Page 25 of The Wife Deception
15
Aire
"What do you think, Aelin?"
I glanced at Gemma, who was looking at me inquisitively. I blushed, feeling like a kid caught daydreaming during a lesson. Gemma had been giving a rundown of the next function's activities and since all the other women were eager enough to offer their opinion, I had taken the proverbial back seat, satisfied with only listening. But as they argued over whether to hold the polo and pall mall event at Nantucket or the Hamptons, I let something else preoccupy my mind; the kiss. I hadn't stopped thinking about it.
His lips had been oddly soft and his body, despite his greater height, was a perfect fit. As though he was made for me. I wanted nothing more than to drown in his world and forget this one. But when I finally came to my senses, my strong desire for him surprised me.
"Aelin?" Gemma said again. "Hamptons or Nantucket?"
"I don't mind either, to be honest."
"Me too," Darcy cut in, "But we need your vote." She was sitting opposite me and had been unnerving me with her intense stare. However, she seemed to have forgotten about me after the arguments started.
I darted my gaze around the conference table. The women looked like barbie dolls in their pastel colored wool suits. My light pink suit was no different. When Gemma called me yesterday telling me there was going to be a foundation meeting next week, I had drawn a blank, wondering what she meant until she reminded me of the gala conversation we had. And since Nolan and the entire Hawthorne family were mega donors, my admission to the foundation was free.
Half of the women had their hands raised, including Darcy and Thalia. I raised mine, unsure which one I was voting for. Gemma counted the hands and jotted down the number. "Nantucket it is," she said.
Groans and grumblings echoed around. "The Nantucket venue is lovely," Gemma said, turning to the projector screen and scrolling past a collection of photos of a lush green estate with diverse models smiling a little too hard.
"Plus, we will get a discount," Darcy added. "Thalia is friends with the owner."
"Knowsthe owner. She's Carey's client. But I'm sure she'll be open to a discount if we beg sweetly."
"Perfect!" Gemma said, her gaze still on the screen. "It's starting to grow on me, honestly. That leaves one thing." Gemma glanced back at the notepad beside her laptop and ticked off a couple of things. "The boat. Any takers?" She scanned her gaze around the table.
"Hugh sold ours recently," Darcy said. "He wants us to be more eco-friendly. So I can't help you there, I'm afraid."
"Ours will be on rental at that time." A waif thin blond woman who had a Pomeranian in her Birkin said when Gemma's gaze fell on her. Absently brushing her dog, she added, "Some Chinese friend of Chester wants it for the summer." She sounded annoyed by it.
"What about your family yacht?" Gemma said to Thalia. Murmurs rumbled around the room and some women nodded. I heard, 'oooh.' '… beautiful' and, 'that would be big enough.'
"The Hawthorne family yacht is in Nolan's hands at the moment," Thalia said.
All twenty pairs of eyes zoned in on me. I straightened my back, not sure what to say. I don't think I had the ability to give out the 'family yacht.' I didn't even know what it looked like. "Uh…"
"Surely you can help." Gemma's eyes were pleading. Everyone else was looking at me expectantly.
"I don't know if it will be in use…"
"It's getting refurbished and will be in mint condition at the beginning of summer. I'm pretty sure it will be free," Thalia said. "You can speak to him, right?"
"Sure," I said in a strained voice. Everyone exclaimed with joy.My stomach sank. They obviously took it as a given and Gemma was already moving on to another agenda, and it was too late for me to clarify that I could only ask. I didn't know whether he would say yes or no.
The meeting ended a few minutes after that and I immediately wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. A few women were giving me peculiar glances, and I didn't want to know if they were friends of Aelin or not.
I got out of the fancy modern offices, had reached the elevator, and was waiting for it to arrive when Thalia and Darcy joined me. They were chatting and unaware of my presence untilThalia saw me and smiled. "Thanks for the yacht," she said. "I know Nolan rarely likes these sorts of things, but I hope he comes."
"I don't think you should thank me yet. I don't know if he's going to agree to it."
Darcy waved me off. "He will. Why would he say no to his newly wedded wife?''
I flashed a tight smile.
The two women came to stand beside me. "You never told us how you two met," Darcy said. Thalia lightly punched Darcy in the ribs.
"I just want to know how, that's all."
