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They’d already gotten halfway through their first glass and a half of wine before they caught a glimpse of their host He was the other side of the roory discussion with the DJ

"Oh, Dracula How original," Serena said with a laugh, taking in Chaz’s Bela Lugosi look "I wonder how e to work into every conversation"

"Come on, he’s not that bad," Grace protested, and downed the last half of her pinot noir "Let’s go over there and say hello" She threw back her shoulders and gave her corset a surreptitious tug upward

"Stop fidgeting You look great Best rack in the rooave Serena a shove, and they worked their way across the floor, exchanging greetings with acquaintances as they passed After a recent high-profilebetween a hometown football hero and one of the iven her all sorts of tingles when she saw theh-profile She and Serena were both very aware that the business was at a crucial point: it would either blow up and becos had even really started

"Not on my watch," she mumbled Game on She didn’t have to fake her sroup of wo, auburn-haired worinned

"You, too" She waggled her brows, and Grace chuckled and keptShe still wasn’t sold on the whole vaotten a few co

They’d almost reached their quarry when a male voice called out to her

"Hey, Grace"

She turned, warm smile at the ready She only hoped it didn’t falter when she recognized its owner John Milewski Her least favorite client John fancied himself a real ladies’ ht thingsway about hi beneath the surface, ready to co felt a little oily

Serena had wanted to boot hi her friend right in the business sense, re her that they couldn’t just du If that was the case, they’d have a very liin But that had only been part of it The other reason she’d wanted to keep him on was because she was convinced that his bluster was a front to hide his sadness and insecurity That, deep down, he was probably a standup guy and they just had to dig a little Sixto question her decision

That was one of Gram’s lessons that still hadn’t sunk in yet "Soirlie"

"Hello, John Glad to see you ht" She looked around for her friend and partner, but she’d already made her way over to Chaz No help for her there

"Saer on her brsts for far longer than was coood to eat?"

She alht smile "Remember hoe talked about that kind of stuff?"

"I know, but it was just a joke," he protested, all hurt eyes and defensive body language "Come on, that was funny"

Not even a little bit "Most wole forever, you’ve got to tone it down"

He nodded, but she could tell it went in one ear, through the cobwebs, past the ave hiular clothes, with the exception of a utility belt that held a copy of The Notebook, a Hershey bar and a box of rubber gloves She shook her head, nonplussed "What are you supposed to be?" She was fairly certain she didn’t want to know

The faux-indignation faded and he treated her to a shitty grin "It’s a surprise If you’re nice, I’ll tell you later"

She bit her lip hard until the desire to tell him to piss off had passed and nodded "Ah, a ht, then Well, hope you enjoy yourself tonight" She turned and, in her haste to catch up with Serena, ran straight into what felt like a brick wall "Oomph!"

The wall had arms and used them to steady her "Sorry to roll up behind you like that I didn’t expect you to wheel around"

Maybe it was the hastily drunken glass of wine Maybe it was the smell of the crisp aftershave he wore Maybe it was the husky, low voice, al escaped John before she said soret, but the sudden desire to wrap her ariant les started low and radiated outward, spreading through her body like sunlight

"N-no, I’ back "I didn’t…"

The rest of that sentence died on her lips as she looked up into theeyes she’d ever seen, with the possible exception of Trick’s They were electric green, like a cat, and it took a second for the rest to sink in Wait, he was a cat