“Yes, and his cutie wife. Ria told her about you and they both just had to come.”
“Ria Hawthorne, Drake’s wife, knows about me? How?”
“I told Ria when we had lunch last week. I gave her your first book after I finished it and told her about you. She was all ears because she had a touch of jealousy. Drake called you pretty when she was right there. Silly man.”
“You know Ria and Drake?” Drake called me pretty?
“For years, I worked for Drake’s firm out of college, that’s where I met Leo. When Drake closed down I struck out on my own. Leo invested in me to start me up. I’ve been working for him and Drake, as needed, ever since. Ria is a doll, we have lunch often. Ever since she met Elise last year they’ve been thick as thieves.” He takes a deep, loud breath and lets out a humming sigh. “Three stunning men, two of them billionaires, and one vaunted son of Chicago. I’m going to have to hire another person to handle all the jaws that drop over this.”
This is definitely going to be beyond anything I was prepared for. “Why do they want to meet me? Ria and Elise?”
Miguel blinks at me rapidly. “Because they want to know about the woman who took down Leandros Kaplan. Ria has a soft spot for Leo, over the last few years he’s spent a lot of time in their home. She wants to make sure you’re good enough for him. Elise is the one and only person I know who has ever called Leo adorable, then again, she’s more used to dealing with arrogance than anyone. That husband of hers is all kinds of scary hot. They are really excited about you. They can’t wait to meet you. Fair warning, they have no filter and Elise was already wondering if you want to use one of her children as a ring bearer.”
My stomach is a rollercoaster at what he’s saying.
“Gorgeous, don’t even start playing coy. I wondered when Leo first called me, but lord has he made it clear you’re it for him over the last week. No detail was too small for his attention, then there’s the way he talks about you. For Leo to give praise isn’t as rare as people want to believe but he talks about you as if you’re the second coming of Shakespeare, the most beautiful woman in world, and more fascinating than Da Vinci.
“I never thought I would see the day when Leo worried about what a woman wanted or needed. I’m just glad it’s someone as sweet and nice as you who also knows how to keep him on his toes. That is so important, Leo is too used to having things his own way. It’s good for him to have to work for things. He’ll appreciate them more when he gets them.”
I feel Leo’s eyes on me, and all the crazy spinning in my head stops. His eyes soften as he moves toward me. All the tension runs out of me when his strong hand goes to the back of my neck and draws me against him. “Are happy with everything?”
“Very happy, with everything.”
25
Alexa
Renee arrives, she’s even nicer in person than I hoped she would be. I love how she doesn’t try to talk business although she does let me know she’s looked over my contract and there’s every reason to believe she can get me a new one a dozen times better. She also has great news about a foreign language deal. We make plans to meet for lunch on Monday before she goes back to New York in the afternoon.
It’s almost six. My palms are starting to sweat. Leo grabs a glass of champagne, pressing it into my hand. “One glass only, for now, you are getting all tense. Take a deep breath and sip slowly.”
I’m not a champagne or sparkling white wine drinker, I prefer pinot noir over pretty much anything else. I make a face at it before giving it an experimental sip. The flavor bursts onto my tongue shiny, bright, vibrant, and delicious. While I’m trying not to suck it down, Leo lifts that knowing eyebrow. I stick out my tongue at him. He smiles as he pulls me closer.
I startle at the sight of Drake Hawthorne staring at us stunned from across the room. The pretty woman beside him is grinning wide, it’s such a glowing smile I can’t help but answer it with my own smile. She’s in a floral Dolce and Gabbana dress that screams money with a casual ease to her that I envy.
“I hope it’s okay we’re early. I’ve been dying to meet you.” She hugs me, it feels completely natural to hug her back.
“Of course, I’m glad you’re here. It will be nice to have some friendly faces here. I love your dress.”
“Thank you, I love yours too. You look fabulous. Isn’t Lydia the best? I don’t go shopping unless she’s available. She puts me in things I would never even take a second look at because of the price or I just wouldn’t think it looks good on me and I’m always talked into it.” With a teasing smile, she turns to her husband. “Drake, honey, go get me some champagne. Take Leo and your time.”
I hand my empty flute to a wide-eyed Leo. “A refill sounds great. Thank you.”
They go without a word looking at each other with matching bewilderment. “Aren’t they sweet? I’m so glad you let Leo kit you out. The necklace is gorgeous.”
I touch it with remembered agony.
“Sweetie, really it’s horrible but true the necklace was totally necessary for you to get the respect you deserve being at Leo’s side. Until Leo gives you the rock that matters, men and women will look down on you without a show of how much Leo respects you, those clothes, and that necklace is it.”
Ria laughs when I blush.
“This is so great. I was worried me and Elise would have to tag team interrogates you. I was going to be the bad cop, and Elise was going to be the good cop to find out if you really cared about Leo. But it’s all over you how much you love him.” She sees the fear in my eyes. “It’s okay, Leo has no idea. Just like he has no idea he’s in love with you.”
I blink, tears appear out of nowhere at the casual way she says it.
“Crap, hold on don’t cry where Leo can see you. He’ll kill me.” Her hand goes around my arm. “We’ll be back, you two. She has a case of the nerves before the big moment.”
I have no idea how we get to the bathroom so quickly, but before the tears fall we’re there. “I’m sorry.” I mutter as I press the tissue she gives me carefully against my eyes, so I don’t smudge my makeup.