Lovers by Christmas: (5 page)

If only he knew how bad she’d been with Kenner, then he might eat those words. She wanted to thank Rory for doing her a big favor, but couldn’t form the words when despair told hold and wouldn’t let go. “I’m sorry to have taken up your time. Have a good night.” She turned, crumpled the paper in her hand, lifted her chin, and walked out.

As soon as she was outside, she took a deep, shaky breath, then slowly exhaled. She felt foolish. Gullible. Stupid. That Friday with Kenner had simply been a one-night stand. Perhaps because she didn’t have a lot of experience with those, she’d cultivated feelings out of nothing. Had built up the night in her mind. Combined with her lonesomeness, Christmas around the corner, and the longing to be touched like that again, she’d gone to the lounge when she normally would’ve moved on.

She wouldn’t have a problem doing that now.

CHAPTER SEVEN

One week before Christmas…

“What do you think?” Thea asked her good friend Simon as she made a turn in the living room. “Too sexy for the party?”

Simon sniffed with a tissue to his nose. He was supposed to be her date for the Mallory’s famous Christmas gala, but had caught a cold. “No way.
You’re
too sexy for your dress.”

She was still unsure she should wear the fitted gown she’d chosen weeks ago since receiving the invitation. It was black, covered in red appliqué, with an open v back and a similarly lower v front. But the party called for “elegant, formal” attire and the woman at the store assured her this dress was perfect for such an occasion, boasting that she’d styled several of the guests on the list.

“Are you
sure
you don’t want me to go with you?” Simon asked. “You know I can rally! All I need is some—” He sneezed. “—drugs and I’ll be good to go.”

She laughed, setting her hands on his shoulders and forcing him to lie down. He’d been Ben’s roommate years ago, and had moved out a few months after she moved in. Then Ben had died and Simon had more or less become her roommate again by spending so many nights at her place to make sure she didn’t fall to pieces. Simon was the perfect friend. He once told her if he was straight and she was into skinny guys with mad IT skills, then he would marry her immediately.

“Stay down,” she ordered, bringing the blanket to his chest.

“God, I can’t believe I’m going to miss out on the event of the
year
because I was invaded with germs I cannot kill with my bare hands!” he complained.

She sighed. “It’s not that big of a deal,” she told him so he wouldn’t continuously make her feel guilty for going without him.

“Not that big of a deal? This party is for the elite of the elite, Thea. Millionaires, billionaires, and celebrities go to this thing from what I’ve heard.”

“Great. So I’ll fit right in,” she remarked sarcastically, rubbing a little perfume at her neck and wrists.

Simon sniffed and blew his nose. “Please check your attitude at the door. I want you to have some fun. Mingle. Snare a millionaire with those legs for once. Oh wait. You’ve sort of already done that.”

She sent her friend a look of reproach. “I told you not to bring him up anymore.” Memories of Kenner interrupted her thoughts. She briefly closed her eyes, letting out a slow breath.

Simon saw her physically react to the mention of that night, and shook his head. “Look at you. Blushing like a ripe tomato. I can’t believe you experienced the greatest pleasure you’d ever known and then walked out without leaving a note.”

Grabbing her coat from the closet, she shook her head, wishing she hadn’t given Simon so many details about her one-night stand, but he was so good at procuring details out of her. However, he didn’t know she’d gone back and learned what a snake Kenner really was. “Simon, sometimes it’s better to just have a night of memories and leave it at that.”

“Hmph. I guess I can understand that.”

Her phone beeped with a text message. Her driver had arrived. “My ride is here.”

“Ugh! This is mightily unfair,” Simon cried raising his arms to the ceiling, then flopping them down in his lap. “Thea gets to go to the most glamorous party of the holiday season, and I have stay here, drink hot tea, and stew in a body of disease.”

“At least now you can binge-watch Magnum P.I.”

Simon pouted and crossed his arms. “Little comfort.” He forced himself to sit up. “Please
have fun.
Promise me.”

“I promise.” She kissed the top of his head.

Outside her townhouse, there was a black Maybach sedan waiting for her. The driver introduced himself and opened the rear passenger door.

The drive to the Mallory’s home was an hour away and even though she begged off on the offer, she was glad in the end Mrs. Mallory had insisted on sending a car. The only reason Thea had obtained this exclusive invite was because she’d become their newest interior decorator. The Mallorys painstakingly enhanced the original architectural details with hand-painted palazzo ceilings, a vaulted living room with a silver leaf ceiling, Venetian hand-plastered walls, a Travertine stone patio and more. The house on its own was magnificent, but with the new additions, it was a breathtaking work of art.

She looked forward to enjoying the space for the first time without working.

Over the past week, she’d had a lot of downtime, and whenever that happened, such as now, Kenner immediately and mercilessly came to mind. And then, predictably, her body would bloom hot with yearning, and she’d subconsciously trace her fingers over her chest, remembering the magic of his touch.

With his looks and visceral sex appeal, finding a woman to take home with him was probably like shooting fish in a barrel.

She’d never go back to that bar again.

With Christmas less than a week away, she had several options offered to her. A quiet day at her aunt and uncle’s in Santa Cruz, or a chaotic one with Simon’s family, or at a close friend’s house, filled with little ones running around. Depending on what mood she was in, she would decide tomorrow.

When the driver pulled in the Mallory’s drive, she couldn’t help but grin. The entire property was lit up, including the purple leaf plum and pine trees aligning the driveway. The massive water fountain out front seemed to spring shimmering gold from its spouts and every window of the estate glowed with antique candelabras.

The valet attendant swept open her door and two nutcracker-uniformed guards that flanked the double front doors bowed, then allowed her inside. The scent of warm apples and cinnamon greeted her. She was immediately greeted by the butler, who knew her quite well after all the time she’d spent inside the mansion. She handed him her jacket and was immediately offered a glass of French champagne.

