going on, Charlie. You’re pushing your luck again.” Gary paused for a moment in thought. “Actually I did ask her to stay past the six months and she said no.”
“You did? And she what?”
Gary’s voice got even lower. “Apparently she doesn’t want to become an interior designer.”
“You mean you sounded like a boss extending an employee’s contract,” Charlie said flatly.
“What more could I do? It’s a touchy situation. She could sue me if I cross the line. Or go to the media.”
“Aw, come on. I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous come out of your mouth.” Charlie paused as Gary looked at him. “Don’t try that Tarleton glare with me. I’m the only one around you who’ll tell it to you straight and so I’m going to. You’re going to let something precious slip by if you don’t wake up and pursue it.”
“This isn’t the place for this discussion. Someone could overhear you.” But Charlie’s words nagged at him. They mingled with the memory of the brief kiss on their wedding day, the image of Hayely’s skin glistening in the bathtub, the sound of his heart thudding in anticipation of her hand touching his arm throughout dinner.
As soon as Charlie and Gary settled into their seats, the crowd at the fringe of the room seemed to shift. Suddenly, all the tables around the two men filled with guests. Had they actually been waiting to see where Gary Tarleton would sit before choosing seats of their own? Gary flinched and ordered a cup of coffee just as he saw a flashbulb go off from somewhere across the room. As he set the cup down, the intrusive flash from an unseen camera went off again.
“Let the festivities begin,” he muttered dimly and looked back to the doorway for some sign of Hayely .
•
Hayely emerged from the ladies room and wove her way through the crowd. The amount of people in the ballroom had increased greatly in only a few moments and the scattered tables that had been empty before she’d left Gary’s side were now filled. A trio of violinists stood at the back of the room playing a soothing tune and the volume of laughter and animated discussions rose considerably.
“Excuse me,” she said more than once as she turned first one way and then the next. Where was he anyway? Maybe Charlie’s thick red hair would be easiest to spot. She stopped and scanned the room before ducking past another cluster of guests.
As Hayely took another careful step, the crowd parted slightly in front of her. There, standing right before her eyes, was the one person she hadn’t considered running into—Kathy Mark. From the look on her boss’ face, she’d seen Hayely as well. Sternly, critically, the older woman inspected Hayely’s expensive gown as if mentally picking it apart seam by seam.
Kathy approached Hayely with a frozen smile on her face, but there was no mistaking the absolute rage in her pale blue eyes. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” she demanded through a frozen smile.
Hayely was stunned, temporarily at a loss. “I’m going inside to the banquet.” Where was that speech she’d started rehearsing in her head? She couldn’t remember a word of it. All that bubbled into her mind were words too foul to say aloud in polite society. And where was Gary? If ever a rescue was in order, it was now.
Kathy stepped toward Hayely and her anemic yellow satin suit rustled as she moved. “I did not invite you to attend with K. L. Mark Enterprises. We are well represented by professionals who won’t embarrass us. How dare you show up uninvited?”
Hayely looked up behind Kathy. Darryl stood sheepishly a few steps behind his mother. A gold chain showed underneath his partially opened tuxedo shirt and the heavy scent of aftershave couldn’t hide that he’d already become well acquainted with the bar. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried desperately not to look at anything other than his shoes.
Next to her brother, Dee looked torn between making
“You did? And she what?”
Gary’s voice got even lower. “Apparently she doesn’t want to become an interior designer.”
“You mean you sounded like a boss extending an employee’s contract,” Charlie said flatly.
“What more could I do? It’s a touchy situation. She could sue me if I cross the line. Or go to the media.”
“Aw, come on. I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous come out of your mouth.” Charlie paused as Gary looked at him. “Don’t try that Tarleton glare with me. I’m the only one around you who’ll tell it to you straight and so I’m going to. You’re going to let something precious slip by if you don’t wake up and pursue it.”
“This isn’t the place for this discussion. Someone could overhear you.” But Charlie’s words nagged at him. They mingled with the memory of the brief kiss on their wedding day, the image of Hayely’s skin glistening in the bathtub, the sound of his heart thudding in anticipation of her hand touching his arm throughout dinner.
As soon as Charlie and Gary settled into their seats, the crowd at the fringe of the room seemed to shift. Suddenly, all the tables around the two men filled with guests. Had they actually been waiting to see where Gary Tarleton would sit before choosing seats of their own? Gary flinched and ordered a cup of coffee just as he saw a flashbulb go off from somewhere across the room. As he set the cup down, the intrusive flash from an unseen camera went off again.
“Let the festivities begin,” he muttered dimly and looked back to the doorway for some sign of Hayely .
•
Hayely emerged from the ladies room and wove her way through the crowd. The amount of people in the ballroom had increased greatly in only a few moments and the scattered tables that had been empty before she’d left Gary’s side were now filled. A trio of violinists stood at the back of the room playing a soothing tune and the volume of laughter and animated discussions rose considerably.
“Excuse me,” she said more than once as she turned first one way and then the next. Where was he anyway? Maybe Charlie’s thick red hair would be easiest to spot. She stopped and scanned the room before ducking past another cluster of guests.
As Hayely took another careful step, the crowd parted slightly in front of her. There, standing right before her eyes, was the one person she hadn’t considered running into—Kathy Mark. From the look on her boss’ face, she’d seen Hayely as well. Sternly, critically, the older woman inspected Hayely’s expensive gown as if mentally picking it apart seam by seam.
Kathy approached Hayely with a frozen smile on her face, but there was no mistaking the absolute rage in her pale blue eyes. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” she demanded through a frozen smile.
Hayely was stunned, temporarily at a loss. “I’m going inside to the banquet.” Where was that speech she’d started rehearsing in her head? She couldn’t remember a word of it. All that bubbled into her mind were words too foul to say aloud in polite society. And where was Gary? If ever a rescue was in order, it was now.
Kathy stepped toward Hayely and her anemic yellow satin suit rustled as she moved. “I did not invite you to attend with K. L. Mark Enterprises. We are well represented by professionals who won’t embarrass us. How dare you show up uninvited?”
Hayely looked up behind Kathy. Darryl stood sheepishly a few steps behind his mother. A gold chain showed underneath his partially opened tuxedo shirt and the heavy scent of aftershave couldn’t hide that he’d already become well acquainted with the bar. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried desperately not to look at anything other than his shoes.
Next to her brother, Dee looked torn between making
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