Page 18 of The Show

I looked up at them both. “Penn’s Lions? The team you bought?”

Lucian nodded, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. “The very one.”

I winced.

Lucian didn’t get where he was without making some very audacious claims, but even still, Penn had been angry for three months because he thought he’d become a laughing stock, or however he put it. “Isn’t it the worst team? That’s what Penn said.”

“Worst is subjective – I’d call them unloved. And I have full faith Pennington will make it good again,” he winked. “Don’t underestimate my grandson. Now, tell me about this business you started.”

My eyes widened, silently cursing Lauren. “Oh, yeah, I decided it was time to do my own thing. I wanted to have more control over my life.”

“Have you got any clients yet?”

I nodded. “Yes, a couple. I’m speaking to a few from my old company, but I had a non-compete clause, which is why I’ve had to wait to properly start, but I’ve been looking for a few new clients.”

“You should take on Penn,” he winked.

I laughed. “Lauren said the same thing. He wasn’t quite so agreeable.”

“My grandson doesn’t know what’s good for him.”

“No talking business!” ordered Lauren, loudly, as she thrust another glass of champagne at me, even though I hadn’t yet finished my first. “Happy Birthday, Gramps.” She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

“Thank you, my darling.”

“Party looks like it’s going to be fun.”

“Pffft. When you get to my age, they all merge into one. Tomorrow is what I’m looking forward to.”

Lauren nudged me with anI told you soside glance.

“Now, where are all my grandchildren? I suppose I’d better go and say hello soon, though as it’s my birthday, they really ought to all come to me.”

I looked around; the veranda had suddenly become very crowded, the volume levels of the immediate guests adding to the building excitement before the highest tiers of American society arrived. Most of Lauren’s cousins were here, greeting everyone with smiles and air kisses; a couple of them were already deep in conversation with Saffron and her wife, Della. Summer was standing over by the wide stone steps with Nancy and her partner, Tom, as well as Dylan.

There was just one person missing.

“D’you reckon Penn will actually come?” I leaned over, whispering to Lauren.

She was just about to shrug a reply when a movement behind my head caught her eye and she nodded instead. “Speak of the devil.”

The lightest of clenching took place in the depths of my gut, though not light enough for me not to notice when I turned around to find Penn, flanked by Murray and Rafe, at the top of the steps.

Sweet Jesus.

The air stilled and silence descended as everyone else glanced up before noisily continuing where they’d left off a split second later, no longer interested in the new arrivals.

I didn’t find it quite so easy to look away.

When I’d seen Penn this morning he’d resembled a yeti. Now he could have stepped out of any page of any men’s magazine. Or billboard. Or catwalk.

Now, he could easily take every single number one spot of every single eligible bachelor list that Laurie always gave him shit for.

It had been a few months since I’d seen Penn looking as good as he did right now, or maybe I’d never seen him look this good. Maybe it was the contrast from this morning that was making my heart thump a little harder than was normal, or that my brain chose this exact moment to remind me of my promise to Lauren.

I forced myself to blink.

While the other two were in black, Penn’s tux was crafted from the darkest charcoal, the navy trim on his lapels making his grey eyes appear almost silver. If I didn’t already know that most of Penn’s clothes were bespoke, I’d have guessed. There’s no way he’d have been able to find a suit off-the-rack that would fit the lines of his body like he’d been born wearing it, just like this one did. Broad shoulders tapering down to a flat stomach and narrow waist, and maybe it was the upward angle I was facing, because I’d never noticed before how long his legs were, even though he’d always towered over me.

---