Page 663 of Hell Hath No Fury
“I was kidding. I’m not nervous,” I assured her. I was comfortable enough in my own skin to not care what people thought of me, but I wasn’t sure what kind of crowd Colt’s social circle was. Serious business types didn’t really have a lot in common with a thirty-six-year-old, single massage therapist who ran a spa and New Age store out of the same building.
Watching Colt chat with our younger sisters, Moon (a thirty-three-year-old lawyer who lived with her wife, Linzi, and their adopted daughter, Jilly, in the city), Celeste (thirty years old, twice divorced, lived at home with me and Jade, a nail technician at my spa), and Luna (twenty-eight, divorced, remarried and now a stay-at-home mom) across the room, part of me hoped they behaved themselves. Moon would behave herself because secretly, she and Linzi would be dying for the party to end so they could go home to Jilly. But Celeste and Luna were wild cards. Get enough champagne in them, and there was no telling what they’d get up to.
“Colt won’t mind,” Jade said, and I realized she’d read my thoughts when she continued, “If Celeste and Luna get a little wild later.”
“Let’s just hope there’s no stripping involved,” I muttered, taking another sip of my drink.
Jade winced at the reminder—Luna stripped at my thirtieth birthday party, an event that sparked one of the darker periods in our relationship.
“Sorry, shouldn’t have mentioned it. Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?” Jade smiled, changing the subject.
“Thank you.” While I was sure all the ladies would wear dresses of a similar ilk to my sister, I couldn’t help but be myself, though I did pay careful attention to Jade’s wedding colors when I chose it. I was her maid of honor, after all. My dress was a blush/rose gold-colored, silk-georgette gown, fitted at the waist with a full skirt. The sleeves were sheer and billowy but tight at the wrists. All of that was pretty demure, except for the plunging neckline and tie-opening back. And I hadboobs, so it was daring. There was alotof tape holding me into it. “Not too much?”
My sister grinned. “Just enough. You look hot. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone.”
I tried not to roll my eyes. Ever since Jade had fallen in love, she’d become determined that there was still hope for me too. I wasn’t sure about it anymore, and honestly, I was okay with that. My life was great. I no longer needed romance to feel fulfilled.
Guests began streaming into the suite, and Colt turned toward us, gesturing to Jade.
“I better go.”
“Have fun,” I reminded her.
Around twenty minutes later, I stood chatting with Celeste, Moon, Linzi, and Luna. It was rare for us all to be in the same room at the same time these days, so I enjoyed our random chatter about everything and nothing while Jade made the rounds with her fiancé.
“Oh my God, you can’t let me drink too much of this,” Luna said, grabbing another glass of champagne as a waiter passed by. Her eyes popped wide, expression sheepish. “I’m not used to alcohol anymore. It’ll go straight to my head.”
“Loosen up.” Celeste clinked her glass against Luna’s. “Girl, you spend twenty-four seven looking after three kids. I think you can let loose for a night.”
“So true.”
“Hey, sisters.” Jade bumped my elbow and I turned to greet her. She wasn’t alone. “Colt and I wanted to introduce you to Colt’s business partner and best man. Guys, this is Foster. Foster, these are my sisters.”
Colt stood next to an extremely tall, handsome young man who nodded at each of my sisters, his lips pressed tightly together. When he got to me, our dark eyes connected, and the breath whooshed out of me. His lips parted as if I’d surprised him, and he searched my face, perusing my body, slowly, hotly, before returning to meet my gaze.
I shivered.
He had an angular jaw, just a hint of scruff on his cheeks, full lips, and beautiful brown eyes as dark as my own. Foster’s brown hair was almost black, and he wore it short but a little longer on top, swept back off his forehead. He was the kind of good-looking that was so perfect I usually found it a turn-off … but something about those glittering, brooding eyes held me utterly captive.
Which was ridiculous because I knew from what Jade had told me, the guy was eleven years my junior. I was absolutely not into younger men. They weren’t done maturing yet, and even the “yet” in that sentence was often optimistic.
Tell that to your body.
“Hi.” I held out my hand to break our tension-filled staring contest.
To my shock, the heat I thought I’d seen in his eyes turned ice cold. He looked at my hand as if I’d just offered him a glass of pee. Politeness dictated he take my hand, but it was like shaking a limp noodle. He let go so fast, my arm dropped like a dead weight at my side.
Foster avoided my gaze and said to Colt, “I need to find my date.”
Jade caught my eye, her brows pulled together in confusion. I shrugged, because I didn’t know what had happened either.
Still, for some bizarre reason, I found myself looking for the weirdo as the night progressed. At dinner, I spotted him at a table three over from us Bonet sisters, seated next to a stunning, age-appropriate redhead dressed in a conservative pencil dress.
Throughout the evening, I wasn’t short of dance partners, which was great because I loved to dance. To my pleasant surprise, Colt’s friends and business associates weren’t the stuffy, pretentious types I’d prejudged them to be. A lot of those folks were fun and hilarious, and I had a good time.
During a slow dance with a man old enough to be my father, but also a perfect gentleman who kept his attention on my face (couldn’t say the same for some of my other partners), I looked over his shoulder and my eyes got tangled in Foster Darwin’s.
He stood on the edge of the dance floor. A quick glance told me his date was dancing with another man. But his eyes were on me. Another shiver prickled my nape.
