He gazed at her bare breasts and she tugged up the sheet, not sure why the sunlight made him seeing her different. Galen said, “The trip isn’t that long—go get dressed.”
And parade naked in front of him? This time she’d be braver. She glanced around him and saw nobody on the patio. So she handed the sheet to Galen and walked into his closet to grab some clothes. She could breathe easier and it shouldn’t matter that Galen saw her now, not after last night. She knew she made no sense.
A cute green cotton dress wrapped in plastic in her size hung on the same rack as yesterday’s suit. She popped her head out of the closet. “It’s freaking me out that someone on your staff knows my size and is shopping for me.”
Galen joined her, his eyes on her chest as he shrugged. “I’ll ask the maid who is doing it so you can talk to them directly.”
“Okay, thanks.” Another House of Morgan design. Sure, she was dating Galen, but wearing the label was another thing entirely. He left and she reached out to touch the fabric—which was soft and beautiful for travel. Whoever was picking these out for her knew her style and that was nice but scary.
Was it wrong to keep it? She brought the frock into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Halfway through, she decided to wear it. It was nicer than the black slacks she’d planned for today.
She dressed and put makeup on, but as she applied one of her last layers, Galen knocked on the bathroom door. “Come in.”
He poked his head in. “Natalie, someone downstairs is asking for you.”
“Me?” She finished her mascara and tucked it into her makeup bag, then returned to the closet and repacked her suitcase for their trip. “Who in the world knows I’m here?”
Galen stretched out his arm. “Come. I found out who is sending you clothes and she says she knows you.”
No one on staff at his house would be in her cell phone contact list as far as she knew. She took his hand and walked with him. “Really?” They made it to the end of the long hall and she glanced over the railing and down into the living room. “Oh my goodness, Caro Soliz.”
She flew down the stairs and hugged her old college friend. With her dark hair and perfect makeup, Caro looked stunning. “Did you honestly not know, Natalie?”
Caro had been in her sorority, and she remembered voting for the younger member to join the House. Once the hug ended, Natalie said, “I haven’t seen you since college.”
Caro took her hand and led her to one of Galen’s many couches. “You shouldn’t have left the sorority so fast, Natalie. Once we found out what Maria did with Rocco, we voted Maria out for good.”
Her face heated. She’d chosen to avoid all things sorority in her senior year rather than answer questions. Natalie pressed her lips together. “I didn’t want to deal with any of that drama. I just wanted to finish college and move on with my life.”
“Sisterhood is important too.” Caro smoothed her hair out of the way and smiled. “We missed you and when I heard you were dating Galen, I knew I needed to see you again.”
How had she heard about her and Galen? There was no way she was his maid. Caro looked too amazing, so she started her many questions slowly. “Caro, it’s been so long since I saw you. Thank you.”
Caro glanced at Galen. “And you’re coming to my wedding. I need all my sisters there.”
Natalie had obviously missed something important. Who was Caro to Galen and why did they seem comfortable? Natalie narrowed her gaze. “Who are you marrying?”
“Luke,” Caro said like it was obvious. And it should be, but this didn’t connect to Galen, did it?
Of course. The premed student who was in Caro’s room helping her study every day in college. “Luke Marshall, who followed you around like a puppy dog? He finally asked you out?”
Caro gave her a strange look. “His name is Luke Morgan actually—though in college he used his mother’s maiden name as his last name.”
Morgan? Natalie stilled, and her mouth didn’t quite close. Galen had a brother with that name and he was a doctor. “Wait, I knew a Morgan then? What a coincidence—I’m so happy for you.”
Caro smiled brightly again.
Galen edged toward the front door. “And I’m so telling my brother you thought he was a puppy dog.”
“Galen!” Natalie turned her attention back to Caro and her heart felt lighter, now that she understood the connection. “I had no idea that was Galen’s brother.”
Caro said, “The wedding is soon and I’m putting you next to Galen on the guest list, don’t worry.”
Natalie’s head spun. Galen’s phone rang, and he stepped back and answered. “Wait, how are you the one leaving me clothes?”
Caro grinned. “Yeah, I work for the House of Morgan. Those are my designs and my mother staffs all the Morgan’s service workers, so that’s how they arrived in Galen’s closet.”
Natalie had no idea that Caro had become so successful. “I’m really impressed. I haven’t done anything creative or interesting since college, just earned my masters that didn’t matter and tried to find a few jobs.”
