was part of how she had ended up with Locke, no doubt. But her attraction to Ian was something new. Her parents might even approve of him, though he wasn’t a native Southerner. It was something she would think about later. Right now she was starving.
“Oh, we have company! Ian! It’s been forever!” A sweet, lilting voice cut through Sage’s reverie. A petite, blond and gorgeous young woman entered the kitchen and went straight over to Ian, giving him a friendly hug before moving to EJ’s side. The woman moved gracefully between the men, fresh as a daisy, dressed in a white summer sheath and sandals. This must be Millie. As Millie slipped her arm possessively through EJ’s, Sage spotted the brilliant-cut diamond on her left hand as it sparkled brightly in the sunlight that lit the kitchen. EJ was clearly spoken for. Millie looked curiously at Sage, then back at Ian as he spoke.
“It’s good to see you, Millie. You’re as beautiful as ever,” he said, gracing Millie with a charming smile.
Millie pinkened slightly, and Sage fought the urge to roll her eyes. So this was what Ian was like when he let his guard down for a moment. Sage was speechless. Everything about him had…warmed.
“And who is our guest? Is this a friend of yours, Ian?”
Sage ignored the tightening of her chest as she watched his face change, and as he started to speak, she interrupted. She didn’t know how Ian would introduce her, but she didn’t feel like being publicly humiliated in front of people like EJ and Millie. She stood, pushing her hand out across the table and taking Millie’s milky white, French-manicured fingers in her own. She remembered how to do the lady handshake, though she despised it. It was so…weak.
“Hi, I’m Sage Matthews. I work with Ian.”
The lie came out smoothly, but for some reason a small crease formed on Millie’s smooth, pale brow. Then it cleared almost instantly.
“So this is a work visit? Well, any friend of Ian’s is certainly welcome anytime.”
She looked at the food EJ was setting on the table. “Darling, I see you’ve outdone yourself once again.” Millie fluttered becomingly and smiled at Sage. “I’m so lucky to have found a man who loves to cook, but whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re both here to help us eat all of this food. I swear, I will be a cow after a year of eating like this.”
Sage highly doubted it, especially as she saw how carefully Millie made her selection from the food assembled before them. EJ accepted her compliment silently, smiling warmly at his fiancée and pulling out her chair, then sitting himself and gesturing to Ian and Sage.
“Dig in.”
Sage didn’t need to be asked twice and loaded a plate up with pastry, fruit and scrambled eggs, eagerly accepting the large cup of coffee EJ handed her. Ian filled his plate, as well, and the rest of breakfast was taken up with small talk about EJ and Millie’s wedding plans. Sage only half listened, concentrating on one of the best breakfasts she’d ever eaten.
Ian kept the conversation centered on the couple and didn’t bring Sage into it. He obviously didn’t want to discuss their business with Millie present, which she was thankful for, no matter the reason. As the small talk faded, they ate quietly and a light tension stretched over the table.
Millie looked at Sage and then Ian. “I know you have business to discuss. I suppose I should make myself scarce.”
Millie was apparently not pleased that Ian was bringing business concerns to EJ’s attention. Sage wondered why.
Ian sighed, standing as Millie stood. “Mil, I do have some things to talk about with EJ, but it’s been so nice to see you again. Don’t let us chase you away from your breakfast.”
Again he turned on the charm, and Sage wanted to gag. Well, not really, but still. Millie smiled and waved her hands at him. Was this the kind of woman Ian liked? The kind of woman he imagined marrying? Sage shifted uncomfortably in her
“Oh, we have company! Ian! It’s been forever!” A sweet, lilting voice cut through Sage’s reverie. A petite, blond and gorgeous young woman entered the kitchen and went straight over to Ian, giving him a friendly hug before moving to EJ’s side. The woman moved gracefully between the men, fresh as a daisy, dressed in a white summer sheath and sandals. This must be Millie. As Millie slipped her arm possessively through EJ’s, Sage spotted the brilliant-cut diamond on her left hand as it sparkled brightly in the sunlight that lit the kitchen. EJ was clearly spoken for. Millie looked curiously at Sage, then back at Ian as he spoke.
“It’s good to see you, Millie. You’re as beautiful as ever,” he said, gracing Millie with a charming smile.
Millie pinkened slightly, and Sage fought the urge to roll her eyes. So this was what Ian was like when he let his guard down for a moment. Sage was speechless. Everything about him had…warmed.
“And who is our guest? Is this a friend of yours, Ian?”
Sage ignored the tightening of her chest as she watched his face change, and as he started to speak, she interrupted. She didn’t know how Ian would introduce her, but she didn’t feel like being publicly humiliated in front of people like EJ and Millie. She stood, pushing her hand out across the table and taking Millie’s milky white, French-manicured fingers in her own. She remembered how to do the lady handshake, though she despised it. It was so…weak.
“Hi, I’m Sage Matthews. I work with Ian.”
The lie came out smoothly, but for some reason a small crease formed on Millie’s smooth, pale brow. Then it cleared almost instantly.
“So this is a work visit? Well, any friend of Ian’s is certainly welcome anytime.”
She looked at the food EJ was setting on the table. “Darling, I see you’ve outdone yourself once again.” Millie fluttered becomingly and smiled at Sage. “I’m so lucky to have found a man who loves to cook, but whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re both here to help us eat all of this food. I swear, I will be a cow after a year of eating like this.”
Sage highly doubted it, especially as she saw how carefully Millie made her selection from the food assembled before them. EJ accepted her compliment silently, smiling warmly at his fiancée and pulling out her chair, then sitting himself and gesturing to Ian and Sage.
“Dig in.”
Sage didn’t need to be asked twice and loaded a plate up with pastry, fruit and scrambled eggs, eagerly accepting the large cup of coffee EJ handed her. Ian filled his plate, as well, and the rest of breakfast was taken up with small talk about EJ and Millie’s wedding plans. Sage only half listened, concentrating on one of the best breakfasts she’d ever eaten.
Ian kept the conversation centered on the couple and didn’t bring Sage into it. He obviously didn’t want to discuss their business with Millie present, which she was thankful for, no matter the reason. As the small talk faded, they ate quietly and a light tension stretched over the table.
Millie looked at Sage and then Ian. “I know you have business to discuss. I suppose I should make myself scarce.”
Millie was apparently not pleased that Ian was bringing business concerns to EJ’s attention. Sage wondered why.
Ian sighed, standing as Millie stood. “Mil, I do have some things to talk about with EJ, but it’s been so nice to see you again. Don’t let us chase you away from your breakfast.”
Again he turned on the charm, and Sage wanted to gag. Well, not really, but still. Millie smiled and waved her hands at him. Was this the kind of woman Ian liked? The kind of woman he imagined marrying? Sage shifted uncomfortably in her
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