Julia shook her head. “If you’d given me even a week’s notice, I could have had Aunt Maddy ship out something for you. Or I would have been happy to loan you the money.”
“No. Thank you, but no. I’ve stretched my budget way too thin as it is buying the dress and shoes. But I just needed – you know – to -”
“To feel pretty,” finished Julia. “I get it, honey. From what I can tell you hardly ever treat yourself to anything. You should make Ian give you a nice Christmas bonus. Or a raise.”
Tessa was glad Julia had whisked an extra bit of blusher on her cheeks, because it masked the real flush that heated her skin. Just the mention of the handsome, enigmatic Brit was enough to set all her nerve endings on edge. Ever since the incident last month in the fitness room, she’d been even more aware of him than usual, forcing herself not to react whenever he walked by. Fortunately, he’d been traveling on business quite a bit these past few weeks and hadn’t been around much.
She’d been shocked to discover that Jason Baldwin had been transferred out of the regional headquarters to manage the hotel down in Silicon Valley. And doubly shocked at the swiftness of Ian’s promised actions, for Jason had been gone the very next day after the incident. Speculation as to why he’d been transferred had run rampant around the office for several days, but Tessa had kept her mouth tightly shut about the real reason. There was no way she would discuss that with anyone, even Julia. She had merely continued to echo what everyone else in the office surmised – that there must have been a complaint filed against Jason and that management had wisely decided to remove him.
“We should head downstairs. Our cab will be arriving within the next five minutes,” reminded Julia.
Tessa nodded, forcing thoughts of Ian Gregson from her mind. It was going to be hard enough seeing him at the party tonight with another woman, especially when she’d be there without an escort of her own. Julia had tentatively offered to set her up with a friend of Nathan’s but Tessa had gently but adamantly refused.
“I appreciate the thought, but I’m just not ready to start dating yet,” she’d admitted.
Julia had nodded. “I get it. When Nathan was still with his ex, I knew I should force myself to get out there and meet other guys, but I just didn’t have the heart. Besides,” she had added with a wink, “the few remaining single friends Nathan has are just about the biggest guy sluts I’ve ever met. And, my God, can those guys drink! You’d probably never speak to me again if I set you up with one of them.”
The two women were sharing a cab downtown, dropping Tessa off first at the posh Gregson Hotel where the Christmas party was being held. Julia was continuing on a little further to meet Nathan and a group of his friends for dinner.
“It’s his water polo teammates from college,” she’d explained to Tessa. “They have this tradition of meeting over at Berkeley and playing in some sort of alumni game. Then they go get drunk at one of their old hangouts before hopping on public transit – thank God for that – and meeting their wives and girlfriends for dinner.”
Tessa had frowned. “It doesn’t bother you – him getting drunk, I mean?”
Julia had smiled impishly. “Nathan knows his limits, unlike some of his idiot friends. And when he gets a little tipsy he’s really, really fun in bed.”
The subject of alcohol and getting drunk had always been a touchy one for Tessa. Her own mother had overindulged in both booze and drugs at various times, though never to the point where it had become an addiction. Peter’s mother, on the other hand, had been a raging alcoholic and, as a result, he’d sworn off liquor and refused to keep any in the apartment. Tessa hadn’t minded, having been completely sympathetic to the hell Peter’s life had been, and she seldom touched alcohol herself.
During the cab ride, Tessa gave Julia’s hand an impulsive little squeeze. At her friend’s inquiring gaze, Tessa told her, “Thank you. For all of this. Helping me get ready, encouraging me to go, sharing the cab.”
“It’s nothing,” assured Julia. “I had fun getting you all girly. I hardly ever get to do stuff like that to my other friends. You’ve met Angela – the last thing on her mind these days is making herself look pretty. And my sister – let’s just say it takes a lot of arm twisting to convince her to dress up. I don’t really have any other close girlfriends – just the people I work with and now the wives and girlfriends of Nathan’s buddies. And you, of course.”
