Page 61 of The Fiancée Farce
Gemma made a face, eyes flitting over Tansy’s shoulder. Tansy turned, following her gaze, and found Lucy standing in the corner with Rochelle and Yvonne. She was talking, looking for all the world as if nothing was wrong.
“I had some unfinished business to discuss with Lucy,” she said, succinct. “But I think we got it cleared up.”
“That’s good,” Tansy said, not knowing what else to say.
“Tansy, just the lady I was looking for.”
Gemma frowned. “Uncle Brooks. Hi.”
“Niece.” He nodded, then turned to Tansy. “Prudence seems to have gotten ahold of someone’s earring, and I couldn’t help but notice you were missing one of yours.” He opened his hand, presenting Tansy with her missing pearl clip-on. “This wouldn’t happen to belong to you, would it?”
“Oh, gosh.” Tansy fingered her naked earlobe, stomach somersaulting. “I must’ve dropped it. Thank you.”
“I’m just happy I was in theright placeat theright time,” Brooks said, dropping the earring into her open palm. “What a disaster it might’ve been otherwise.”
A disaster, indeed. Tansy swallowed hard, picking up on what he wasn’t saying. Somehow, Brooks knew she’d been in the hall, listening. Just like she knew he had been, too.
“How lucky for me that you found it.” She clipped it back on. “I’d have been distraught, otherwise.”
He knew that she knew that he knew...
But what was he going to do about it?
For that matter, what was she?
Chapter Eleven
Tansy had already been seated by the time Gemma arrived at the upscale bar located inside the Mayflower Park Hotel.
She was alone, looking lost in thought as she stared out the paned glass window at the street outside. Gemma slowed her steps, stealing time, taking the opportunity to look her fill without being noticed.
Today, Tansy was wearing a charcoal-colored turtleneck, a soft-looking ribbed knit that clung to her curves. The sleeves were too long, maybe by design, covering her all the way to her knuckles. Her elbow rested on the table, her chin on her hand, the curled ends of her hair perilously close to dipping into her cup of tea. Still staring out the window, Tansy groped at the table, found the handle of her cup, and raised it to her mouth. She took a sip and made a face, nose wrinkling in a way that had no business being as adorable as it was.
“Hi,” Gemma said, finally announcing her presence as she slipped into the booth beside Tansy. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Barely. We have fifteen minutes before the reporter is scheduled to arrive.” Tansy slid over, making room.
Gemma slipped out of her trench, letting it pool behind her in the booth. She lifted a hand, flagging down the bartender andordering her go-to, a Sazerac rye old-fashioned, swapping the simple syrup for maraschino cherry juice. Spicy and sweet, just the way she liked it.
“So,” she said, once the bartender had disappeared back behind the bar to make her drink. “Are you ready to act all smitten?”
Tansy shrugged. “I guess.”
Something about the way Tansy refused to meet Gemma’s eyes sent warning bells off inside her head.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Mhm.” Tansy nodded, looking at a spot over Gemma’s shoulder. “Fine.”
Okay,no. Tansy definitely wasnotfine. No one who wasfinesaid they were fine, not in a tone bordering on terse.
“You don’t sound fine,” she said. “You sound pissed off, actually.” She frowned. “Did I do something?”
She racked her brain, trying to figure out what she could’ve done to upset Tansy in the thirty-some odd hours since they’d last seen each other. Nothing. Maybe Tansy had been a little subdued, quiet on the drive home when Gemma had dropped her off after their engagement party, but she’d figured Tansy was just spent, socially burned out, tired. As a self-proclaimed extroverted introvert, Gemma had been exhausted by the time the party ended, and she’d known almost everyone in attendance. She could only imagine how much worse it had been for Tansy.
But between now and then they’d texted. Nothing deep, just confirmations ofhere’s the time and place we’re meetingandlet’s get together early to present a united frontandyou ready for this?Nothing that had raised any red flags.
“I’m not pissed off.” Tansy twisted her engagement ring around her finger. “I’m just... confused, I guess.”
