to her side of the patio. She ignored the ripple of interest cresting through her and put on her best politely disinterested face. “Excuse me?”
“It’s good to see you.” When she made no response, he lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t remember me?”
She opened her mouth to tell him of course she didn’t because she’d never seen him before in her life, when his smirk clued her in. While a man might add six inches to his height, put on thirty pounds of muscle and grow a beard, his mannerisms didn’t change.
Beck Lefebvre.
And just like that, her spark of attraction turned to anger. “No,” she lied, enjoying the surprise on his face.
Of course, she’d expected him to be here. He was Jamie’s cousin. It would have been weird if he didn’t show up. She just hadn’t thought he’d have the nerve to approach her. Worse, to act as if they were long-lost friends.
But he merely smiled in the face of her rudeness and stepped closer. “I’m disappointed, Red.”
Poppy bristled. Her hair was auburn with definite shades of brown, not red. She tossed it at him as she turned away. The crowd of well-wishers still surrounded Jamie.
Beck laughed, and her nerves clashed. He was laughing at her now? She sniffed. Clearly, he hadn’t developed any charm in the preceding decade. “And here I thought I’d made an impression.” His words whispered against her ear.
She jerked away from him. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” He smiled. “Nice night for a party.”
She shrugged, took a step back. He moved with her. Not touching, but close enough that the heat rolling off his body warmed her skin. Silently, they watched the scene playing before them.
Poppy focused on the details of the party instead of the man behind her. Occupational hazard. She couldn’t attend any event without thinking about how she would have done things differently, and taking notes of what she might use in future.
Emmy and Jamie had made smart choices, getting all the key points right. Plenty of light, good flow and loads of food and drink. The other bits were simply details adjusted to suit the client’s personal preference. Poppy wouldn’t have tossed tulle over everything or matched the table runners and flowers to Emmy’s shoes. Obviously, Emmy had chosen the colors with her outfit in mind and Poppy doubted any well-reasoned logic would have convinced her it wasn’t a wonderful idea.
Brides were notorious for being temperamental, insisting on one thing and then sobbing when they changed their minds, as though one minuscule detail meant the difference between a long, happy marriage and one filled with strife. Poppy had stopped planning weddings a couple of years ago for those exact reasons, choosing to focus on business events and functions. Less indecision and no one had ever cried all over her because the napkins at their holiday party were ruby instead of crimson.
“So?” Beck’s voice drew her attention, caused her to turn before she thought better of it. “Aren’t you going to ask how we know each other?”
Oh, he’d like that, wouldn’t he? Though she might not have seen him for years, she knew his type. He prided himself on being unforgettable to women. Well, it was time he learned a lesson.
“No.” But she couldn’t help noting how good he looked. Really good. Though she’d give up chocolate before admitting it.
She turned on her heel, intending to return to the party and find someone—anyone else—to talk to, but his hand caught her bare arm above her wrist. His fingers were warm. She shivered.
“I guess I’ve changed. You’re as gorgeous as ever, Red.” His blatant appraisal of her body should have pissed her off—she was not his to behold. But the attraction sizzling through her was impossible to deny.
Poppy shook the thought off. She did not want him looking at her. Not even a little. He’d lost that privilege years ago, and a bit of sexy banter and warm hands didn’t change anything.
“If you’ll excuse me.” She pulled her arm free and hurried away before he could stop her again. As Poppy made her way through the partygoers, she did her best to ignore the sudden knocking of her heart. But when she sneaked a glance back, Beck was still watching. He even had the audacity to raise his glass toward her as though to toast her running away.
Fabulous.
She got less than halfway across the yard before she found herself smushed into a very large, very pregnant tummy. “Finally. I’ve been looking for you forever.”
“Cami.” She leaned back to get a better look at her older sister, pleased by the hug as much as by the opportunity to shove Beck out of her mind.
Cami looked as she always did, except for her belly, which was nearing the nine-month mark. Her hair, the same color as Poppy’s, was cut in a short pixie style and her gray eyes sparkled. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me, too.” Poppy left her arm around her sister’s shoulders. It was a point of pride that she stood exactly one-eighth of an inch taller. “We don’t spend enough time together.”
They spoke often, sometimes daily, and emailed regularly, but living hundreds of miles apart and leading completely different lives could make staying close tricky. Like their mother, Cami had married her high school sweetheart, settled in her hometown and started a family. Though her mom and sister had never been anything but supportive, Poppy recognized they sometimes wondered why she’d chosen Vancouver to be her permanent home.
“Oh, stop. I’m going to get all sniffly. It’s the pregnancy hormones. They make me emotional.” Cami swiped at her eyes, beautiful even with her nose turning rosy. “When’s Wynn getting in?”
“Not until Monday.” Wynn had remained in Vancouver to manage an event for two hundred happening tomorrow night. Normally, Poppy would have stayed, too, but she and Wynn agreed the Jamie situation was an emergency and couldn’t be put off. Plus, he had the rest of their four-person team to help. “Have you heard about his new boyfriend?”
“What? No, I have not.” Cami clutched Poppy’s hands. “Are they serious?”
“I think so. He hasn’t introduced me yet.”
“Really? I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.” Wynn’s parents had died when he was a teenager and his only sibling, an older brother, worked in the Yukon as a blaster for a mining company. Since the brothers spoke rarely and saw each other less, Wynn had been pseudo-adopted into the Sullivan family. Poppy sometimes teased that he was the brother she never wanted. “We’ll have to grill him when he arrives.”
“Absolutely.” Wynn wouldn’t be able to resist Cami’s pleas for details. Not once she brought out the swollen-feet and aching-back cards.
“What about you?” Cami asked.
“What about me?”
“Any men in your life?”
“Not right now.” Beck flashed through her mind before she shut the thought down. She didn’t know why he’d even approached her. Had he honestly expected open arms and a friendly greeting after what he’d done? “But,” she said before Cami could start lecturing, “I’m