Tessa felt immensely pleased that Julia included her on the surprisingly short list of her friends. Julia was so beautiful, smart and accomplished that Tessa was more than a little in awe of her – and almost pathetically grateful for her friendship.
When the cab pulled up to the grand porte-cochere of the hotel, Tessa tried to hand Julia some cash for her share of the fare only to have it firmly refused.
“No. I told you this was my treat. God, when you mentioned you were going to take the bus or the metro here tonight I thought I’d faint.” Julia shook her head. “And you’d better take a taxi home, too. Are you okay for that?”
Tessa understood that Julia was really asking if she had enough money, and nodded, trying to conceal her embarrassment. “Yes, thanks. Especially since you won’t let me pay half of this fare.”
Julia smirked. “I have a rich boss. Who also happens to be my rich boyfriend. I can afford a twenty dollar cab fare. Besides, it’s something like the third – or is it the fourth – night of Hanukkah, so consider this a little gift.”
Tessa laughed. “But neither of us is Jewish.”
“Doesn’t matter. Now, you go have yourself a fabulous time, all right? I wish I was going with you instead of to this overgrown frat boy party of Nathan’s.”
As Tessa walked inside the hotel, she wished Julia was accompanying her, too. She felt awkward and uneasy attending this fancy party alone, especially when all of her co-workers were bringing a date or their spouse. There would be very few people in attendance tonight who were here by themselves, and she fought off the feeling of being a pathetic wallflower.
‘It’s not like it’s a high school dance, silly,’ she chastised herself. ‘Nobody’s going to be gossiping about what a loser you are during first period English class on Monday.’
But as she checked her well-worn raincoat at the coat check just outside of the enormous ballroom, Tessa couldn’t help feeling once again like the new girl in school – the outsider who had no friends, who was too shy to speak to anyone, who was always alone and lonely. Some things, she thought sadly, never seemed to change.
Fortunately, some of her unease began to fade as she spotted Kevin and Shelby nearby with their respective companions. Kevin was living with his current boyfriend – an older, wealthy attorney named Terence. It was very obvious from all of the disparaging, almost insulting comments that Kevin frequently made about his lover that he was merely using him for his money. But for tonight at least Kevin preened over the older man, touching his arm and laughing at whatever he said.
Shelby, who was wearing a skintight pink bandage dress that clashed oddly with her strawberry blonde hair, was already making the chirpy bird sound laugh when Tessa reached her side. Tessa had met Shelby’s date – a slightly overweight, prematurely balding young man named Grant – when he’d taken Shelby out to lunch a couple of weeks ago. Tessa chose to ignore how Grant’s close-set eyes lingered a little too long on her boobs.
“Sweetie pie, you look a-maz-ing!” exclaimed Kevin. “Wow! If there was any woman in the world who might have a shot at turning me straight, it would definitely be you!”
Tessa couldn’t help laughing in delight at his praise, and let him envelop her in a hug, not even caring that his new cologne was even more pungent than his old one.
“Thanks,” she answered demurely. “Um, a friend of mine helped me get ready.”
She intentionally didn’t mention Julia’s name, fairly certain that no one at the office would mind her friendship with the interior designer, but thought it prudent not to advertise the ne
ws, either.
“Well, she did a fabulous job on you, sugar, just fabulous,” gushed Kevin. “Now, aren’t you glad we all talked you into coming tonight? Much better than sitting home all by your lonesome.”
She had finally confessed to her co-workers that she and Peter had split. The news had sort of slipped out a few days before Thanksgiving, when she hadn’t been able to stem the flow of tears that had started after Peter still hadn’t responded to her email of five days earlier.
All five of her co-workers had been sympathetic, and even Gina and Alicia had seemed genuinely kind and concerned. When Kevin had learned that Tessa was going to be alone on Thanksgiving, he’d insisted she join him and Terence for dinner at their home. She had felt a little out of place among the two dozen or so people at their “little gathering”, but it had definitely been preferable to spending the holiday by herself.
