Page 25 of Embrace My Heart

Yancey’s excitement went into overdrive and the petite redhead seemed to be on the verge of bursting.

Vectra laughed, taking both her hands. “Breathe. You’ve still got another showing at the Miami gallery after this one.”

Yancey nodded firmly as though she were giving herself a silent pep talk. “I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Believe it.” Vectra gave her hands another shake. “I tell you what’ll help is for you to go back to the hotel, relax and then get dolled up for a night on the town. Once you get deep into preparing for this show, you’ll barely have time to brush your teeth—let alone go out for dinner.”

Yancey laughed while Cooper Perkins voiced his agreement.

“We came here straight from the airport. We could use a few minutes of downtime,” he said, reaching over to shake hands with Vectra. “Thank you, Ms. Bauer.”

Yancey stood and rounded the table to hug Vectra. Soon after, agent and client left the dining room of the Italian grill where they’d met for lunch.

“Looks like you’ve made two people very happy.”

Vectra turned, smiling even as a curious frown brought her brows close. She latched on to the name that floated highest in her memory. “Will?” She tapped a finger to her jaw and searched for the rest. “Lloyd?”

Will laughed. “You’re good. Most people give me Smith instead of Lloyd.”

Vectra laughed and shook hands with the man she knew to be part of Qasim’s staff. “How are you? Are you here on the clock or just to enjoy the food?”

Will shrugged. “Bit of both.” He nodded toward the front of the dining room. “Looks like you were handling some happy business.”

“Yeah, the showing.” Vectra smiled toward the restaurant’s entrance. “Fun part’s giving the artist the news that the event is a go, and then all the real work begins. That part isn’t so much fun.”

“Guess it takes a lot to put those things together?”

Vectra shrugged, slapping her hands to the amber-colored toga dress that accentuated her caramel-toned legs. “I have a very good staff, so my workload is surprisingly light. You’d be surprised how fast they can put together a phenomenal show.”

“Ms. Bauer? Will there be anything else?” her waiter asked.

“Join me for a drink?” Will asked before Vectra could reply. “There’s something I’d like to run by you.”

Intrigued, she smiled. “Sure.” She gave the waiter a smile. “Royce, could you bring me another white wine?”

“No problem. And for you, sir?”

“Scotch. Dewar’s,” Will requested then helped Vectra back into her seat and claimed the one opposite her.

“So?” she prompted when the waiter had gone to fill the orders.

“Vectra, you know about the charity event Sim holds every year for his scholarship kids, right?”

“Sure.” She nodded. “I think it’s great.”

“It really is. We had a meeting about it today and unfortunately it looks like we’re gonna have a few extreme issues.”

“Yuck.” She made a face. “Well, what kind of problems? That event’s pretty popular. I can’t imagine he’d have a problem finding someone to host it.”

Will shook his head. “Lots of great people to host, but the money they want to do it takes dollars out of what we should be giving to charity.”

It was Vectra’s turn to shake her head. “Understood.”

Will grunted a laugh. “Sim would pay all the expenses out of his own pocket, but no one wants him to do that. Besides, the charity brings in enough for everybody to be happy.”

“True, but when it comes to charities, the more money you put in the hands of the people you want to help, the better.”

“You’re right.” Will cradled a hand against his cheek, considering. “Guess it wasn’t such a bad plan after all.” He noticed Vectra’s curious frown and grinned.

“At the meeting, they tossed around the idea of having the event at your vineyard. I know it’s a lot to ask given everything you already do for the community.” Will shook his head, still grinning. “Sim didn’t like the idea at all.”

Vectra stiffened. “He had a problem with using my vineyard?”

“He didn’t seem all that excited about it, but then neither was I when Minka suggested it.” He shrugged. “That was probably just my own agitation thinkin’ Minka was trying to take back her job.”

The idea was actually quite appealing to Vectra. True, she had a lot of pots on the stove in regard to the many obligations, charitable and otherwise, that she was responsible for. Despite that, her family—her mother, especially—had instilled in her from a young age that it was the duty of those with more to assist those with less whenever they could.

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