house. He was aware of the fact that even though he was apprehensive about the evening ahead, he was, nevertheless, almost fiercely proud of her. She was so gloriously different from the vast majority of women he knew.
The sophistication of the dress was a piquant contrast to the honesty of her smile and the genuine friendliness in her eyes. The combination was inherently dangerous, he realized. There were going to be men here tonight who would find Shannon an amusing challenge. His fingers closed tightly on her elbow as he guided her toward the Hutchinson's Chinese-red doors, and he wished he and Shannon were back at the coast so that he could indulge her sweet recklessness without fear of the results.
"Of course I'm planning to enjoy myself," she announced breezily as they walked up the tiled steps. "I haven't been to a real party in a long time."
Garth smiled reluctantly, unable to completely resist the cheerful enthusiasm in her. "Stay close to me. I don't want you wandering off by yourself tonight, understand?"
"This isn't a jungle, Garth."
"That's a matter of opinion." He raised his hand to punch the doorbell.
The door was opened a few minutes later by an attractive woman in her late fifties. Her silver hair was cut in the latest style, and her figure in the expensive red jersey dress could have been that of a much younger woman. She greeted Garth with delight.
"You made it. Steve and I always wonder when we issue you an invitation. It's good to see you again, Garth. And who is this?" She turned brightly to greet Shannon.
"Shannon Raine . Shannon, this is Ellen Hutchinson. She and her husband, Steve, are our hosts this evening." Garth didn't release Shannon's arm as he made the introductions.
"How nice to meet you, my dear. Come on inside. I'll show you where you can leave your bag, if you like. It certainly is unusual. Very attractive. We'll just be a minute, Garth. Steve and the others are out on the back terrace."
Garth nodded reluctantly as Shannon was swept down a hall to a bedroom that was obviously serving as a temporary cloakroom. There were several other purses on the bed and a few shawls tossed across one brocade chair.
"I know Garth didn't have a chance to tell you I'd be earning with him this evening, Mrs. Hutchinson. I hope I haven't inconvenienced you." Shannon put her tote down on the bed and turned to her hostess with a smile.
"I can't tell you how happy we are to have you here tonight," Ellen Hutchinson declared firmly. "It's good to see Garth with a nice young woman again. It's like pulling teeth getting him to mix socially, you know. Steve and I were fully prepared for him to simply not show up at all this evening. Garth hates social functions that are in any way related to business. Actually, I'm not sure he really enjoys any kind of social function."
"So I gather."
"It probably has something to do with Christine, of course. Once burned, twice shy and all that." Ellen started toward the door.
"Christine?" Shannon tried to sound casual, as if she couldn't quite place the name.
"His ex-wife. Perhaps he hasn't mentioned her to you?"
"We don't discuss her."
"Not surprising, under the circumstances." Ellen chuckled conspiratorially. "Just between the two of us, you're not at all like her. I never could warm to Christine. Then, when she ran off with James..."
This was going too quickly. Shannon coughed a little and cleared her throat. "Garth hasn't told me the story," she said diffidently, feeling she ought to cut off the flow of information.
"Not many men want to explain to a new love that their ex-wife ran off with their best friend. James was not only Garth's friend, they were partners. I really am chatting too much, aren't I? Steve tells me I tend to talk too much, and I'm afraid he's right. It's just that I was really so pleased to see you and Garth here tonight. Come along, Shannon. I want to introduce you to everyone."
The doorbell chimed just as Ellen Hutchinson was guiding
The sophistication of the dress was a piquant contrast to the honesty of her smile and the genuine friendliness in her eyes. The combination was inherently dangerous, he realized. There were going to be men here tonight who would find Shannon an amusing challenge. His fingers closed tightly on her elbow as he guided her toward the Hutchinson's Chinese-red doors, and he wished he and Shannon were back at the coast so that he could indulge her sweet recklessness without fear of the results.
"Of course I'm planning to enjoy myself," she announced breezily as they walked up the tiled steps. "I haven't been to a real party in a long time."
Garth smiled reluctantly, unable to completely resist the cheerful enthusiasm in her. "Stay close to me. I don't want you wandering off by yourself tonight, understand?"
"This isn't a jungle, Garth."
"That's a matter of opinion." He raised his hand to punch the doorbell.
The door was opened a few minutes later by an attractive woman in her late fifties. Her silver hair was cut in the latest style, and her figure in the expensive red jersey dress could have been that of a much younger woman. She greeted Garth with delight.
"You made it. Steve and I always wonder when we issue you an invitation. It's good to see you again, Garth. And who is this?" She turned brightly to greet Shannon.
"Shannon Raine . Shannon, this is Ellen Hutchinson. She and her husband, Steve, are our hosts this evening." Garth didn't release Shannon's arm as he made the introductions.
"How nice to meet you, my dear. Come on inside. I'll show you where you can leave your bag, if you like. It certainly is unusual. Very attractive. We'll just be a minute, Garth. Steve and the others are out on the back terrace."
Garth nodded reluctantly as Shannon was swept down a hall to a bedroom that was obviously serving as a temporary cloakroom. There were several other purses on the bed and a few shawls tossed across one brocade chair.
"I know Garth didn't have a chance to tell you I'd be earning with him this evening, Mrs. Hutchinson. I hope I haven't inconvenienced you." Shannon put her tote down on the bed and turned to her hostess with a smile.
"I can't tell you how happy we are to have you here tonight," Ellen Hutchinson declared firmly. "It's good to see Garth with a nice young woman again. It's like pulling teeth getting him to mix socially, you know. Steve and I were fully prepared for him to simply not show up at all this evening. Garth hates social functions that are in any way related to business. Actually, I'm not sure he really enjoys any kind of social function."
"So I gather."
"It probably has something to do with Christine, of course. Once burned, twice shy and all that." Ellen started toward the door.
"Christine?" Shannon tried to sound casual, as if she couldn't quite place the name.
"His ex-wife. Perhaps he hasn't mentioned her to you?"
"We don't discuss her."
"Not surprising, under the circumstances." Ellen chuckled conspiratorially. "Just between the two of us, you're not at all like her. I never could warm to Christine. Then, when she ran off with James..."
This was going too quickly. Shannon coughed a little and cleared her throat. "Garth hasn't told me the story," she said diffidently, feeling she ought to cut off the flow of information.
"Not many men want to explain to a new love that their ex-wife ran off with their best friend. James was not only Garth's friend, they were partners. I really am chatting too much, aren't I? Steve tells me I tend to talk too much, and I'm afraid he's right. It's just that I was really so pleased to see you and Garth here tonight. Come along, Shannon. I want to introduce you to everyone."
The doorbell chimed just as Ellen Hutchinson was guiding
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