Page 70 of Playmaker

Callie

Cooper had renteda Lexus at the airport to drive us. He’d also booked us a suite at a nearby hotel. Because of the wedding, apparently there wasn’t a lot of room at the family home. I was more comfortable with the idea of staying in a hotel than a private house anyway.

Of course, my idea of a hotel room differed from his. He’d gotten the penthouse, which included a huge seating area with a piano, of all the absurd things, as well as two entire primary bedrooms with their own bathrooms. There was a kitchen that I had no intention of using, and a view over the city. Everything was in muted beige and brown, luxurious and comfortable.

It made me itchy. The contrast with my place was vast.

“Why don’t you freshen up? We’ll go and meet everyone at the house for dinner.”

Right.Time to shower and put on expensive clothing. “I won’t be long.”

I was a little self-conscious, sharing space this closely with Cooper. I’d expected two separate rooms, not this. This was like my living arrangement with Darcy, and I didn’t think of Darcy the way I did Cooper. Darcy was, for all intents and purposes, my brother.

I did not feel brotherly around Cooper. My feelings for him were veering into dangerously intimate territory, without that platonic shield. I’d seen him without his layer of charm, and he’d learned things about me that I didn’t share. He was attractive, but more than that, he was good. Trustworthy. Kind. And tempting. But he had wanted a date who wouldn’t get ideas, so it was a good thing I couldn’t be interested in anything like that.

He was also very particular. I might have invested in appropriate lingerie and clothes for the wedding events, but I’d brought an old T-shirt and sleep shorts to wear at night. I’d need to be sure I was done for the day before I changed into those. Mr. Fussy would not approve.

There were expensive hair and bath products in the shower, and thick towels that actually absorbed. I took a long shower, enjoying the water pressure and heat, before getting ready for my performance. I hoped I could pull it off. Cooper was fulfilling his side of the bargain, so now it was up to me.

He was waiting when I came out of my room, staring out the windows at the view of the city before turning to greet me, wearing a lightweight gray suit, with a blue shirt that brought out his eyes. That was what he’d done to me—I noticed those things now.

“Gorgeous, Callie.”

I glanced down, as if I didn’t know what I was wearing. “You chose well.”

The dress was in a buttery yellow. It was sleeveless, with wide straps that gave lots of support and kept the dress from looking too formal. A high neckline, not exposing cleavage or too many freckles. It flared from under my bust, and draped in a way that made me look taller and slimmer. I was wearing tan slingbacks with a matching purse. My hair was up in a French twist, and I used a stronger lipstick shade than I usually wore.

I was pretty shocked myself at how poised and elegant I looked.

“Um, you look good as well. Will everyone be dressed like this?”

“You’ll fit right in.”

My shoulders relaxed. He understood what I really wanted to know.

“Shall we?”

I drew in a breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

* * *

I’d been preparedfor a pretty nice house when we went to his family’s home, but this was nice on a different level. The house was set back from the street with a tall stone wall. It was three stories high and even had a circle driveway at the front door. Red brick, looking New England, Mayflower, Waspy and rich. Cooper had definitely grown up with privilege. The driveway was full of cars, and there was a valet to take our rental. I was pretty sure the valet was just for this dinner party, but this was the kind of place that made you wonder. The door was standing open, and I followed Cooper up the front stairs and through the doorway.

It led to a large hallway where about twenty people were gathered with drinks and murmured conversation. These were Cooper’s family and the groom’s family. I examined them as we paused in the doorway. They were a gorgeous group, all attractive, white, and well off. There were beautiful paintings on the wall, an expensive-looking carpet on the floor, and gleaming wood paneling, but some of the foster homes I’d been in seemed welcoming in comparison. I was damned glad I was wearing Cooper-approved clothes, because these people took dressing seriously. More than at our corporate events at the firm.

A tall, elegant man with perfectly graying dark hair crossed to greet us. “Whit. Glad you could make it in time.”

I’d forgotten who Whit was until Cooper spoke. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Father, this is Calliope Smith, my plus-one for the weekend. Callie, this is my father, Preston Cooper.”

A beautiful and graceful woman followed him over. She had perfectly blonde hair, up in a twist like mine, and a dress even I could see was both expensive and flattering. Her eyes were the same color as Cooper’s. She had blue stones in her earrings and necklace—sapphires, maybe? Matching the sleek lines of her blue dress.

Cooper continued. “My mother, Kendall.”

Damn, she looked young. Her smile barely moved her face, so I leaned into my judgy side and decided she’d had work done.

More perfectly groomed people gathered before us. Cooper continued his introductions, looking stiffer with each one. “This is my brother, Pierce. The bride is my sister Tinsley, and her fiancé, Easton Yates.”

Cooper’s brother looked like a poor man’s Cooper, and that must have chafed him. Not quite as tall or as blond or as fit or good-looking. His sister had his father’s darker coloring but her mother’s perfect features. Her fiancé looked like a model from a preppy college catalog, one of the “successful alumni” shots. I was never going to remember all these ridiculous names.

---