Miguel tugs my hand. “Gorgeous, come on. You have to mix and mingle. You can make goo-goo eyes at Leo anytime. Here’s some champagne, small sips only.”
I stumble after Miguel, with Leo at my back which is where he stays almost the entire night. Only twice is he pulled away but he’s still close. Whether he’s talking with Dmitri, and Drake or having an intense conversation with Renee. When he’s not at my side, Elise and Ria are, and I’m kind of falling for these women. They are so freaking nice I want to cry. They fend off intrusive questions about Leo and me with humor and cutting comments. Their humor about the women and men in the room have me laughing.
The night passes in a sweet, happy blur, leaving me a little sad it went by so fast. Elise gives me a hug, “That’s exactly how my wedding felt. All this build up until the big day then it was just a whirl of flowers, and champagne, and smiling faces I didn’t even know. I’m sorry I have to leave so early. Gone are the years of late nights. If I yawn again people are going to think it’s a review of tonight not that I’m a mom of four and haven’t been out after nine since the second kid.”
“I’m so happy you came. Thank you,” Leo is only a few feet away saying his goodbyes to Dmitri, “for everything.”
“I just spoke the truth, of which we will meet up to talk about soon. I’ll be calling you. We will be having lunch soon.”
“I look forward to it.”
“Elise, come.” Dmitri’s hand is possessive on his wife’s waist. “Alexa, you did well tonight. You should be proud of yourself.”
Dmitri has never paid me a compliment before, the ice-cold billionaire still intimidates the hell out of me. I know for a fact he didn’t pay many people compliments. I’m still standing stunned after he’s gone. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
“Did Dmitri Markhoff just give me an actual compliment?”
“Yes, he did. He was right, you earned it.”
“Has he read my books? Was that what he was talking about?”
“Dmitri does not read anything that is not a financial report or the news. He was talking about the way you handled yourself tonight. Ninety percent of the truth is perception and tonight you were the intelligent, witty, impressively articulate author on the precipice of breakout mode. You missed his best compliment though, if you were stock, now was the time to buy.”
Only Leo would think that was the best compliment. I giggle and a lightbulb flashes. Leo’s hold tightens as he steers us away from the photographer. No matter how often it’s happened tonight, I flinch every time it does. I can’t shake the fear that if Ria and Elise saw my emotions so clearly, the pictures would too.
Closing my eyes, I don’t even want to think of that crazy private photo shoot. The things Graham said to entice a response, about Leo, for Leo. I can only hope since Leo hasn’t even made a passing mention of the pictures he didn’t see it then. Of all the things that has stayed with me that the women said was that Leo wasn’t ready to acknowledge his feelings. I’m more than willing to give him time. I just worry about what might happen if he sees it in print.
Elise and Dmitri leaving seems to have been a signal, slowly the store empties. Ria manages to get me away from Leo. “Do you hate me?”
“Hate you? Why in the world would you think that? You were so great tonight. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Elise. I love Leo, and Miguel is great, but you two were the ones who really helped settle my nerves tonight.”
She sighs with relief as she hugs me. “I’m so glad. I was worried you’d still hate me for making you cry about you and Leo.”
“No, if anything that was the best part of the night. What you guys said was worth all the stress and fear of tonight.”
“Good, I’m glad. I’m going to be calling you soon, we’ll do lunch. Elise can’t do dinners. She’s here in the city though and now that the kids are in school I actually leave the house during the day for things that aren’t kid related, and we do lunch often. Next time you’ll be there.”
“I’m already looking forward to it.”
Her phone goes off. “Sorry, we have to go. My kids are nuts. Drake, your son, set off the house alarm again. Gretta is threatening a long vacation.”
Drake laughs as he kisses my cheek. “You did a great job tonight, Alexa. Congratulations on your new book.”
“Thanks, and thanks for coming.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it. Leo, I’ll call you Monday about the Lincoln property and send some pictures over.”
Once Ria and Drake leave we turn to find the place is pretty much empty and clean up has begun. Miguel is directing things then spots us. “I told you it was going to be a fabulous night.”
Leo laughs and nods. “You did good. You will be getting that case we talked about. If there is anything left, feel free to take it home.”
Miguel sighs. “I love my job.”
“Thank you, Miguel, you did better than good. You were the one who made tonight what it was.”
“I wish I could take all the credit, Gorgeous, but your man knows his stuff, and without you as the centerpiece everything else was meaningless. Go on you two, have a good night. I’ll finish up here.”
26