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“If anybody has questions, you can answer them, can’t you? Call me tomorrow. Tell me how everything went.”
I watched helplessly as Goodluck bailed on his huge opening show. All the fair trade champagne I’d ordered, all the organic canapes I’d sourced… Now that he was gone, people would leave. I sighed as a couple dozen art groupies followed him out the door.
God, since when did he have a cat?
The din in the room calmed down, and I took a breath. Everything was fine. It didn’t matter. Sure, all my hard work to put this party together was wasted, but he was my boss, and he got to do whatever he wanted. I’d try to entertain everyone as best I could, although I didn’t have Goodluck’s ability to introduce bizarre, unrelated topics from thin air.
I felt a touch on my bare arm, soft enough to send a shiver through my body in the stifling room. I turned, expecting to hear someone’s displeasure that Goodluck had already left.
Instead I saw a suit, a tie, and dark hazel eyes. His classic ghost of a smile, to match the ghost I was turning into. “Hello, Juliet.”
I held my sweater tighter and stared at Fort, wondering how long he’d been here. How had I missed him? “Hello,” I said. He looked the same, which is to say, he looked beautiful and powerful, a lion in this room of wildebeests. My heart pounded at his proximity. Even after all these months, after how we’d parted, adrenaline surged and my painful crush reawakened. I switched into polite-hostess mode to cope. “Thank you so much for coming to Goodluck’s opening.”
“I’m happy to support our business partner.” He looked around, running a hand down the front of his suit. “The new photographs are beautiful.”
“Did you have some champagne? It’s responsibly sourced.”
He clasped his hands in front of him, fidgeting with his fingers. “No. I try not to drink in stressful situations. I learned that from a friend.”
His tie was embossed with gold and green vines the same color as his eyes. I looked past him into the thinning crowd.
“Are you busy?” he asked. “Do you have a moment to talk?”
“About what?” I sounded defensive, and I felt cold now that the room was emptier. I started pulling my sweater back on.
He reached to help me when I couldn’t find the other sleeve. “I wanted to tell you that sales are up thirty-three percent since the ad campaign,” he said.
“Wow. That’s great.”
“Also…” He paused and smoothed a hand over his tie. It was a nice tie. I waited for his next words but they never came. Instead he gazed at my neck, and I fingered the choker I wore. It wasn’t a collar. It looked nothing like a collar, but…
The last time we’d stood this close, he’d grabbed me around the waist and kissed me, his big hand holding my face.The problem is, this can’t go anywhere.He’d said that, I remembered his exact words. We would never work out.
I came to my senses and took a step back. “I’m glad your ad campaign was successful. It’s done a lot for Goodluck’s brand as well.” I waved a hand toward the door. “He left early, but if he was here, I’m sure he’d thank you. And now… I really…”
“At least come and meet my friends.”
He took my arm and led me across the gallery before I had a chance to refuse. His other hand settled on my back, a proprietary touch. Did he mean it that way, or was it my overwrought, regrettable attraction to him?
He stopped in front of a blond man with a dark-haired nymph on his arm. She looked like a runway model, but shorter. The man exuded the same cachet as Fort: wealth, looks, and unerring confidence.
“This is Juliet Pope,” Fort said, turning to introduce me. “Juliet, this is my friend, Devin Kincaid.”
I eyed the woman next, but she wasn’t introduced. She stared at the closest photo, looking bored. As for Devin Kincaid, he greeted me with icy civility. His eyes were like Fort’s, direct and assessing.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking my hand. “Interesting photos, not that I’m into art.”
I stiffened at his tone. Fort made a face. “That’s polite, Dev.”
“What? I’ve never been to an art premiere before,” he said, like the idea of it was ridiculous. “When I need to see art, I go to museums.”
I could have explained about art premieres, sales, the importance of community, but his friend seemed like an asshole, so I just said, “Museums are great. It was nice to meet you, Devin and…” My voice trailed off because I’d never learned the woman’s name.
Fort gestured toward his friends. “They’re going for drinks.”
“I thought you were going to join us,” said Devin, scowling at him.
“I’m going to stay a while. I haven’t seen everything yet.”