Classical holiday music and merry laughter echoed from every room, the party already in full swing even though it’d only begun half an hour ago. People were walking from room to room, arm in arm, and a few took advantage of the mistletoe.

She hardly knew a soul other than the Mallorys and a few of their friends, and dreaded becoming a wallflower by the end of the evening. Even so, she determined to make an effort and have fun, as commanded by Simon. Almost as soon as Thea stepped in the large living room, she spotted Mrs. Mallory with her signature curly red hair, wearing a silver dress with a huge flower detail at her shoulder.

“Thea. My artiste!” the woman greeted squeezing Thea’s shoulders and kissing the air beside her cheek. “You are a stunner in this dress! My friends will hate you on sight,” she joked. “I’m so glad you came.”

She smiled back. “Thank you for inviting me, Meryl. It’s an absolute dream in here.”

“Isn’t it? Thank you helping to make my vision come true. The least I could do was invite you to our little soiree.”

Ha. Little. By her guestimate, Thea would say there were probably at least three-hundred people on the grounds as they spoke. “We finished everything just in time for the party, too.”

“Have you taken a tour? I pride myself on the Christmas decorations. I change them every year.” She turned Thea around and began walking with her across the hall to the dining room. “We have every little nibbling you can imagine in here. Don’t be shy. Eat to your heart’s desire. There are games in the billiard room and dancing in the ballroom.” Meryl looked around. “Where is your plus one?”

“He caught a cold,” she told her in regret. “He’s crushed he couldn’t make it.”

“No! How awful. Be sure to take him a goody bag before you leave.” She gestured the extravagant pile of gold and silver boxes on the table in the corner. “I must mingle heavily before I even think of sipping any champagne. I’ll talk to you later on. Enjoy yourself!”

Smiling, she watched Meryl go greet more of her friends as they walked in the door. Thea took her time and perused over the delicacies and sweets offered on the table. More appetizers were presented by the servers who rushed in and out of the kitchen. After sampling the spinach and goat cheese tartlets and Swedish meatballs, she plucked a mint to freshen her breath and decided to look around and take in the general splendor of the party.

Back in the living room, she was gazing at the ginormous forty-foot tall Christmas tree when she felt a tap her shoulder. She turned around in surprise, then smiled with relief at the first familiar face other than Meryl’s.

Dressed in a strapless dark green silk dress, Jordana Shaw hugged Thea. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” she greeted back.

The main reason Thea had gotten the gig with the Mallorys was because of her work on Jordana and Logan Savant’s home. She’d been hired by the couple the previous summer to decorate their house before their summer party. Meryl and her husband had attended, and Meryl had been so impressed with her skills, she’d hired Thea on the spot. While the Mallory’s home had been an intense and very demanding project, the Savant’s had been enjoyable and effortless. Jordana had been open to all of Thea’s suggestions, and was utterly painless to please.

The beautiful brunette roved her gaze around the room. “I can see your touch all over this house. So exquisite from how it looked last year. Meryl can’t stop bragging about her interior decorator. She speaks as if she found you wandering in the street and discovered the hot new designer of the year on her own. I reminded her you were quite in demand before she came along.”

She laughed, then shrugged. “As long as she brags, I’m okay with the whole street wanderer story.”

Jordana giggled. “Are you working on anything now?”

“Not really. The holidays always slow my business down, but I have several people on my docket after New Year’s. To tell you the truth, I’m enjoying the break.” She squeezed Jordana’s hand with affection. “I heard your book made it to the New York Times bestseller list.”

Grinning, shaking her head and lifting her shoulders, Jordana said, “I still have to pinch myself. I was happy enough having them illustrated and published, but to make it to the bestseller list is icing on the giant cake.”

“Logan must be so proud of you,” Thea said, remembering Logan pulling her aside and asking her to put in an order for a special display case for his wife’s books. A little surprise for their home library. He adored her.

At the mention of her husband, Jordana lit up, and shifted her gaze down with an almost bashful blush. “He is. I couldn’t possibly wish for more.”

“Speaking of your dashing husband, where is he?” Thea asked.

Jordana linked her arm in hers. “Over there, probably talking shop.”

Indeed, Logan stood among a group of men near the back of the main room, all were elegantly dressed in tuxedos of varying styles.

“Honey,” Jordana said affectionately, setting her hand on his shoulder.

Her husband turned his profile to her, smiled, and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. Thea suddenly felt like an intruder standing near them, even though the intimate moment had been brief. The electric chemistry passing between them was enough to make Thea’s cheeks warm.

“Thea’s here,” Jordana told her husband in a tender voice.

Logan turned completely around and grinned, his dimple deepening before he bent to kiss her on the cheek. “Great to see you! Merry Christmas.”

“Same to you, Logan.” She looked from one to the other, grinning. “Thank you so much for the referrals. Because of you two I could have my entire 2016 calendar filled by spring.”

“Meryl’s home is amazing,” Logan complimented.

“It was my biggest job of the year, needless to say.” And she was utterly proud of it. At first, she hadn’t been sure she was up to a project of that magnitude, especially for a woman as rich and influential as Meryl Mallory. However, once Thea expressed her ideas and redirected some of Bob’s more outrageous ones, everything came together without a whole lot of frustration or setbacks. The Mallorys estate was now featured on her website. “But, I hope it isn’t my last.”

“Trust me, it couldn’t possibly be your final major project after tonight,” Jordana exclaimed.

Just then, a friend of the couple’s, Ashtyn Caenon, walked over with a big grin, wearing a long, dark red gown. “I know, we’re so late on arrival. We were—stuck in traffic.”

“No, you weren’t,” Logan drawled, smiling behind his champagne glass.