“Blaire and Paolo have worked wonders,” I told Lachlan. “What do you think, Sylvie?”
“Ten.” She answered immediately. “A perfect ten. Frannie?”
“Eleven-point-five.”
Sylvie frowned. “Ten’s the max.”
Frannie lifted her glass in a one-woman toast. “I gave bonus points for the pocket square and that peek of chest hair.”
Lachlan frowned and did up a button. “I feel a little ridiculous.”
“Honey,” said Frannie, “if this is ridiculous, I’ll take two and call myself silly.” Her attention moved to a friend across the room waving her down. “Lachlan, I’ll have to shower you with more inappropriate compliments later. I see some book club friends I must speak to. Come on, Sylvie.” The two dove into the crush of people and disappeared.
“It is my party, so I need to mingle.” Rosie took a step toward her guests, then doubled back. “Lachlan, appearances are superficial, and I believe it’s the inside that counts, but…you look wonderful.”
“Thank you, Rosie.” Lachlan appeared genuinely touched. “And might I say you look radiantly lovely tonight. Congratulations on your shop.” He watched my sister step into the crowd for a moment before turning his bespectacled gaze back to me. “Hi.”
Oh, the glasses. They really were a knee-weakening touch. “Hello there, yourself.”
“Should I turn a full circle?” Lachlan asked. “Maybe strut a few steps on a catwalk?”
I smiled and let my gaze linger on the final results one more time. “You do clean up nicely, Mr. Hayes.”
“I’m glad you approve.” His posture seemed to relax, as if he’d gained some measure of comfort. “But are you sure I don’t look too…I don’t know, fussy?”
“Fussyis not the word I would choose.” More likeunexpectedly devastating,disturbingly alluring, andmaddeningly attractive.
Lachlan ran a hand over his newly shorn cheek. “I’ll have to get up an extra hour each day just to maintain all the shaving.”
“Beauty is sacrifice.”
Eyes round with feigned shock, Lachlan grinned and tilted his head. “Do you think I’m beautiful, Sassy Sullivan?”
I took a sip of champagne. “I meant you’re camera-ready now.”
“Sure. That’s what you meant.” He gave a dramatic toss of his much shorter locks. “Just try not to objectify me too much.”
“I’ll rein those urges in.”
“I hadn’t realized I’d have to not only deal with being a tech giant, but now balance it with my new status as a sex symbol.”
“I’m sure Bill Gates can give you some tips.” I plucked a drink from a passing waiter and handed it to Lachlan. “I thought you weren’t flying home until tomorrow.”
“I changed my plans.”
“Why?”
He moved closer until the toes of his shoes touched mine. “Because last night I ate dinner in a hotel by myself and had the strangest realization.”
The heady look in Lachlan’s eyes rendered me immobile. “What was that?”
He slipped off those glasses, removing one more barrier between us. “I missed my wife.”
I couldn’t help my intake of breath, a small gasp of equal parts wonder and surprise. “Oh.” I was so proud of how calm I sounded. “Are you married?”
“Yeah.” Lachlan plucked a cracker off my plate and popped it in his mouth. “My wife’s here somewhere, but she won’t mind if I flirt with you. She’s not one of those jealous types.”
“Nope,” I assured him. “Not at all.”
