Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(112)

He grabs his water and pushes his lips to my forehead. ‘I’ll be quick.’ He stalks off, leaving Sarah to virtually jog on her eight inch heels in order to keep up with him, but not before she leans across me to retrieve her gin from the bar on a snarl. I ignore it and accept my drink from a smiling Mario.

‘Thank you, Mario.’ I return his smile and take a sip, gasping in gratitude.

‘Miss Ava. May I say how magnificent you are looking this evening?’ He smiles fondly, and I blush slightly.

‘Mario, may I say how devilishly handsome you look this evening.’ I raise my glass to the small Italian man, who I have become rather fond of.

He slaps the bar on a sharp burst of laughter, and then his eyes fall onto the diamond that’s suspended around my neck before he tips his eyes back up to me with a high raised eyebrow. ‘He loves you very much, yes?’

I give a little embarrassed shrug, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with the friendly Italian. I don’t want everyone thinking the inevitable, just like Sarah did. ‘It’s just a necklace, Mario.’ A Sixty grand necklace, yes, but no one has to know that small detail. I reach up to grasp it again. I have to keep checking it’s there, even though I can feel the weight perfectly.

‘I see that you love Mr Ward very much too.’ He smiles and tops my glass up. ‘It makes me happy.’

It does? He gets distracted by a smashed glass and goes stalking off, waving his arms around and shouting in Italian.

I sit happily at the bar watching the staff preparing for the evening. Champagne is poured into hundreds of glasses and the bar is repeatedly wiped down by Mario. He shouts instructions around and points here and there to guide his staff. This is like a finely tuned execution of organisation – he knows what he is doing. The little Italian is a perfectionist, making everything just so. The huge room looks stunningly made up, everything obviously arranged precisely and with the utmost attention to detail. The low hanging chandeliers are shimmering subtly, giving off a soft apricot glow of light, the words sensuous and invigorating springing to mind immediately – words I have heard before.

Pete appears with a tray of canapés. ‘Ava, you look wonderful.’ He presents me with the tray. ‘Would you like a canapé?’

I take in the glorious smell of smoked salmon and spy the small flat breads caked in cream cheese. ‘Ah, Pete.’ I place my hand on my stomach. ‘I’m still full from lunch.’ I have no idea how I’m going to manage a three course meal. I’ll burst out of this dress.

‘Ava, you hardly ate your lunch.’ He gives me a disapproving look and carries on his way. ‘Enjoy your evening.’

‘You too, Pete.’ I reply, feeling immediately silly for telling a member of Jesse’s staff to enjoy their evening of working hard, but he’s right, I didn’t finish my lunch. That’s because I lost my appetite when Sarah rocked up and it’s probably why I’m not hungry now either.

I turn back to the bar and find my glass has been filled again. I search Mario out and spot him across the bar repositioning some stools. He catches my eye and gives me a cheeky grin, while I hold my glass up and give him a frown. He ignores it and carries on moving stools about. I’ll have to be careful. I’ve had two glasses of this Most Marvelous concoction already, and I have no idea what’s in it. I can’t be falling about all over the place when people start arriving.

‘Ava!’

I jump into standing position as Kate’s excited shriek hammers me from the side.

‘Whoa!’ She skids to a stop in front of me, her eyes popping out of her head. ‘Fucking hell!’

‘I know.’ I grumble. ‘I’m petrified of the damn thing. It should be in a safe.’ I reach up and fiddle with it again, and Kate bats my hand away to cop a feel herself.

‘Wow! That is some serious special.’ She drops the diamond and stands back to eye me up. ‘Look at you! Someone has been thoroughly spoilt today.’

I laugh. I think what I have been today is way past spoilt. ‘What about you?’ I grab her hands and hold them out to the side. ‘I love the dress.’ I send her on a little twirl. She looks fabulous, as always, in a long, green gown, her red locks vibrant and piled high on her head. ‘Do you want a drink? You have to try this stuff.’ I grasp my glass from the bar and hold it up. ‘Here, sit. Where’s Sam?’

She pushes herself onto the stool and rolls her eyes. ‘He wouldn’t let any of the valets park his car. He thinks they’re all driving morons who can’t handle the power of a Carrera.’ She laughs. ‘Where’s Jesse?’

My smile disappears. ‘Sarah dragged him off somewhere,’ I glance at the clock and note he’s been gone for over an hour. ‘Anyway, I couldn’t help but notice a certain Carrera, with a certain red head in it, pulling into The Manor yesterday evening.’ I say casually as I sip my drink, eyeing her reaction over the rim of my glass.

My fiery, red head friend fires me a fiery glare. ‘Yes, Ava. You’ve already pointed that out.’ she says haughtily. ‘Get me that drink.’

I shake my head, but I don’t press her. ‘Mario?’ I call, and he waves his acknowledgment as he walks over. ‘This is my friend Kate. Kate, this is Mario.’

‘Yes, we’ve met.’ Kate smiles at Mario.