The group had next ganged up on her until she’d reluctantly agreed to attend the office Christmas party. And even though the round tables were really only set for ten, they were squeezing in an extra chair so that Tessa could sit with everyone else.
It had touched Tessa to have the support of her team, who had acted like real friends to her, helping to lift her spirits and give her encouragement. And, so far as she knew, they had kept the news of her impending divorce to themselves as she’d requested. At least, no one else in the office had said a word to her about it.
Within a few minutes. Marisol and her husband Raul, Gina and her boyfriend Alex, and Alicia and her date Ross had all arrived, the girls gushing over Tessa’s dress and hair and makeup. Of course, Gina and Alicia were dressed to kill in obviously expensive designer gowns, their own hair and makeup flawless. Tessa tried not to worry about how cheap her own dress and shoes – the same ones Julia had assured her looked awesome – must appear next to not just Gina’s and Alicia’s but to every other woman’s here tonight.
She accepted a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, but was careful to sip it very slowly. While Peter have never outright asked her not to drink, she had always tried to be supportive of him and had usually refrained. She’d never had more than a glass or two of wine at one time, and most definitely didn’t want to experiment with more at the office Christmas party, where every member of the management team was in attendance.
She was aware of Ian’s presence well before she actually saw him. He had that sort of magnetism, the kind that drew everyone’s attention no matter who else might be in the room. Tessa merely had to glance in the same direction as everyone else around her to find him, and her heart did a rapid little flutter when she saw him for the first time this evening.
He’d been traveling these past two weeks to several of the hotels in Mexico and South America, and his ruggedly handsome features were deeply tanned. His hair had been cut very recently, and was as expertly styled as always. Ian wore a beautifully tailored black tuxedo, paired with a snowy white shirt and classic black bowtie. He was suave and sophisticated, classy elegance and overwhelming masculinity all rolled into one mouthwatering package.
To Tessa, he was far more attractive and compelling than any movie star. He could easily be some sort of diplomat or head of state, or even the prince of some small European nation.
She didn’t realize how long she’d evidently been staring at him until Gina’s voice murmured slyly in her ear. “His Hotness looks even hotter than usual tonight, don’t you think?”
Tessa swiftly glanced away from her undeniably hot boss, but was afraid she’d already betrayed her attraction to him to the very perceptive Gina. Trying desperately to seem nonchalant, she gave a small shrug and smiled. “Most men always look extra special in a tuxedo.”
Gina grinned. “You’re right. Especially when it’s a Brioni tux that probably set the boss man back eight or nine thousand.”
Tessa gasped. “For one suit? And how do you always know this stuff – I mean, what designer and how much it costs?”
“Guess I’m a bit of a frustrated fashion designer,” confessed Gina. “I really wanted to attend a fashion school, and get into either design or merchandising. But my parents were insistent I get a college degree and a quote unquote real job. So now I just settle for looking through as many fashion blogs and magazines as I can and keeping up to date on stuff. Just in case, you know.”
Tessa shook her head. “I don’t know the first thing about fashion, and can’t tell one designer from the next.”
“You don’t really have to,” admitted Gina almost wistfully. “You’re lucky enough to be one of those very few people who looks good in anything, not to mention being gorgeous. I’m more than a little jealous of you, Tessa. Most of us have to work really hard to look good but not you.”
Tessa was both startled and flattered by Gina’s compliment and offered her a grateful smile. “That’s nice of you to say, even if it really isn’t true.”
“Ah, but it is. You just don’t see it. Oh, I see His Hotness has the banker lady with him tonight. Alicia and I were wondering who the lucky lady was going to be. I hope when I get to be forty I look as good as she does.”
Tessa reluctantly followed Gina’s gaze back towards Ian, who now stood with his hand resting lightly on the arm of a strikingly beautiful woman. The tall, gracefully slender beauty had raven hair cut into a sleek, perfect chin-length bob, her face expertly made up with dark eyes and carmine lips. She wore a stunning gown of deep burgundy, with long, fitted sleeves. It was gathered at the bodice and the long skirt was slit to just above her knee. Tessa just assumed the rubies and diamonds that sparkled at the woman’s ears and throat were real.
