Page 109 of Nothing to Tell

Time to distract herself.Marcie Weathers wore a salmon dress that was four sizes too large.The woman had successful gastric band surgery, yet hadn’t sprung for the wardrobe to match.

Matthew Huggett was here.The youngster couldn’t be more than fourteen but he stood there rigid, struggling to project the image of a suave businessman in a designer suit.Had Bastian been the same at that age?Had Bastian always been discerning?Always been astute and perceptive?Or was it something he’d made a conscious choice to work on?

So much for distraction.

“Harper?”

She turned with the expectation of facing another of her father’s clients.The fact that he sounded like Bastian was nothing unusual.She often heard his voice for no reason.

Except this time there was a reason.It was him.It was actually…

“Bastian, hi.I didn’t think… What are you doing here?”

“I got an invite,” he said.

No surprise, damnit, she should’ve considered the possibility.

“You did?”Harper smiled.There were so many people in this room.So many people watching.Just like the night they met.Though she hadn’t understood his confidence then.“You didn’t have to accept it.”

That wasn’t bitchy just, relevant.What had he been thinking?

“I didn’t have anything else to do tonight,” he said.“It’s important to support local business.”

“Ah!Bastian!”

Adara rushed up to kiss both of Bastian’s cheeks.

“It’s good to see you,” he said, shaking Carnell’s hand.

“We’ve missed you,” Adara said.“Did Harper tell you about her award?”

“Award?”

“For charitable services,” Adara said.“There’s an award ceremony next month.”

“Congratulations,” Bastian said.

During the Bastian drought, she kept telling herself that her mental picture of him was exaggerated.That she was making him a big deal when he wasn’t a big deal.He was a man.Like any man.But, boy, she’d been low balling it.

He was taller, broader, prouder than she remembered.Had she really shared a bed with this guy?No way.A guy like that wouldn’t look her way twice.Their brief time together seemed surreal.Like a dream she’d conjured to placate her ego.

Adara was talking about trouble with her wedding venue.Bastian listened intently, his focus absolute on Adara.See, they were strangers, they didn’t have time together, they had a scheme.Cooked up as some kind of charity to combat her pitiful life.

The reality of what they were slapped her right across the face when a stunning five eleven blonde joined their group by sliding her hand inside Bastian’s elbow.

“Everyone this is Audine Slivinski,” Bastian said.“These are my friends, Adara and her fiancé Carnell, and her sister Harper.”

Audine shook hands with them.Polite.Personable.

Adara’s sister.Is that how he’d just introduced her?Adara’s sister?They’d got naked together but she’d been slotted into a social space beneath her sister?They only knew each other because of her.

“What do you do?”Adara asked Audine.

“Can’t you tell by looking at her,” Carnell mumbled, earning himself a not-so-discreet shove from his fiancée.

“I’m a model,” Audine said.

“Drink.”Donald joined the group and handed her a glass.Ah, redemption.She downed half the contents.“Donald,” he introduced himself to Bastian and Audine.