He extended his elbow in invitation. “I’ll be the envy of every man there.”
* * * *
Lucy was impressed with the venue. It was beautifully decorated and appealed to the interior designer in her. The theme was pink and white, obviously in favour of the romanticism of Valentine’s Day and in dereference to the Breast Cancer Foundation’s pink ribbon emblem. The chairs were covered in ivory damask and tied with big bows. Bowls of peonies adorned the middle of the round tables, which were laid with a staggering assortment of crystal glasses and silver cutlery. Balloons, tied in bunches, floated around the vast room, and big cardboard love hearts, interspersed with ribbons, hung from the ceiling.
“Robert, this is beautiful,” Lucy breathed in appreciation.
Robert smiled proudly. “It is, isn’t it? The organisers did a wonderful job. Come, let’s find out where we are sitting.”
They found their table in the middle of the ballroom. A long-stemmed red rose and a box of chocolate love hearts were placed at each of the ladies’ seats. Lucy was impressed with the thought that had gone into making the occasion so special.
Robert pulled out her chair, and just as she was about to sit, she noticed Camille seated opposite her. She froze for a fraction of a second, indecision rippling through her before she quickly claimed her chair. She couldn’t make a scene and risk embarrassing Robert by asking to switch tables. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see Camille—but she was. Some part of her had wanted to think that Rhett wouldn’t be so obvious and heartless as to seat them together, but she supposed that he hadn’t had much choice in the matter. It was her fault. She shouldn’t have come, she should have given Robert an excuse that she was otherwise engaged and not put herself through the torture and awkwardness of sitting with Rhett and his fiancée. At the time, she had just been trying to convince herself that it wouldn’t matter. What a fool she was!
She busied herself reading the menu whilst surreptitiously studying the woman opposite her. Camille looked stunning in a fitted red gown that plunged daringly low in the front to reveal a full cleavage and smooth, pale skin. Her black hair was piled high on her head, exposing a slender neck and lovely diamond earrings.
Well, she couldn’t compete with that, Lucy thought bitterly, taking a sip of champagne to try to quell her nerves. She glanced around the rest of the table and was surprised when she couldn’t find Rhett. Seated to the left of Camille was a handsome young man who appeared to be quite attentive towards her.
Where is Rhett?
The position to Lucy’s left was vacant, but she couldn’t read the place card and she didn’t want to appear rude by blatantly picking it up to inspect it.
As she was pondering the absence of Rhett, she spotted him striding across the ballroom towards their table. He looked hot and incredibly sexy dressed in a black tux and bow tie—like Channing Tatum as James Bond!
As he drew closer, his eyes locked on hers and she found herself mesmerised by his intense green gaze. Warmth flooded her cheeks and she wriggled in her seat anxiously. How had she thought that she would be immune to his charms? He was so blatantly sexual and predatory that the mere sight of him had her panting with lust.
Just as Rhett drew within hearing distance of the table, Camille, her back to him, suddenly looked up and directly at Lucy. “Aren’t you the decorator?” she almost sneered. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be here.”
Lucy didn’t miss Robert’s wince at Camille’s words. “Lucy is my guest, Camille.” He spoke easily, but Lucy noticed an edge to his voice.
Robert leaned close and gave Lucy’s hand a reassuring squeeze just as Rhett slid smoothly into the chair next to her.
Rhett’s eyes narrowed on Robert’s hand clasping hers and, seeing his son’s expression, Robert laughed. He leant back and
* * * *
Lucy was impressed with the venue. It was beautifully decorated and appealed to the interior designer in her. The theme was pink and white, obviously in favour of the romanticism of Valentine’s Day and in dereference to the Breast Cancer Foundation’s pink ribbon emblem. The chairs were covered in ivory damask and tied with big bows. Bowls of peonies adorned the middle of the round tables, which were laid with a staggering assortment of crystal glasses and silver cutlery. Balloons, tied in bunches, floated around the vast room, and big cardboard love hearts, interspersed with ribbons, hung from the ceiling.
“Robert, this is beautiful,” Lucy breathed in appreciation.
Robert smiled proudly. “It is, isn’t it? The organisers did a wonderful job. Come, let’s find out where we are sitting.”
They found their table in the middle of the ballroom. A long-stemmed red rose and a box of chocolate love hearts were placed at each of the ladies’ seats. Lucy was impressed with the thought that had gone into making the occasion so special.
Robert pulled out her chair, and just as she was about to sit, she noticed Camille seated opposite her. She froze for a fraction of a second, indecision rippling through her before she quickly claimed her chair. She couldn’t make a scene and risk embarrassing Robert by asking to switch tables. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see Camille—but she was. Some part of her had wanted to think that Rhett wouldn’t be so obvious and heartless as to seat them together, but she supposed that he hadn’t had much choice in the matter. It was her fault. She shouldn’t have come, she should have given Robert an excuse that she was otherwise engaged and not put herself through the torture and awkwardness of sitting with Rhett and his fiancée. At the time, she had just been trying to convince herself that it wouldn’t matter. What a fool she was!
She busied herself reading the menu whilst surreptitiously studying the woman opposite her. Camille looked stunning in a fitted red gown that plunged daringly low in the front to reveal a full cleavage and smooth, pale skin. Her black hair was piled high on her head, exposing a slender neck and lovely diamond earrings.
Well, she couldn’t compete with that, Lucy thought bitterly, taking a sip of champagne to try to quell her nerves. She glanced around the rest of the table and was surprised when she couldn’t find Rhett. Seated to the left of Camille was a handsome young man who appeared to be quite attentive towards her.
Where is Rhett?
The position to Lucy’s left was vacant, but she couldn’t read the place card and she didn’t want to appear rude by blatantly picking it up to inspect it.
As she was pondering the absence of Rhett, she spotted him striding across the ballroom towards their table. He looked hot and incredibly sexy dressed in a black tux and bow tie—like Channing Tatum as James Bond!
As he drew closer, his eyes locked on hers and she found herself mesmerised by his intense green gaze. Warmth flooded her cheeks and she wriggled in her seat anxiously. How had she thought that she would be immune to his charms? He was so blatantly sexual and predatory that the mere sight of him had her panting with lust.
Just as Rhett drew within hearing distance of the table, Camille, her back to him, suddenly looked up and directly at Lucy. “Aren’t you the decorator?” she almost sneered. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be here.”
Lucy didn’t miss Robert’s wince at Camille’s words. “Lucy is my guest, Camille.” He spoke easily, but Lucy noticed an edge to his voice.
Robert leaned close and gave Lucy’s hand a reassuring squeeze just as Rhett slid smoothly into the chair next to her.
Rhett’s eyes narrowed on Robert’s hand clasping hers and, seeing his son’s expression, Robert laughed. He leant back and
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