“She’s beautiful. They make a good pair, don’t they?” asked Tessa in a small voice.
She wasn’t sure why seeing Ian with a date was unsettling her. She would have just assumed he’d be here with someone tonight, just as he’d brought a date to the last two Christmas parties she’d attended. And if the gossip around the office was to be believed, Ian dated a lot of different women – all of them beautiful, sophisticated, and accomplished. And so very, very different from herself – a young, gauche and not very bright admin assistant who would likely never rise above her current situation.
Gina shrugged in response. “If you say so. She seems a little cold for him, actually. Her name is Rebecca Mellar, and she’s the President of Golden Gate Bank. I think she and His Hotness are just friends from what I’ve read.”
Tessa didn’t really want to think about the striking Rebecca’s relationship with Ian. Instead, she gave Gina a teasing smile and asked, “Yes, but more importantly, who designed her gown?”
Gina laughed, then replied without hesitation. “Elie Saab. I saw that dress at Barneys last week. Do I have the gift or what?”
The cocktail hour passed by quickly, and Tessa was careful to make her one flute of champagne last. Meanwhile, Kevin and Alicia had both put away several drinks before dinner, and were well on their way to getting sloppy drunk. Gina seemed to be holding her liquor a lot better than her roommate, while Shelby and Marisol kept the drinking to a minimum.
From her peripheral vision, Tessa kept sneaking discreet little glances at Ian as he and Rebecca circulated the room. She knew from having helped compile the list of RSVPs that his parents were here this evening, over for a brief visit from England. It had been easy to pick the elder Gregsons out, for Ian greatly resembled his father. Edward was a bit shorter than his middle son, and his dark hair was liberally shot through with gray. Joanna Gregson was surprisingly petite, her delicate form beautifully gowned in glittering emerald green, her frosted blonde hair cut in short, feathery layers about her almost elfin face.
Ian’s parents were every bit as regal and sophisticated as he was, and they would certainly expect him to eventually marry a woman with the same sort of elegance and class. Most definitely not a naïve, ordinary girl like Tessa, with her clearance rack shoes and rumpled raincoat and borrowed costume jewelry. It was a very good thing, she thought firmly, that she recogni
zed her ever growing attraction to Ian as nothing more than a harmless fantasy.
But then she happened to glance his way only to find his own intense gaze upon her. Her heart slammed erratically against her rib cage as she stared back, mesmerized. Ian was unsmiling, his expression almost brooding, but his eyes remained locked with hers, silently refusing to let her look away. Tessa couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, as she just stood there shell-shocked, too dazed to even begin to wonder what this all meant.
And then, the stare down that seemed to have lasted forever but had in actuality only been for long seconds, ended abruptly as the beautiful Rebecca touched Ian’s arm and called his attention back to her.
Completely flustered, Tessa turned away and offered up a silent prayer of thanks that the call was being made to sit down for dinner. She was practically the first one to arrive at their table, and was relieved to realize her assigned place would not put her in any sort of direct view of Ian’s table.
Even though Andrew was officially in charge of organizing tonight’s party, he had delegated as much of the work as possible to the team. Gina and Alicia had jumped on the opportunity for they loved to handle all the social and travel related functions, as opposed to more mundane work such as word processing or filing. They had been working on invitations, seating charts, place cards and little else it seemed for the past few weeks, so Tessa had been afforded ample opportunity to take at glance at where everyone would be sitting.
It had been something of a nasty shock to learn that Jason Baldwin would be attending this evening. But Alicia had explained that quite a few of the hotel managers in California would be at the party, and since Jason actually lived in the city it was taken for granted that he would be at the party. Not to mention the fact that his wife was a member of the Gregson family.
Tessa had spied the Baldwins once or twice this evening, but fortunately Jason had kept his distance thus far. The very last thing she wanted tonight was any sort of confrontation, for he most certainly would not be happy with having been transferred, and most likely demoted as well.
Splendor (Inevitable #2) Page 9