the names of famous people she’d met, if only for a few seconds.
“I’d know that smile anywhere,” said a deep male voice.
Carlotta snapped the book shut, looked up, and froze. Peter Ashford, looking even more handsome than he had ten years ago, stood smiling at her.
9
Carlotta’s heart stood still. “Peter. Hello.”
His dark blue eyes turned wistful. “It’s been a long time, Carlotta.”
“Yes,” she managed, wishing for something to lean against to keep from falling down.
“You look great,” he said, sweeping his gaze over her. “The same…only better.”
Obligatory chatter. She remembered his comment about recognizing her smile anywhere and was suddenly self-conscious of the gap between her front teeth that she’d never had corrected. She took him in—his dark, sun-kissed skin, his blond hair clipped in a trendy style that made the most of his cheekbones. He was still tall and lean but had filled out. What had once been boyish was all man, and she had to stop herself from reaching out to pull his body against hers, to breathe in the cologne on his neck, to knead the muscles in his back.
“How have you been?” he asked to fill the awkward silence.
“Oh, fine,” she said quickly.
“And Wesley? He must be what—sixteen years old now?”
“Nineteen,” she corrected, disappointed that he hadn’t noted the passing of every year, of every day since their breakup. Immediately, she recognized she was being unfair. It hadn’t been as traumatic an event to him as it had been to her.
“Wow, he’s all grown up.”
She nodded, wondering if he’d read of Wesley’s arrest but was diplomatically avoiding the subject.
He pointed to the pink leather book in her hands. “And I see that you’re still collecting autographs. I guess you filled up the black book you always carried around.”
“That was a long time ago,” she said, shoving the new book into her purse, not wanting to admit she’d replaced that black autograph book only recently—and not out of choice.
“Can I get you a glass of wine?”
Deciding there was nothing wrong with him using one of his drink tickets on her, she nodded.
“White zinfandel?” he asked.
“Pinot noir,” she said, letting him know that her tastes had changed, matured. But while he ordered her drink, she devoured him with her eyes—tall, commanding, self-assured, polished. This was the man who would have been her husband. No…Angela had told her what Peter had said about marrying Carlotta. Even if they had married, it wouldn’t have lasted.
But it was easy to put those troubling thoughts aside when he walked back toward her. Easy to pretend that Peter was her husband, returning with her drink. “Thank you,” she said, taking the glass. His hand brushed hers, leaving her unreasonably flushed with pleasure.
“To the good times,” he said lightly, lifting his glass.
She nodded and clinked her glass to his, then drank deeply of the rich red wine. The flavors burst onto her tongue, the alcohol pleasantly burning the back of her throat. Almost immediately she felt the effects of the wine and warned herself to take it slow on an empty stomach. Seeing Peter again had already knocked her senses off balance—she didn’t need an accelerant.
He studied her as he drank from his glass and she wondered what was going through his mind. Regret? Relief?
Suddenly his nose wrinkled and he waved his hand in the air as the smell of cigarette smoke wafted their way from the bar. “Damn cigarettes. Let’s get some fresh air,” he said, nodding toward the patio doors.
She agreed, telling herself that it was perfectly normal that they should have a conversation after the way things had ended all those years ago. She fell into step next to him, careful to maintain a respectable distance in deference to the overwhelming urge to wrap her legs around him.
Dusk had settled on the patio where a handful of people stood talking quietly. Low light sparkled from luminaries hung all around that struck her as strangely romantic for what was supposed to be a business event. “What brings you here?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Thought it might be a good place to make some new contacts for potential clients. I’m an investment broker for Mashburn, Tully and—” He blanched. “Sorry, I still want to add your father’s name to the partners list.”
“It’s okay,” she murmured. “I knew you were working there. I saw your wedding announcement in the AJC.”
“Ah.”
“Is Angela with you?” she asked lightly, glancing around.
“No.” Then he cleared his throat. “So what are you doing here?”
“I’m here with a friend.”
One of his eyebrows arched. “Boyfriend?”
“No. My friend Hannah.”
“Someone you went to school with? Would I know her?”
“No, I sort of…lost touch with the girls I went to school with. I hardly see them anymore.” Then she decided to out the elephant in the room between them that he refused to acknowledge. “Except for Angela.”
He took a quick drink from his glass. “Yes, she always tells me when she, um, runs into you.”
Another stretch of awkward silence descended.
“I hear your home is very nice,” she offered. “Angela told me about the new pool.”
He gave a dry laugh. “Pool, outside kitchen, waterfall, hot tub and guesthouse.”
“Oh. How…nice.”
He looked up. “I wasn’t bragging. It’s all a little more grand than I had envisioned. I mean, it’s just the two of us, and I’m not home—” He stopped. “I mean…I work long hours.”
She thought about Angela’s flask of gin. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Peter’s “long hours” were taking a toll on their marriage.
And God help her, wasn’t she just a little bit happy to know it?
The realization left her flustered and searching for safer ground. “How did you like the jacket that Angela bought for you last week? Gorgeous, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, no, I’ve ruined a surprise. She said your anniversary was coming up and I completely forgot. Peter, I’m so sorry. Will you please act surprised?”
“Sure,” he said quietly.
