Page 73 of Reckless Chance
“I understand, but you’ll have to wait. Let’s enjoy the party for Cassie and Evan’s sake until Mr. Simon makes his presence known.”
“I’ll try. Let’s find the royal couple.”
We slowly make our way to the corner where they’re talking with a beautiful woman who’s a little younger than I am.
Sean smiles broadly when he catches sight of the woman and hurries toward her. They embrace in a long hug as he whispers something to her.
My chest tightens. Is this one of his previous conquests?
I reach Cassie’s side and turn to face her with a questioning look as I mouth, “Who is she?”
Cassie hides a snicker behind her hand and whispers, “Jealously is not an attractive look. Besides, she’s …”
Sean steps out of the hug and reaches for my hand, interrupting us.
“Lowri, this is Princess Gabriella Brianna Sofia Caterina, better known as Evan’s little sister.”
Talk about jumping to the wrong conclusion.
“Lowri, I’ve heard all about you from Cassie. Please call me Bri.”
“It’s wonderful you could be here with Evan and Cassie tonight,” I say.
“It took a little reworking of my schedule, but the last-minute invitation to the tennis tournament gave me the opportunity to make the trip.”
“I’d hoped our parents would join us too. Unfortunately, they already had another commitment,” Evan says.
“You know I never expected them to come. I’m thrilled to have all ofyouhere. Opening Pinot & Pie is a dream come true and to have the most special people in the world with me is more than I could have hoped for,” Cassie says.
The lights blink several times and spotlights draw our eyes to the thirty-foot-high glass wall enclosing the impressive wine room. The music changes to a pounding boom, boom, boom as five acrobats drop behind the glass in dramatic bursts, clinging to unfurling white and lavender aerial silks. The women are wearing crystal-encrusted bikini tops with long leggings. Themen are only wearing leggings, showing off their ripped, bare chests.
As the music transitions to a vivacious, up-tempo song, the acrobats go into a fast-paced performance of twists, flips, turns, climbs, and drops.
Bri leans toward me, saying, “Look at the abs on the guy in dark purple.”
Nodding in agreement, I muffle a laugh. That wasn’t a comment I’d expect from a princess, much less one I just met. No wonder Cassie and Bri are already friends. She’s fun. “He certainly has the muscles to pull off those moves.”
Another performer catches my attention. I almost didn’t recognize Amelia. Her hair sits in a bun atop her head. Loose blonde curls dangle around her face. She’s every bit as fit as the guy who caught Bri’s attention. She also reminds me of someone else. I can’t remember who.
As the song ends, so does the show. The same deep voice from the pyrobatics show fills the room, saying, “Welcome to the soft opening of Pinot & Pie at the Grand Athena. Tonight you will experience the culinary magic of Chef Cassandra Edwards. It’s time to take your places in the dining room. Prepare for your taste buds to be awakened, tantalized, and pleasured.”
“That was quite the dramatic introduction. He made it sound like we’re about to have a sexual dining experience.” I laugh.
“Would that be so bad?” Sean asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
I don’t have a chance for a flirtatious retort because Detective Fielder quietly pulls Sean and me away from the crowd that’s scurrying to find their tables. “Thanks for including me tonight,” he says.
“Of course. Chef Cassie and I wanted you here. We appreciated your help seeking justice during the cooking competition,” Sean says.
Detective Fielder chuckles. “I guess that means she’s forgiven me for suspecting her at one point.”
“Don’t give it another thought,” Sean says.
“I’ll apologize again to be safe. I love her food and wouldn’t want to miss out on future invitations. That’s not the reason I tracked you down though. We have more info on the fake attorney who showed up in your office.”
“What did you learn?”
“We interviewed Greyson. He was scared, so he talked. His career as an actor isn’t going well. He was desperate for money and willing to take any job that came with a quick payment. He claims he didn’t realize it was a scam. He thought it was a prank and would be good practice for an upcoming audition. He explained that his agent got him a tryout for a role in a new legal drama. He figured the role as Taylor would help him prepare.”
