Page 74 of Tuxedos and Tinsel
And the last thing they needed was someone to overhear. “I’m going to go check my hair,” she said. “The bun feels loose.”
“I’m going to go make sure everything is in order, or whatever it is Thomas expects us to do.” He headed toward the back of the room where the event coordinators were congregated.
“Oh, hey,” he said, stopping and speaking over his shoulder. “About that other thing we were talking about. You know, the cookies?”
“Yeah?” The abrupt change of topic would throw her except it was Linus, and Linus was known for it.
“You’re nowhere near being fat.”
“I know,” Susan replied. She was normal. And even if she wasn’t, Lewis loved her body. Every porcelain inch, he said. That was all that mattered.
Smiling to herself, she turned and headed to the powder room. On the way, a flash of black caught her eye. It was Courtney minus her partner in crime. Ever since Susan had told them off at work, she and Ginger had limited their interaction to only the most necessary business. Tonight, the woman smirked like a cat as Susan passed her.
Susan was surprised to discover she didn’t care.
Imagine that. All this fuss about paying them back tonight, and it no longer seemed to matter.
CHAPTER NINE
FORTHENEXTforty-five minutes, Susan smiled and said hello to every person who stepped off the elevator. Most responded politely and kept going, way more interested in the free drinks and food than in talking with her. Thankfully. It wasn’t until Maria and Hank arrived that she had to make any kind of real conversation.
“Welcome home,” she greeted the newlyweds with a smile. “How was America?”
“Big. We had a marvelous time. Especially in Hawaii,” Maria answered. “I hated to come back. Don’t worry, though, I’ll be in the office on Monday. I know you’re eager to discuss a few things.”
“Maria, honey, it’s a Christmas party,” Hank said, his voice gently admonishing. “There’ll be plenty of time to talk work next week.”
His bride blushed. They were still in the phase where bickering in public required restraint. “I know, but this is Susan. I’m sure she wants to bring me up to speed.”
Did she do that? Did she spend time at parties working? Susan thought back to different functions. Damn. “Not tonight,” she quickly replied. “It’s Christmas. I don’t know about you, but I have more important things to talk about.”
“So we read.” Maria’s remark had all three of them turning a subtle pink.
“Where is Lewis?” Hank asked. “I was hoping to catch up with him. We didn’t get to talk very long at the wedding.”
Indeed, where was Lewis? Nearly an hour into the party and he still hadn’t arrived.
“He…um…got tied up with business and is running late,” she repeated for the umpteenth time. “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”
“See? I’m not the only one distracted by business,” Maria said.
“Apparently not.” But as Hank answered, he flashed a sympathetic look in Susan’s direction. It was the look of someone who knew Lewis’s past habits. He’s not the same man, Susan wanted to holler. A hard sell seeing how it was at their wedding that Lewis had a pair of drinks tossed in his face.
Just then the elevator dinged. The doors slid open and there was Lewis looking like he’d stepped off a runway in a black velvet blazer. Susan’s heart leaped to her throat at the sight of him.
So much for faking not being in love. It’d be easier pretending Lewis wasn’t gorgeous or Collier’s sold auto parts.
She broadened her smile. Her feelings—or rather, their repercussions—were an issue for another time.
“I am so sorry I’m late, luv. My meeting went far longer than I thought.” The apology tumbled from Lewis’s mouth as he slipped an arm around her waist. “You look delicious,” he added, kissing her cheek. “Maybe it was a good thing I wasn’t there when you were getting ready or we’d both be late.”
“If you’re trying to flatter me into forgiving your lateness, it’s working,” Susan told him.
“Good. I’ll flatter you some more later. Welcome back from the honeymoon, you two,” he said, turning to Hank and Maria with a smile.
This was one of those times when the relationship felt real. Although they were sleeping together so it was also real in that sense. Deeper was the better word. This was one of those times when the relationship felt deeper. There was a sparkle in his eyes that was easy to mistake as adoration. She needed to remember though, he was just playing a part. Tonight he was honoring his half of the agreement by playing the doting boyfriend.
“I can’t believe you two met at our wedding,” Maria was saying.
