Page 76 of Billionaire Romance

There’s a commotion near the entrance of the ballroom and I think it comes just in time. Because conspicuousness be damned, I’m about to drag him out of here. But the commotion, as it turns out, is Bianca.

And her dog.

A path clears between us and her as the dog runs across the floor, and a bunch of other people start laughing because he’s dressed up like Cupid, complete with a halo and angel’s wings.

“That would be Edison,” Eric says, and he’s trying to keep a straight face and not laugh.

“He’s adorable.”

Bianca follows him across the floor as Edison runs straight to Eric’s feet like he knew where he was. Bianca looks like she just stepped off the red carpet in a flowing blue gown that has a daring neckline, plunging almost all the way to her belly button. Her blonde hair is in movie star curls, and she has a huge smile on her face. “Hello, hello! I’m so happy to see both of you.” She doesn’t even give us a chance to respond as she wraps me in a hug. “You look lovely, dear. When Eric told me that you were going to Aurelia’s, I knew you were going to be stunning.”

“Thank you.”

Eric is crouched down, petting Edison’s stomach as he tries to roll over but can’t fully with the wings. “And you look good, too,” she says to Eric.

He gives her a hug, and for the first time he doesn’t look strained in his greeting. He and his sister are close.

“Where’s Mom?” she asks.

“I actually haven’t seen her yet,” Eric says. “Not since this morning. And since Sally and I have already said hi to what feels like everyone, I can honestly say that I have no idea.”

“Well I’m sure she’ll be around soon enough.”

Eric smiles. “Where’s the guy I’ve heard so much about?”

“James!” Bianca turns and waves, and a handsome blond man appears out of the crowd of dancers, who have gone back to dancing around us. He’s carrying two flutes of champagne and hands one to Bianca before kissing her on the cheek.

“James, this is my brother Eric and his date Sally.”

James holds out his hand to Eric, and then to me. “I’m really happy to meet you both. Eric, she’s told me a lot about you.”

“All good things, I hope,” Eric jokes.

“Of course.” James turns to me. “And you’re the beautiful chocolate cart girl that I’ve heard so much about.”

I laugh. “I’m definitely the chocolate cart girl.”

“She won’t admit the beautiful part, even if she is.” Eric’s hand snakes around my waist and pulls me close, and he presses a kiss to my temple. It’s the first time he’s made any kind of gesture of public affection towards me since we arrived. If that’s not a sign that his sister puts him at ease, I don’t know what is.

“It’s a hell of a story,” James says.

“I’ll never live it down. Not every day you nearly murder someone at work and then go on a fairytale adventure.”

“Well,” Bianca says with a knowing smile, “if you two have kids one day, it will be a hell of way to tell them how you met.” My jaw drops, and she starts to laugh. “Oh my God, relax. I’m kidding. Kind of.”

“So how long have you guys been seeing each other?” I direct the question toward both of them, and I love watching the way they look at each other and smile.

“Yes, how long have you been seeing each other?”

The new female voice comes from behind Bianca and James. Older and more dignified, and the couple parts so I can see a woman who I can clearly identify as Eric and Bianca’s mother. They look like her.

She’s beautiful, her graying hair pulled up into an elegant up-do, and her dress a shade of pink a bit lighter than the decorations that are hanging everywhere.

“Mom, hi,” Bianca says, kissing her mother on the cheek.

“Hello darling. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear. I didn’t realize the date you were bringing tonight was somebody that you had been seeing for a while.”

I swallow. That’s not exactly a happy tone. That’s a reproachful tone, one that doesn’t approve of the fact that she wasn’t told. But Bianca takes it in stride and with a winning smile. “No need to talk about something until there’s anything to talk about, Mother. She leans in and touches James on the arm. “This is James. We’ve been seeing each other for a few months, and so far,” she looks at him with a dreamy quality that fills me with longing, “we’re very happy.”

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