Page 31 of Just One Look

“Gwyneth is right. We need to do something.” Colton, Porter’s brother, looked to their grandfather.

Celeste, their sister, set her drink down heavily. “Do we know someone at the insurance company?”

Devlin shook his head. “I’ve already reached out to every contact I know. The guy in charge of this is young and new and out to prove himself.”

“Lord spare me from ambitious newbies.” Shaking her head, Eve reached for her wine glass.

“Is the only problem money?” Paige directed the question at Devlin.

“For now, yes.”

“Then we’ll definitely have to do something.” Not bothering to look around the table for her family’s reactions, Paige stuck her fork in the mashed potatoes and promptly shoved it into her mouth.

“Like what?” Cooper, another cousin she’d seen at the gala last week, looked on with interest.

Through narrowed eyes, Paige briefly stared up at the ceiling before smiling. “Grams?”

“Yes?”

“What’s the fastest you ever put a charity gala together?”

His grandmother tightened her lips, glancing up much the same way her granddaughter had just done before nodding her head and smiling. “Ten days. But that was in the day when the only way to send out invitations was via snail mail.”

“There you have it.” Paige sat back in satisfaction.

“I’m sorry.” Cooper waved a spoon at his cousin. “Have what?”

“A way to help Stuart. We’ll organize a fundraising gala. And since it did so well last time,” she paused to smile at Devlin, “we can do another bachelor auction.”

That was not what Devlin wanted to hear. “What is it with you and bachelor auctions?”

“They make a lot—and I meana lot—of money.”

“Can’t we just get someone to donate a nice little Picasso or Matisse?” Devlin really did not want to deal with another auction and the Barracuda.

“He does have a point.” Bless his grandmother. Devlin had no idea what she was going to say, but as long as it got him out of another bachelor auction, he did not care. “Too much of the same too close together won’t have the same draw. It also might dilute the interest in next year’s bachelor auction if people expect it to be more common place.”

Thank you, Grams. “See? So, who has a spare Gauguin they never liked?”

“Don’t look at me.” Eve waved her hands. “Though I’m sure we could donate the naming rights to some new perfume if it will help.”

“I suppose.” Paige frowned. “We’d have to move fast to see what we can gather for the auction. I’m sure Stuart needs a flow of cash sooner than later to keep his people employed.”

“I suspect,” his grandfather raised a finger, “there are a great many patrons of the Steer’s Den who would be happy to donate an auction item, or even a little boost.”

“If we want to help, a lot of other people probably do too.” His grandmother returned her attention to the food on her plate.

“I don’t have any Picassos in my closet,” Emily chuckled, “but I’d be happy to lend a hand in organizing.”

“Me too,” Liz happily chimed in.

Rubbing her hands together as though she were outdoors in Alaska, Paige grinned like a fool. “I’d say we have a plan!”

Everyone at the table seemed to be as excited about another fundraiser as Paige. Even Liz and Emily were in the thick of the conversation now bouncing around the table. Ideas overflowed, and for what it was worth, Devlin had a few of his own, including how to spend more time with Miss Elizabeth Carter.

Chapter Thirteen

As the dinner progressed, Liz had felt more and more at ease. Devlin had been right. The Governor was a bit intimidating at first, but the way his eyes softened whenever he pet Moon, the dog at his side, went a long way to making her less tense. On the other hand, Devlin’s grandmother was a sweetheart from the start. She could have made a cat feel at ease in a room full of rockers.

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