Page 10 of Indiscreet

CHAPTER THREE

The Spa Noir package was a full day that included a facial, manicure, pedicure, and wax, and Astrid came along for a holiday break. We both found the pampering divine, and afterward, we went dress shopping. The red and black pumps I’d ordered had arrived by express carrier and went well with the cocktail dress we found at Nordstrom, with its Italian lace, floral print, V-neckline, and sheer georgette material.

“You look stunning,” Astrid said after I added a light sheer powder and finished off my makeup with run-free mascara and the crimson lipstick. The makeup was strictly Perfetto, of course. “You’ll have them fighting over you.”

I laughed and brushed through my long hair, which I was letting hang free down my back in curls. “Maybe one or two of them,” I joked back.

Outwardly, I felt confident in my appearance, but inside, I was a bundle of nerves. Who would I meet? What if I didn’t meet anyone I wanted to date?

“Really Gia, I was surprised you took Liz up on her offer to go through a match service,” she said, handing me my ruby and black pearl earrings. “What was the name of it again?”

“The Agency,” I said as my phone beeped. I checked the message and found it was the driver. “The car service is here.”

“That’s an odd name for a company,” Astrid said, buttoning up her coat. “The Agency could be anything, but if Liz is happy, it can’t be all that bad.”

I hugged her. “Thank you for coming with me today. It made me less nervous, but now I’ve run out of time and I’m not sure I’m ready—”

“You’ll be fine,” she said. “Quit worrying. Just go have fun.” We hugged each other and left in two different directions. Astrid’s would take her back to her little family, while mine…well, who knew where it would take me?

The drive over to Mercer Island didn’t take long from where I lived in Bellevue. Visibility was limited with the night sky and snowfall, but with the headlights of the limousine, I could make out rows of landscaped poplar trees and gates to contemporary mansions. The car stopped at one of the stone and iron gates. This one was open with a row of exterior lantern lights. A female hostess in a winter coat and suit opened the door and helped me onto the sandstone driveway, up to a wide staircase that had two Tuscan columns next to the large windows and door at the entry. There, another host was waiting to take my coat, and after consulting his list, he provided me with a small red ribbon corsage to wear at my wrist.

“What’s this for?” I asked.

He smiled. “Identification. This is your first mixer?”

“Yes,” I said.

“This is a pheromone mist. It’s non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and unscented.” He sprayed my neck.

“We’ll try that too.” A handsome man dressed in a tuxedo appeared at my side. He had short blond hair with thin-framed square glasses and a wide grin. He was holding the hand of a smiling brunette. She was short and curvy with shoulder-length hair, and she was dressed in a black sequined mini-dress and stilettos. Her big brown eyes glimpsed me before settling back on him. “I’m Bradley, and this is Sophie. You are?”

“Gia,” I said and took his hand then let go first. “Nice to meet you.” When I went to shake Sophie’s hand, I was surprised to find a green corsage around her wrist. That was when I noticed Bradley had a green bow around the red rose pinned to his collar. I wondered what the colors meant.

Before I could ask, he said, “Come with us. I’ll get the two of you drinks. Wine okay with you?”

I smiled and took them up on their offer. “Red, please. Thank you.”

Following them past the foyer and double marble and mahogany staircase, we arrived at a spacious living room where a diverse group of men and women congregated on seats and stood chatting. The room itself contained a tasteful mix of antiques and modern furnishings, including a large fireplace, bronze sculptures, and framed renaissance artwork that worked for the space. The overall assembly was beautiful, including the Italian marble and stone on the floor, the exposed wooden beams along the vaulted ceilings, and the carved wooden paneling. A row of windows the length of the room provided a view out to Lake Washington, and I suspected Dane Westbrook had a view of Mount Rainer during the day. The place was wonderful.

Sophie and I settled in at the bar while Bradley ordered drinks for us. The men were mostly in tuxedos or designer suits, the women in various cocktail dresses. The Agency hadn’t disappointed in options—the gathering was entirely made up of attractive people. Although none of the men caught my eye at first glance, I didn’t rule any of them out either.

“Do you come to mixers often?” I asked Sophie.

“Not often,” she responded. “I came to get my mind off losing my job—”

“Now, now, Sophie, we agreed this night is for us to have fun,” Bradley said then kissed her cheek. “You’ll have something new before you know it.”

“Yes, I will,” she said, staring after Bradley as he went to collect our drinks. “Bradley and I come occasionally to meet new people.”

I lifted my brow curiously. “Oh, I assumed you were—”

“Together,” she finished for me and nodded. “We are. We have an open relationship.”

“Oh,” was all I could think to say.

Bradley returned and handed me my glass. “What’s our topic?” he asked, his green eyes shifting between the two of us.

“Our open relationship,” she said, touching his arm.

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