Page 105 of Forgotten Comeback
“Deal; but meet me here, and we’ll let my driver take us.”
“What is your life?” I marvel.
“Right?” Kat agrees. Someone snags her attention, and she waves. “Please, go grab a plate while I play the role of perfect hostess.”
“Go do your thing,” I tell her, and she hugs me before taking off.
Nerves have my stomach twisted like a pretzel, but I get in the buffet line. I’m not hungry, but it gives me something to do.
A beautiful woman a few years younger than me marches across the lawn with military precision. She snaps her finger, and a man with a clipboard trots over. “One of the ice cream machines is broken. Find somebody to fix it or remove it. I don’t care which, but do it now.”
“Yes, Valentina.” The man scurries away.
She turns around and nearly runs into a different man; this one has mob written all over him. “Sammy, why are you always in my way?” The woman snaps.
“You let me know where to walk so I’m not inprincipessa’sway,” he drawls with a hint of an Italian accent.
“The deep end of the Atlantic Ocean,” she says sweetly. “But since you’re here and have more brute strength than brains, move that broken ice cream machine out of sight.” She points out the machine.
He says something quietly that I can’t hear, and it must not be very nice, because the woman smiles politely but scratches her middle finger down her cheek.
Something else is exchanged, and he saunters to the machine and,damn, picks up the heavy-looking thing by himself, lugging it around the house.
The woman locks eyes with me, her demeanor softening. “Enjoying the party?”
“It’s really lovely,” I tell her, filling my plate with food I won’t eat.
“Thanks.” She smiles politely. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Valentina Parisi.”
Valentina extends her hand, and I hate that mine’s sweating as I extend mine for a shake. With the last name Parisi, this woman has to be a relative of the feared boss of Jersey. “Taylor McKenna. Friend of the bride.”
“Ah, nice to meet you. What?” Valentina calls over my shoulder. “Excuse me. Duty calls.” With that, she marches off.
Chapter
Forty-One
Taylor
Scoping out a little corner to hide in, I move food around my plate as I take in the scene. Everyone here clearly knows each other, and I feel like the odd man out.
A petite blonde woman makes a detour with her plate of food. “Hi, there. I’m Lily,” she says.
“Hi, I’m Taylor. Kat’s friend,” I explain.
“Nice to meet you.” She smiles brightly. “I’m married to Kat’s cousin.”
So this is the woman who married Darius. Never in a million years would I have pictured this angelic-looking woman married to that scary man. “Nice to meet you too.”
“You worked with Kat at the Diamond, right?”
I nod. “I used to be a casino dealer, but I’m focusing on my art.” And with that statement, I realize it’s time I put in my notice with the Diamond.
“What kind of artist are you?”
“Dark contemporary with a splash of abstract and pop art.” Digging my phone out of my purse, I pull up my social media page and show her my piece that sold.
“Very cool. Are you open for commissions? I’d love to have a modern Hades and Persephone painting for my home office. Similar to this painting’s vibe, but Hades’ hand would be feeding Persephone a pomegranate.”
