intriguing. But of course, once Muriel had approached them people began to swarm, and Henry was introducing her left and right. She shook hands and smiled, trying to memorize faces and names, but it was hopeless. There were too many, too fast.
“I’m beginning to think you’re avoiding me, Ms. Becker,” Carl Barrett said as he sidled up beside her.
Sophie gazed up into his face. A genuine smile spread across her mouth. “I would never.”
“You’ve been here for almost half an hour and not come over to say hello. What else am I supposed to think?” His blue eyes twinkled down at her.
Sophie tapped Henry on the shoulder and cocked her head at Carl. He smiled in approval as she tugged Carl away from the knot of people toward one of the more secluded corners.
“You looked like your brain was whirring so fast it was about to lift off.”
“That’s about how I felt.” She gulped some of the champagne.
Carl snagged a passing waitress and requested a gin and tonic. “You’re not the only one who feels out of place in this crowd. How many other comedians have you seen here tonight?”
She opened her mouth, glanced around, and shut it again. He was right. “So what are you doing here?”
“Moral support. For you and Henry. And to help legitimize your relationship. Even if someone is dumb enough to think Henry would bring an escort to an affair like this, I wouldn
’t be talking to you, right?” He took the drink from the returned waitress, tipped her generously, and winked. The waitress glided away with a smile.
Sophie sipped more of her champagne and scanned the room. Several people were munching on the pizzette of smoked Catskill salmon with wasabi caviar that was being served. Everyone had a drink in hand. Several fortunes worth of jewelry glinted on fingers, wrists, and throats. She touched the strand of pearls around her neck. They were more modest than most of the other jewels, but she thought they were more beautiful than any of the garish baubles the other women wore.
From across the room, Henry met her eye. She saw his gaze drop to the hand at her throat and even from this distance she could see the heat in it. She bit her lip. Could she risk giving the gorgeous yet reserved man another chance? He had opened up to her a little bit. The conversation in the limo was clearly him making an effort. And his mother’s pearls.
“Well, that look made it pretty clear to anyone watching that you’re not being paid to be here,” Carl said.
Sophie felt the heat burning in her cheeks at Carl’s words and tore her gaze from Henry.
“By tomorrow,” Carl continued, “the media will be buzzing with your unlikely love story. He saw you dancing through a window, how romantic, blah, blah, blah. Pretty soon something else will come along and bump you off the page. Romance only sells so many papers. Unless you’re royals.”
“Let’s hope so.”
They were both silent for a moment as they watched Henry weaving through the crowd, slapping backs, shaking hands, nodding. Carl drained the rest of the his drink. “Sophie, listen. People think his life has been so easy, raised in wealth, set to inherit the family business. But that’s bullshit. That baggage I mentioned? It’s heavy. Just be careful, okay? I’d hate to see either one of you hurt.”
Who had planned out Henry’s life? His father? He never mentioned him, except in relation to the business. “Thank you, Carl. That means a lot.”
“You’re getting along well, I see.” Henry slid an arm around her waist. Sophie leaned into him.
“We are.”
Carl raised his empty glass. “And now I need another drink. I’ll be back.”
“I can’t stop looking at you,” Henry said, once Carl was out of earshot.
Sophie touched trembling fingers to her temple. “I appreciate that, but I’d appreciate being pointed in the direction of the ladies’ room more.” The combination of the champagne, her anxiety, the crowd, and Henry’s nearness was making her light-headed. She needed a bit of cool water on her cheeks.
Henry gestured toward the restrooms. “Just there. Everything alright?”
“Fine. Just need to refresh. I’ll be right back.”
Sophie moved as quickly through the crowd as she could, smiling politely. Inside the lavish ladies’ room she ran the water until it felt ice cold before wetting her hands and patting her flushed cheeks. How much longer would they have to stay here?
