Page 15 of The Acquisition

Grace noticed Sabrina waiting in the doorway. "Ah, I see. Well, come in here, Sabrina. It's always lovely to see you."

She tipped her head for Sabrina and me to follow her. "Let's go get our girl ready to get married. Colt, Fitz is in the master suite. Go grab Beck, and the three of you should get ready. I've got a photographer coming."

Sabrina and I followed Grace down a long hallway toward the bedrooms at one end of the house. We'd just seen Evie on the plane, so our presence wasn't a surprise, but without the buffer of Colter and Beckett I felt like my tongue was too loose and all manner of secrets were going to slip free.

Grace went to the closet and brought out a garment bag and laid it across the king-size bed in the center of the room. Evie stared at the bag with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, I'm getting married. Tonight." She held a hand over her mouth as if she might be sick.

I pulled out the chair in front of the secretary desk in the room. "Here. Sit and take a few slow, deep breaths." She did as I directed and nodded when she felt better.

"Of course I know I'm getting married, but it was like a dream before now." Grace started brushing Evie's long, dark hair.

Sabrina popped the cork on a bottle of champagne and handed all of us, except Evie, a glass. "Sorry," she said as she handed her a glass labeledBride."You get sparkling cider."

Evie didn't reply. She just sat staring ahead. I waved my hand in front of her face to get her attention.

She blinked rapidly. "Sorry, I was lost in thought."

"I noticed. What were you thinking about?"

Evie looked over her shoulder at Grace. Whatever she was thinking she wasn't comfortable saying in front of her fiancé's mother.

Her future mother-in-law didn't share her discomfort, and Grace prodded her to speak. "Please, my son is nearly forty. I've read gossip columns devoted to him throughout his twenties that destroyed any notion I might have had that he led a chaste lifestyle."

Evie started to giggle then dropped her hand to her belly. "I'm getting married to my long-lost father's best friend."

"Who knocked you up then demanded a paternity test," Sabrina added.

I glared at her, and she shrugged. Evie wasn't upset by what she said though. Actually, she started laughing so hard she developed hiccups. "We're like one of those trashy talk shows."

Grace started weaving Evie's hair into a beautiful partial up-do. "It doesn't matter how you both got here, only that I'm finally going to be a grandmother."

I found that I was jealous of Evie. Grace Anderson was warm, funny, and surprisingly down to earth for the wife of a business magnate. I loved watching her get the family she deserved, but it also made me feel more alone than I'd ever felt before.

It was a struggle to participate in the ritual of getting the bride ready. Sabrina could tell I was barely hanging on and kept refreshing my glass of champagne, but even with the liquid fortification, my face hurt from all the smiling I was forcing myself to do.

After we helped Evie into the beautiful dress Grace brought for her, I stepped into the bathroom to see what Colter's stylist selected for me. A note fluttered out of the bag when I pulled the zipper down.

Mr. Greyson,

I was able to find the dress you requested. I hope Ms. Easton enjoys this one more than the selection set aside for Ms. Lake.

Sincerely,

Patrice

I think I preferred the idea of this dress when I thought it was meant for Sabrina. He was still doing me a favor, but it was originally meant for his sister. There wasn't anything sexy about slipping into a dress meant for a sibling. It was like armor against his charm. Knowing he picked out a dress specifically for me, something I could imagine he wanted to see me in? That was an entirely different story.

Reaching into the bag, I pulled out a delicate blush pink chiffon dress with a halter neck. I loved dressing up, and this dress might as well have been made for me.

I felt risqué wearing it, with a fully exposed back. It may have given off the appearance of a sweet dress, with its pale pink color and its soft flirty material, but the halter top with a back that skimmed just above my rear had to be worn without a bra.

When I emerged from the bathroom, Sabrina gasped. "That was definitely not picked for me."

"Who picked it?" Evie asked.

Sabrina grimaced and left me to answer for her. "Uh, I had a situation, and Colter arranged for some clothes to be delivered before we left."

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