Surfside Sisters(52)
Right now on Nantucket, there were parties and dances and dinners with friends, but at any moment of the evening, you could drive out to one of the beaches where the sea shushed and seethed into the sand and it seemed as if you were at the secret heart of the universe.
Here in this room, the laughter and chatter was getting to her. It was so loud it came at her like a solid thing, buffeting her and making hearing impossible. For sanity’s sake, she gave herself a break from networking and wandered into another, quieter room. It was obviously a library, with walls of books on shelves and more books towering from coffee tables.
The silence was a relief. It would be nice if she were with a man right now, because it was twenty minutes until the stroke of midnight, and she had no one to kiss. She told herself that really, that was fine. She was a big girl now. She knew how to be alone. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t happy at a fabulous party and she wasn’t happy alone.
She stationed herself at the corner of the wide wall of windows in the quiet empty room, casually leaning against the adjoining wall. Regarding the world from this height always gave her vertigo, one of the prices she paid for growing up on an island with no buildings higher than three stories. The view here was spectacular. Far below, lights from the cars on the avenues glowed like rivers of gold. Stars of light shone from hundreds—thousands?—of buildings, so many lights, so many stars, it seemed as if she were in a separate sky. Well, she supposed she was.
A man entered the room. He almost ran into the room, glanced at Keely, and said, “I’m not here.”
Then he threw himself behind one of the large burgundy sofas.
Keely glanced at the windows. They did not reach floor level, so they did not mirror the hiding man.
A few minutes later, a tall redhead stalked into the room. She was blazing with diamonds and her face was pinched.
“Did a man come in here?” she demanded. “Tall guy, brown hair, tux.”
If the woman had been even a little less imperious, Keely might have sided with her. Instead, she looked the redhead right in the eyes. “No.”
“What a shit,” the woman said. “I thought he was going to propose to me tonight. But he just disappears? If you see him, do me a favor and kick him in the balls.”
“Will do.”
The redhead stormed from the room. Keely went to the door leading into the hall. She saw the redhead take her fur coat and slam out of the apartment. Keely returned to the library.
“She’s gone. Left the party,” Keely announced.
The man who rose from behind the sofa didn’t look like the cowardly type. He was tall, dark-haired, and slender. His tux fit him perfectly, a slide of black elegance. His eyes were a pure green.
He was really handsome.
“Thank you,” he said. “You just saved my life—and I know what I’m talking about because I’m a pediatric surgeon and save lives almost daily.” He held out his hand. “Gray Anderpohl.”
“Keely Green,” Keely replied. In her mind she made gagging noises at the way he introduced himself. She threw his attitude right back at him. “I’m a novelist and I write books that make thousands of women happy almost daily.”
Gray slapped himself on the forehead. “I’ve done it again, haven’t I? I didn’t mean to sound like a pompous ass. The sorry fact is that I’m socially challenged. Please let me start over.”
Charmed, Keely laughed. “Of course. I’ll start over, too.”
From the other room, people began counting down. Ten…nine…eight…
“But first…It’s almost midnight.” Gray stepped toward Keely. He said, “This won’t hurt a bit,” and took her in his arms and kissed her soundly when they heard the crowd yelling “Four…three…two…ONE! Happy New Year!”
His breath smelled of mint, and his kiss was firm and knowing. She felt sheltered in his arms, and if that was simply because no one had held her for months, she didn’t care. In the other room, someone was playing a piano and people were singing “Auld Lang Syne,” not always in tune. The song touched Keely’s heart and tears sprang to her eyes, which was ridiculous, because she was only twenty-seven. None of her days were long long ago.
Gray slowly released her, studying her face. “That was a good way to start a new year, don’t you think?”
“An excellent way,” Keely agreed.
“Let’s not go back to the party,” Gray suggested. “Let’s begin this new year by making a new friend.”
That was corny, Keely thought, and he was kind of formal, maybe pretentious, but he was an attractive, interesting man, and not someone she was likely to meet in her normal social circles.
Plus, she was curious.
“Sure, let’s talk.” Keely settled herself on a burgundy sofa. “You can start by telling me why the redhead wanted me to kick you in the balls.”
Gray chuckled. He sat on the sofa, but not too close. “Candace.” He shook his head. “We’ve been seeing each other for a while, but I swear I have no idea why she expected me to propose to her tonight.” He sighed—rather theatrically, Keely thought. “I realize that I’m going to sound like a complete narcissist, but as a single, straight, well-to-do fellow in this city, I’m considered a catch. I’m divorced, no children. I have a housekeeper and a satisfying social life. I’m devoted to my work, which is enormously rewarding. So, frankly, it would take someone amazing to make me want to marry again.”