“I’m glad you are here.” Our eyes met and held, a fragile moment that seemed to halt the clock. Defenses down, vulnerability peeking through, I would’ve been content to watch Olivia all night.
But then she dropped her hold and took a step back. “Let’s go in there and talk broadband, chip advancements, artificial intelligence, and all that other techie crap I won’t understand.” Olivia added a final surprise, lacing her fingers with mine as we walked through the doors hand in hand.
Almost as if we were married.
ChapterThirty-Two
OLIVIA
Hadthe dinner been a baseball game, Lachlan’s speech would’ve been a grand slam.
Was his keynote perfect? No. But it was pretty darn good.
Feeling about ten pounds lighter, I resumed my seat as his standing ovation trailed to a close and returned my napkin to my lap.
“Your husband is quite impressive.” Governor Hernández dragged her plate of chocolate cheesecake toward her.
“Thank you,” I said. “He was a bit nervous about tonight.”
“He shouldn’t have been.” The governor nodded to an attendee passing the table. “Lachlan’s a legend in the gaming world. Isn’t that right, honey?”
Governor Hernández’s husband, Stuart, swallowed his bite of cheesecake and nodded. “Can’t tell you how many timesMars Warshas gotten me in trouble. I sit down to play for a few minutes, and the next thing I know half the day has passed. Do you play it, Mrs. Hayes?”
“I don’t. Work keeps me pretty busy.” A few weeks ago this admission wouldn’t have registered on my emotional seismograph. But tonight, the needle left jagged pitches, measuring the force of my unexpected guilt.Mars Warswas Lachlan’s opus, the work that changed his life. And I hadn’t even laid eyes on it. I needed to add that to my hefty to-do list.
“You have to try the original game,” Mr. Hernández said. “It’s genius.”
“And addictive,” the governor added. “Stuart even has me playing. I’m partial to the phone app version myself. Gives me something to do during boring budget sessions.”
“Hey.” Lachlan pulled out his seat and settled in, his cheeks flushed a faint pink. “I think I sweat through my tux.”
“You did great.” I patted his hand. When Lachlan’s arm slipped around the back of my chair, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to lean into his side. He was so sturdy, a solid wall of warmth and comfort. Sometimes being with him was easy—too easy. “Everyone loved it,” I told him. “You added that funny Comic Con story and didn’t even tell me.”
“Did the joke land?”
“You couldn’t hear everyone laughing?”
“The roaring in my ears was too loud.”
I smiled at Lachlan’s sweet discomfort. “It will get easier. I promise.”
“A toast.” The governor lifted her wineglass. “What a dynamic speech. Hopefully it will inspire all the tech and corporate leaders here to do as you have and invest in their communities and schools. To Lachlan.”
“To Lachlan.” I clinked my glass to Lachlan’s and took a sip, sharing a smile with my husband.
“Now.” The governor set down her drink and put her business face on. “Let’s talk about what I can do to get more entrepreneurs to relocate to our fine state.”
* * *
I didn’t wantto notice how my fake husband cut a dashing figure tonight, but it would be like not noticing the Empire State Building was tall or that the Pacific Ocean was wet. Ignoring him wouldn’t change the fact anyway—Lachlan looked disarmingly attractive. Male models would weep in jealousy. Hollywood actors should emulate his style, his face, his smolder.
Maybe it was just because I had a thing for men in tuxes, but the sight of Lachlan in formal wear made my skin heat and put my senses in near-meltdown mode. Paolo had selected Lachlan’s suit, picking one that fit his personality. My designer friend had eschewed tradition and instead paired Lachlan’s black pants and white shirt with a cranberry velvet tuxedo jacket. On some men it might’ve looked silly, but it was perfect for a quirky game designer. Even with the pop of color, Lachlan stoodregal and intimidating, a man to be emulated and observed. And observe I did. Too much. I committed Lachlan’s appearance to memory, right down to the faint stubble along his jaw and the Pac-Man socks he’d sneaked and probably thought I hadn’t noticed.
But I caught every detail about Lachlan.
This was not good. Not good at all.
Traces of shame still lingered when I thought back to how I’d mooned over Taylor. I became a student of his every nuance as well, until I was so in love I couldn’t see that things had changed, and I was being used. I’d been so blind. But never again, right? I’d attempt loveonce more, but this time according to my timeline. And that plan clearly stated a life-altering romance couldn’t happen for a few more years.
