Page 39 of What Happens This Christmas
“Likewise. It’s a beautiful party, isn’t it? In fact, I was just with Irina. She was showing me a new design she’s having installed in the new year.”
Reddington snaked an arm around her waist. “Not to worry. I was just talking with our friends.”
Jade’s eyes sparkled with an innocence that I wished I had, but that didn’t diminish the distinct fire that burned in them just the same. It spoke to the things that I’d heard about—how she was a firecracker. Not that it came to me as much of a surprise, considering her upbringing. She hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and she’d seen the tougher side of life.
“Did I miss anything?” she asked.
I shook my head politely as Nick brought his arm around me, resting it on my hip comfortably as he nudged me toward him. The sides of our bodies were practically molded together, the air crackling with an electricity that was difficult to ignore. Nick’s touches, the things he did always meant more than met the eye. He was quiet in his endeavors, and it was thrilling, sending a shiver down my spine.
Jade turned to Reddington first before staring at me and elaborating. “Well, then I must tell you, Irina also passed along the names of her architect and interior designer.”
Reddington cracked his neck, making it seem like he wished he had a stiff drink. “That was…nice of her. I’m not sure what we’d need those for, but in any event…” He let his words fall off and the few he had said speak for themselves.
I waved a hand in the air. “I wouldn’t give it too much thought. Irina can be that way, but she means well.” And bywell, I meant that she was trying to suggest she felt it best Reddington and Jade contact her people because they needed all the help they could get. Basically, Irina must’ve seen their place and disapproved.
“I assumed as much,” Jade said, grinning with the authenticity of a doll. “If you don’t mind, we only just arrived and really should make our rounds.” She glanced at Reddington. “You probably haven’t had a chance to speak with Teddy yet, have you? And we really should thank him for the gift he sent to your office this week.”
Reddington nodded, his mouth moving as he said something to us.
I couldn’t be bothered with that, though, because Nick’s grip tightened on my hip. I resisted the urge to suck in, but that didn’t stop my heart from pounding in my chest. It was as though I could feel the warmth of his touch beneath my gown. The electricity I was feeling intensified, and it was a wonder it didn’t set the whole house on fire.
Chapter 18
it’s not polite to eavesdrop
CANDY
I felt bow-strung with the awareness of what could have happened between us again if we hadn’t been in a public setting. But to what end? Every glance, every touch, every moment we gave into…us, something we hadn’t entertained in a long time, made things feel even more like a powder keg.
Volatile.
Dangerous.
Explosive.
It all felt foolish given our impending divorce. There was nothing left for us. We were done, at the end of the line.
Luckily, I had been able to step away from Nick when William had walked over and started up a conversation with him. I had used it as my opportunity to go to the bathroom. The solitude there reminded me that this evening would be over soon enough, and the dread for attending an event was merely because it was Irina’s party. So much was going on right now, and this too would pass.
Walking down the stairs to make my way back to the main floor where I had left Nick, I kept my head down and focused on my steps. After all, I was wearing boots with quite the heel. They’d make most acrobats shudder, but they closed the gap in the height difference I had with Nick and made for better photos. Plus, it gave me a confidence boost that I’d known would do me a world of good.
I was turning to head down the next flight of stairs when Irina’s voice filled my ears. She was gossiping, engaging in idle chit-chat at another person’s expense. “It’s true. Maribel’s husband saw it himself.”
“Nick was wiping down glasses behind the bar?”
“Mmhmm.”
What?I paused, my hand practically stuck to the handrail like it’d been glued there. My lips parted on a silent gasp as my stomach fell, and my heart beat so rapidly in my chest I thought I might have a heart attack. That still wouldn’t have been the most embarrassing part of this night. No, hearing Irina gossiping about Nick would have taken the cake.
“Maribel thought they might be facing financial troubles. It’s such a shame,” Irina said, continuing in her quest to tarnish my husband’s reputation and name.
My shock and disappointment quickly dissipated, leaving nothing more than anger in its wake. Embers of irritation trickled throughout my body. It was as though someone had lit a match, and I was standing amid the flames, daring them to burn me and send me straight to hell.
I pursed my lips and did nothing to conceal my hostility toward Irina. If she wanted to sit around and spend her precious time talking about me, then fine, so be it. But Nick didn’t deserve for his name to be smeared. He was a good man, more than the man they saw him as, which was one of the best businessmen on Wall Street. It was all they ever saw, and it was all they ever would, because it was all they cared to see. It disgusted me, truly made me sick. That feeling would have to wait, though, because I wanted to pull every last strand of colored hair out of Irina’s head.
I took a deep breath in and exhaled before forcing a smile onto my face. Stepping down with one foot at a time, I listened to the murmurs and shocked gasps of the women as they keptthis absurdity going on with disorganized side conversations. It was pathetic, really, that they had nothing else better to do. And Irina…I was surprised that she wasn’t mingling with everyone at her party. You would think she would have cared to know what was going on right under her nose and what everyone thought about the affair she wouldn’t have been able to plan on her own if her life had depended on it.
“Candy,” Irina said, spotting me first as I did her, our eyes meeting.
