sister?”
Nora’s smile didn’t waver. “Grace told you? Emma’s still on the loose. But I know her well enough to believe she’s sleeping it off this afternoon. There’s no sense making myself crazy looking for her if she’s snoring. I’ll start again this evening.”
“Anything we can do to help?”
“Thank you. I’ll let you know. And thank you for bringing Grace all this way. Her television appearance is important today.”
“She’ll be great.”
“We’re having a light lunch afterwards. Just appetizers and champagne with a few friends of mine. Would you like to join us?”
Luke shook his head. “I’m too hungry to wait that long.” He looked at Grace and hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll go get a burger while you do your thing. Meet you later?”
“All right,” Grace said. She had already given Luke her afternoon schedule, which he had memorized as if it were something from a team playbook.
“Good luck,” he said, meeting her eyes directly. The spark in his gaze caused an electric reaction in her chest and quickly traveled south. He must have guessed her physical response, because he grinned and walked away.
Nora linked her arm through Grace’s and pulled her into the building. As soon as they were alone, Nora started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Grace demanded in the elevator.
“Grace, he’s gorgeous! Hardly the kind of man I thought you’d be attracted to, but how can you help yourself?”
“He’s very sweet,” Grace said, knowing she sounded defensive.
“Sweet is not the first thing I noticed about him. And you were kissing the stuffing out of the man.”
“I was not!”
“You were, too. And three cheers for it.”
“Just don’t tell my mother, okay?”
Nora laughed again. “And risk the wrath of Dear Miss Vanderbine? Do you think I’m crazy?”
Nora accompanied Grace upstairs, through the receptionist and into the green room. She helped Grace finish her makeup and smooth her hair. In no time, Grace was on camera. And very glad she had worn slacks, not another short skirt.
Even with half her mind still on the sidewalk with Luke, she managed to summon some Vanderbine poise to do her television interview. She fielded questions first, then led the host’s three college-age children through a mock business lunch. Today, she was very glad not to be doing the tea party segment her mother had rehearsed with her. Her confidence had been thoroughly shaken. As Nora pointed out, a business lunch was more Grace’s area of expertise: How to make conversation that didn’t spoil your chances for getting a deal or a job, what to do if you spilled something or a cell phone rang or someone from your past lurched up to the table and made an embarrassing scene. The students started out stiff and uncomfortable, but Grace thought of Luke’s handling of the woman at the airport bar, and she put his technique to work. She teased the students into loosening up, and the segment went beautifully. At the end, the host did a nice pitch for the book, and Grace told the camera where she would be appearing later in the day.
When the camera light went off, the host praised Grace for a job well done. Still, it was a
great relief when she and Nora managed to disengage themselves from the station staff.
“Great appearance,” Nora said when they were alone. “You looked comfortable in front of the camera, Grace. And you really connected with the kids on the set.”
“Thanks. This one felt better than my flashing my undies.”
Nora laughed. “As your confidence grows, you’ll get better and better. And business etiquette might be your best bet, don’t you think?”
“It certainly feels more natural than tea parties.”
They talked more about the possibilities as they dashed around the block for the meet-and-greet at one of Nora’s favorite restaurants, Champagne. Nora must have invited many friends, because the room was full of smiling faces. Most of them were
Nora’s smile didn’t waver. “Grace told you? Emma’s still on the loose. But I know her well enough to believe she’s sleeping it off this afternoon. There’s no sense making myself crazy looking for her if she’s snoring. I’ll start again this evening.”
“Anything we can do to help?”
“Thank you. I’ll let you know. And thank you for bringing Grace all this way. Her television appearance is important today.”
“She’ll be great.”
“We’re having a light lunch afterwards. Just appetizers and champagne with a few friends of mine. Would you like to join us?”
Luke shook his head. “I’m too hungry to wait that long.” He looked at Grace and hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll go get a burger while you do your thing. Meet you later?”
“All right,” Grace said. She had already given Luke her afternoon schedule, which he had memorized as if it were something from a team playbook.
“Good luck,” he said, meeting her eyes directly. The spark in his gaze caused an electric reaction in her chest and quickly traveled south. He must have guessed her physical response, because he grinned and walked away.
Nora linked her arm through Grace’s and pulled her into the building. As soon as they were alone, Nora started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Grace demanded in the elevator.
“Grace, he’s gorgeous! Hardly the kind of man I thought you’d be attracted to, but how can you help yourself?”
“He’s very sweet,” Grace said, knowing she sounded defensive.
“Sweet is not the first thing I noticed about him. And you were kissing the stuffing out of the man.”
“I was not!”
“You were, too. And three cheers for it.”
“Just don’t tell my mother, okay?”
Nora laughed again. “And risk the wrath of Dear Miss Vanderbine? Do you think I’m crazy?”
Nora accompanied Grace upstairs, through the receptionist and into the green room. She helped Grace finish her makeup and smooth her hair. In no time, Grace was on camera. And very glad she had worn slacks, not another short skirt.
Even with half her mind still on the sidewalk with Luke, she managed to summon some Vanderbine poise to do her television interview. She fielded questions first, then led the host’s three college-age children through a mock business lunch. Today, she was very glad not to be doing the tea party segment her mother had rehearsed with her. Her confidence had been thoroughly shaken. As Nora pointed out, a business lunch was more Grace’s area of expertise: How to make conversation that didn’t spoil your chances for getting a deal or a job, what to do if you spilled something or a cell phone rang or someone from your past lurched up to the table and made an embarrassing scene. The students started out stiff and uncomfortable, but Grace thought of Luke’s handling of the woman at the airport bar, and she put his technique to work. She teased the students into loosening up, and the segment went beautifully. At the end, the host did a nice pitch for the book, and Grace told the camera where she would be appearing later in the day.
When the camera light went off, the host praised Grace for a job well done. Still, it was a
great relief when she and Nora managed to disengage themselves from the station staff.
“Great appearance,” Nora said when they were alone. “You looked comfortable in front of the camera, Grace. And you really connected with the kids on the set.”
“Thanks. This one felt better than my flashing my undies.”
Nora laughed. “As your confidence grows, you’ll get better and better. And business etiquette might be your best bet, don’t you think?”
“It certainly feels more natural than tea parties.”
They talked more about the possibilities as they dashed around the block for the meet-and-greet at one of Nora’s favorite restaurants, Champagne. Nora must have invited many friends, because the room was full of smiling faces. Most of them were
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