Page 21 of Screwed
They followed a saxophone player who led the guests to a bourbon bar, where they switched from champagne to spirits. There, Callie ran into Manon, who greeted her with more hugs and kisses. Cash watched Callie as they chatted, Manon trying to persuade her to come work at the boutique again. Callie smiled sweetly as she vaguely said she wasn’t sure what she was going to do now. Then they ran into another of Cash’s clients. He shook hands with Bob Cosmas, CEO of the Houston Health Center, and started to introduce Callie, but Bob said, “Hi, Callie. Nice to see you again. Is Beau here, too?”
Shit.
They’d finished up that project just before Callie and Beau had separated, and apparently Bob hadn’t heard the news of their divorce.
Cash watched Callie deal with the question with composure, although he did catch the faint tightening of the corners of her mouth. “No, he’s not.” She shook Bob’s hand. “Actually, we’re divorced.”
“Oh.” Bob’s eyes flickered. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
Shit. He hated that she’d been put in this position. He wanted to jump in and protect her, but she handled the situation with her usual charm and grace.
“No need to apologize.” She smiled. “It happens.” She turned her gaze to the woman with Bob. “Hi, Sarah. Good to see you again. How have you been?”
Bob’s wife’s gaze bounced back and forth between Cash and Callie, curiosity evident on her face. “Um, great, thanks.”
“And your family? You have two boys, if I recall correctly.”
“That’s right. And they’re both well, too.”
“I remember your oldest broke his leg playing football. But that was some time ago, so he must have made a full recovery.”
She continued chatting with the couple, making small talk, impressing him as well as Bob and Sarah with her sharp memory for details. No wonder Beau wanted her for his wife.
Ugh. Cash closed his eyes briefly. He hated thinking snide thoughts like that about his friend and business partner.
Callie was definitely an asset, with her beauty, charm, and social connections because of her family. But Beau was a fucking idiot if he thought that was all there was to her. Why would he fuck up such a good thing?
He tried to focus on the conversation, but his insides were burning. Callie’s poise and manners couldn’t completely dispel the awkward tension that buzzed around them. Who knew what Bob and Sarah were thinking about why he and Callie were here together? They hadn’t heard about the divorce, so obviously they weren’t aware of Beau’s cheating, and there was every chance they were making up some shit in their heads, like he and Callie’d had an affair or some other such bullshit.
Moments later, Bob and Sarah excused themselves to go refresh their drinks, and he turned to Callie with a tight jaw.
“I am so sorry,” she said immediately in a low voice, setting a hand on his arm. A small current of electricity ran through him. “I didn’t even consider what people would think, seeing us together.”
“Yeah.” He clenched his teeth and gripped his drink to stop himself from touching her. “I wasn’t thinking about that, either.”
She eyed him. “Are you concerned? He’s a client. If you want, I’ll go find him and tell him we’re just friends.”
“Fuck no.”
Callie flinched.
“I just mean, the more we go on about it, the more likely people will think we’re trying to cover something up.”
“I’m so stupid.” She pressed the base of her thumb to her forehead. “I never even thought about something like that.”
“Callie. I don’t give a shit what people say about me, so stop apologizing. It’s you I’m concerned about.”
She gazed back at him, openmouthed. “What?”
Christ, had nobody ever said that to her? He knew her parents were all about the image, and to a certain extent, so was Beau. “I don’t want rumors going around thatyoucheated onhim. You know how people talk.”
She blinked. “Oh. Um. Geez.”
“Yeah. I need another drink. Be right back.” He paused. “You want one?”
“Sure.”
He took her glass and made his way through the growing crowd to one of the bars. He sipped his bourbon while the bartender refilled Callie’s champagne glass, needing a few minutes away from her to strengthen his resolve to keep his distance.
