Chapter 76
The ballroom buzzed; a sea of clinking glasses and swirling conversation. Paisley, arriving late, found herself adrift in a crowd she barely knew. Emery and Lucy were nowhere in sight. Nathaniel, the only familiar face, was deep in conversation with Dominick and Marissa, a small crowd orbiting them like planets. She’d planned a quick hello, a congratulatory drink, and a swift exit. But Dominick’s presence made that impossible.
She retreated to a corner, a glass of wine her shield. "Hmm," she murmured, taking a sip. "Good, but not my good." Wine, both tasting and making, was a deep passion, a pleasure she'd sacrificed during her marriage to Dominick, then again after Serena's birth. It had been months.
The wine, though mediocre, rekindled her craving. She finished the glass quickly, reaching for another, when Nathaniel’s voice boomed, "Oh, there's my mentor! Ms. Sutton!"
Heads swiveled. The ballroom held its breath, curious about the VIP Nathaniel called "mentor." They saw only the entrance, flanked by ushers, then her. Standing near the bar, strikingly beautiful in her unique gown, Paisley. Astonishment rippled through the room.
But admiration was fleeting. Curiosity trumped all. Paisley's carefully constructed invisibility had vanished. A headache pulsed behind her eyes. She’d counted on blending in, but Nathaniel's shout had made her the unexpected star. And there was Dominick, his gaze a dark storm cloud.
Nathaniel, seeing Paisley’s unapproachable expression, clinked glasses with Dominick. "Carry on, gentlemen," he said, his voice smooth. "I'll chat with Ms. Sutton." He strode toward her, his long legs eating up the distance.
The room buzzed again, the revelation of Nathaniel’s “mentor” settling like a bombshell.