Page 67 of Careless Whisper

Fuck me!She knew Reggie, and she knew who I was to her, and Faye Lancaster wasn’t happy with me.

“Dr. Graham and I work together at Harper Memorial, and he will, of course, be a big part of this trial.” Maren tugged at my arm as if we weretogether.

I flinched and pulled away.

Maren, who didn’t care who was saying or feeling what when she was out to get what she wanted—and this time, it was the Lancaster Foundation money—continued stalwartly, “Elias, I met with the Lancaster Foundation just this morning. It was such a great meeting.”

My eyes scanned the room, looking for Reggie, and found her with…Jason Lancaster. He had his arm around her, and he was talking to her. They stood close together, familiar with one another. Reggie knew the family. I did not doubt that. Was she dating Jason? He was known to be a playboy.

“Was ita great meeting?” Faye Lancaster smiled in a way that didn’t hide her disdain for Marenandme. “Dr. Graham, I have heard so many things about you.”

She didn’t say so many great things, I noted and bobbed my head in acknowledgment, the same head that she wanted to trample on.

Maren looked confused for a moment and then beamed. “I think it was…ah…did you?—”

“You know we have a common acquaintance,” Faye Lancaster cut Maren off.

Maren arched an eyebrow. “We do?”

A smile curved my lips, despite myself. Maren was thinking she was going to get the grant from Lancaster, and I now knew that she wouldn’t get a dime and Iwas probably going to get my ass kicked, deservedly so.

“My granddaughter,” Faye announced.

My breath caught.Say what?

And then, as realization struck, I let out a choked laugh.

Damn!And Maren had just called Reggie a gold digger?

“What’s so funny, Dr. Graham?” Faye demanded, her eyes blazing.

I shook my head, unable to pull my lips back into a straight line. “I’m just enjoying the show, Mrs. Lancaster. Please continue.”

Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and Stephen Lancaster patted my shoulder. “You’re not as stupid as I thought you’d be.”

“Sir, I can assure you that I am far more stupid than you think.”

Maren looked at all of us in confusion, like she had just walked into the theatre in the middle of a play.

“Come, you must meet my son and granddaughter.” Faye waved a hand toward the general direction where Reggie and Jason were.

“Of course, I’d love to meet them,” Maren tittered, certain that she was in now since Faye Lancaster was introducing her to family.

We followed them toward the far side of the room, Maren practically buzzing beside me like she was being escorted to a coronation.

Reggie turned the moment she saw us approaching. Her jaw locked, the flicker of tension behind her eyes enough to tell me she was seconds from walking out. Jason glanced at his niece and gave her a slight, steadying nod. They were close—anyone could see that. This kind of familial closeness you couldn’t fake.

Maren’s gasp was audible when she saw Reggie.

Jason offered me a polite, neutral handshake. “Dr. Graham.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Jason. Please call me Elias,” I said, barely managing to make my voice sound human.

Jason then shook hands with Maren, who was trying to be sociable but was becoming increasinglyuncomfortable. The fact that she still hadn’t put two and two together either meant she was too stupid to see the writing on the wall or was purposefully blind. I put my money on the latter.

“Reggie, darling,” Faye said, with a smile that somehow managed to look soft and dangerous at the same time, “You know Elias and Maren.”

“Reggie, how are you?” I was glad my voice didn’t break.

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