looked around. “Then you’ve got your work cut out for you. This is quite the guest list. Is there anyone here who isn’t rich and famous?”
“Not at ten grand a ticket.”
His brows tipped upward. “Is that what I’m paying to be here?”
“Not exactly. I pulled some strings.”
For the next half hour or so Gracie introduced Roman around and word spread fast of the “genuine” war hero in their midst. At one point she completely lost track of him, only to see him later on the dance floor with a very popular and very young Hollywood starlet. They were talking and laughing, and she was looking as if she wanted to eat Roman up as a midnight snack.
A wave of jealousy gripped Gracie so intensely she felt like throwing up.
What was wrong with her? She had no right to be jealous. She had no right to feel anything at all. She knew for a fact that Roman was single, so it only made sense that he would socialize and flirt. And it wasn’t as if he was there as her real date. She’d said it herself: they were only there as acquaintances.
But knowing that didn’t make her feel any better. In fact, it only made her feel worse.
Roman glanced over and caught her watching before she could avert her eyes. So when she did look away, it appeared as if she was trying not to get caught staring. Which of course was exactly the case.
She just couldn’t seem to win tonight.
“Hey, you!”
She turned to find her sister Eve approaching with a dazzling smile filled with so much love and affection it warmed Gracie’s heart. While Gracie favored their mother’s side of the family, Eve was a Winchester through and through. Tall, athletic and elegantly beautiful, Eve had the trademark Winchester green eyes and a dazzling smile. Her hair was perfect, her makeup flawless, and her dress sleek and stylish. No one who didn’t know her would guess that underneath the glamorous facade lurked a ruthless businesswoman. Nor would they know that despite her svelte figure, she would soon be trading her sleek size-zero wardrobe for maternity clothes, which had inspired Gracie to consider a designer maternity line of her own. “Hey back, beautiful! You’re positively glowing.”
Eve hugged her and air-kissed her on each cheek. “And you look lovely as always. Is that dress one of your designs?”
Grace shook her head. “It’s Armani.”
As much as she loved her own fashions, to wear them to a function for charity felt arrogant and tacky, as though she was a walking billboard for herself. She was proud of her accomplishments, but too humble to be so forward and flashy.
“How have you been feeling?” she asked Eve.
“Pretty good. A little queasy in the mornings, and I’ve been tired, but I can’t complain.”
Gracie gazed around the room looking for her soon-to-be brother-in-law. Though he and Eve had been through a rough time, it had only brought them closer together, and made their love for each other and their commitment to their relationship that much stronger. In a way she envied her sisters for finding the loves of their lives. Had it not been for Roman’s deceit, she might be married with a family of her own. She’d dated casually over the years, but always made building her business her main priority. She’d always just assumed that when the right one came along, she would know. She would feel that spark of excitement and attraction. The one she’d felt the first time she laid eyes on Roman all those years ago.
But she hadn’t even come close.
“Is Brooks here?” she asked her sister.
“He was called out of town on business. But he’ll be back for the party at the children’s hospital site Sunday. Everyone’s excited to see the progress being made on the construction.”
“I really hoped that Nora and Reid would be here, so I could thank him.” Reid Chamberlain, her future brother-in-law, owned the hotel and had graciously donated the ballroom for the night, as well as posh rooms to the foundation’s most generous out-of-town guests.
Eve put a hand on Gracie’s shoulder and then asked in a hushed voice, “How are you holding up, baby? Are you all right?”
Holding up? The question struck her as odd, since Eve knew that Gracie loved formal functions. Especially fund-raisers. Schmoozing with the wealthy and divesting them of their inheritances and trust fund money were skills she excelled at. “Fine, why?”
“It must be difficult seeing Roman here. I didn’t even know he was on the guest list.”
Oh, that. She winced a little. How was she supposed to explain this one?
“I suppose it’s fitting considering his military status. And his financial success. He’s certainly made a name for himself in the past two years. It’s hard not to be impressed.”
It was very impressive, but for Gracie not at all surprising. She’d always known that someday he would be an incredible success. He had been as driven and dedicated to his studies and his career as Gracie. It was one of the reasons they had connected so instantly in college.
“He actually wasn’t on the guest list,” she said.
Eve’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “Oh. He came as someone’s guest?”
“Um, yeah.” Gracie hoped she would leave it at that.
But of course she didn’t. “Whose?”
“Well...”
Eve folded her arms, narrowed her eyes and flashed that don’t-screw-with-me look Gracie had seen countless times growing up, and said in a motherly voice, “Gracie...?”
She had no choice but to fess up. “Me. He came here with me.”
Her outrage made Gracie wince. “Why?”
“It’s not what you think. It’s not a date. We aren’t back together, or getting back together. It’s just business.”
“Considering the way he’s looking at you right now, I find that a little hard to believe.”
Gracie looked over to where Roman was now speaking with one of Hollywood’s most well-known power couples and an Illinois state representative. But his eyes were on her. He smiled and winked.
Oh hell. Why did he have to go and do that? Especially in front of her sister.
“I rest my case,” Eve said.
Gracie turned back to her sister. “The truth is, Daddy asked me to bring him.”
Eve closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “Oh, honey, what is he making you do now?”
Apparently even her sister thought their father’s overreaching was inappropriate. “He thinks Roman is up to something and he asked me to...well...”
Eve regarded her pensively. “To what?”
“He was hoping I might be able to find out what Roman is up to. Since he and I were so close before.”
