side. He would overlook Henry’s obscene display of wealth. Cade almost passed on taking one of the expensively filled goodie bags each guest received until he realized he could auction it off at his summer fundraising dinner. Provided they survived until the summer. But the designer backpack containing a handheld GPS locator, Swiss Army knife, a dive watch and oyster shells containing pearl earrings or cufflinks depending on a guest’s gender would bring a good price.
Henry approached with a wide grin. “Having fun?”
Cade chose his words carefully. Henry had enough money to make a real difference to the foundation. And if the billionaire birthday boy decided to become a full-fledged patron… Cade smiled at the thought, his first smile in the past forty-eight hours. Or was that forty-eight days? “It’s been…interesting.”
“Happy to hear it.” Henry motioned to an attractive blonde. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Not another one of Henry’s women. Cade sipped his rum and coconut concoction and grimaced at the sweet aftertaste. Give him a shot of whiskey or a beer. Can or bottle. Not a froufrou umbrella drink served in a hollowed out pineapple.
“This is Cynthia Sterling, a close friend of mine. Cynthia this is Cade Arm—”
“Cade Waters.” He glanced over his pineapple at Henry’s latest “friend.” Cade knew what to expect and he wasn’t disappointed. Perfectly cut, dyed and styled blond hair fell past her bare shoulders in gentle waves. Flawless ivory skin, made so by the skilled hand applying her makeup and/or the numerous spa treatments—wraps, peels, facials—she no doubt received regularly, glowed beneath the ballroom lighting. Generous, full lips painted red and able to pout on cue. A deep maroon sarong gave a tantalizing glimpse of the curves underneath and begged to be removed. Cade summed her up in three words—a total nightmare. “Nice to meet you.”
She extended her arm and batted her eyes. The hazel-green color with gold flecks looked natural, but could be a high-tech pair of contact lenses. “The pleasure’s all mine.”
The words flowed from her collagen-injected lips like honey. Warm, slow, seductive. Cade managed not to laugh. He’d known too many women like Cynthia Sterling. Trophy-wife wannabes. Gold diggers. Nothing beneath the perfect outer package. His cousins had married and divorced women like her. Hell, some of his Armstrong cousins were this type of woman.
But Cynthia Sterling was as far from Cade’s type as they came. He knew what he wanted in a woman. Exactly what he wanted. Exactly who he wanted.
Maggie.
But she’ll never be yours, a little voice mocked him. You screwed up. Cade took another sip of his drink.
“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Henry said.
Before Cade could say a word, like no, Henry disappeared into the crowded ballroom. Just when Cade thought the party couldn’t get any worse…
“So,” Cynthia said. “Have you known Henry long?”
Maybe if Cade didn’t answer she would go away. He didn’t want to be rude, but he wanted to be left alone. Thinking about his ex-fiancée always put him in a rotten mood. He pressed his lips together.
“Henry and I go way back.”
A day? A week? Knowing Henry she met him last night. “How long have you been dating?”
“What? Us?” Her laugh, deeper and richer than he expected, surprised him. At least she didn’t have an annoying high-pitched squeal. Though that would be the perfect finishing touch for her. Cynthia tilted her chin. “We’re just friends. I know better than to date Henry Davenport.”
So she was smarter than she looked. Cade had to give her points for that. He stirred what remained of his drink with the umbrella-on-a-tropical-fruit-skewered-stick.
“What about you?” she asked.
“I know better than to date Henry, too.”
The smile disappeared from her face and her eyes clouded. “You’re gay? I’m going to kill Henry.” Before Cade could speak, she continued on. “That’s okay. I mean it’s great you’re gay. All the good ones seem to be,” she muttered. “One of life’s ironies. I’m sure you have to beat the men off with a stick or a larger umbrella.”
He lowered his pineapple glass. Of course she had no sense of humor. What had he expected? “I’m not gay.”
She furrowed her perfectly arched brows. “But you said—”
“I was making a joke.”
It took a couple of seconds, and the smile returned to her face. “Oh, I get it now.”
Okay, so she wasn’t that smart after all. Henry must see something else in her. Her pretty face, intriguing eyes, incredible body?
Forget about her. Cade was only here to pick up the donation. Once he had Henry’s check in hand, Cade was on the next plane home. He glanced into his pineapple. It was empty. “I need another drink. Want one?”
“Please.” She smiled, a dazzling smile she’d probably spent hours perfecting in front of a mirror. “And could you get me one with a pink parasol and a cherry?”
A pink parasol and a cherry? She was the worst possible combination—high-maintenance and high society. Cade held back a sigh. “I’ll do what I can.”
Happy Birthday to me.
Henry Davenport hummed the tune. The party was an overwhelming success and was only going to get better. Time for two guests to partake in his “adventure.” He climbed on stage and the band stopped playing. “Line up for your chance at the adventure of a lifetime,” he announced to the crowd.
Tropically and scantily clad, hard-bodied waiters and waitresses passed out drinks to guests who stood in line. No one knew what was in store for the lucky participants. No one cared. People’s willingness to participate in his adventures was the only birthday present Henry wanted. Besides, everyone knew they’d get a nice reward from him when they finished. The more difficult the adventure, the bigger the reward. This year’s would be a doozy.
Henry cupped a pair of dice in his hands. This adventure would be his finest triumph. Until next year.
Guests waited for their chance to walk on stage and roll the dice. Cynthia Sterling’s turn arrived. She made her way up with a sensual sway of her hips. She was attractive, stunning really, with beautiful hair she had colored every three weeks to give it a natural blond look, and a figure any Sports Illustrated model would die for. A brilliant smile lit up her face. Things must be going well with Cade.
Good for her.
Cynthia would never be called sweet or innocent or nice. Truth be told, she was a pain in the butt. But he loved her like a sister and underneath all her makeup, designer clothes and pouty facade lay a good heart.
She was the quintessential poor little rich girl. Her parents were so in love, they barely noticed they’d had a child and she’d grown into a woman. Cynthia deserved to be happy, deserved to be loved. Henry still couldn’t believe her parents hadn’t remembered her birthday last year. She had shrugged it off. The same way she shrugged off holidays spent alone.
He
