Strings of the Heart (Runaway Train #3)(25)

Once he had grasped the pendant, Rhys weighed it in his hand, taking in every aspect of it before his gaze flicked up to mine. “I can’t believe you still have this, least of all wear it.”

His almost accusatory tone momentarily stung me, and I jerked back from him. His grasp remained firm on the pendant, causing the satin ribbon to slice into my neck almost like I was on a leash. “Why wouldn’t I still have it?”

He shrugged. “I guess because it was so long ago when I gave it to you.”

“It was at my Sweet Sixteen party,” I reminded him.

“I remember,” he murmured.

“You do?”

He held my gaze as he fingered the raised magnolia on the pendant. “Of course I do.” One side of his lip quirked up in a half smile. “That was only four years ago, Allie-Bean. I’m not so old that I’m having memory loss.”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips. “You’re not old.”

“Just older than you,” he mused.

“Only by a few years,” I countered, kicking my chin up determinedly.

In his brown eyes flecked with gold, I saw the question he would never dare to verbalize. Four and a half years had passed since that momentous night by the fountain at my party. There had been other loves and other life experiences for me. After all that time and distance, he wondered what it was about the simple necklace, hand painted by his sister, that made me continue to wear it, especially on the choker so close to my heart?

What I wanted so desperately to tell him was I wore the necklace because in spite of all the loves and other life experiences for me, I was still madly and completely in love with him. Swallowing hard, I replied, “I like to wear it because I love magnolias—I always have. Magnolias remind me of strong women—the kind I aspire to be like. But most of all, it reminds me of home.”

Rhys bobbed his head, accepting my half-truths as if they were the gospel. In the end, maybe avoidance was better for both of us. At least for now, I would keep telling myself that. Now that we were on the cusp of unchartered territory, I would play the game for as long as I had to in order to win his heart.

He tenderly placed the pendant back on my breastbone and then stepped back. “I’m glad you still have it, and that it means so much to you.” Just as we were about to lapse into an awkward silence, Rhys asked, “Are you hungry?”

Of course he would have to change the subject. “Maybe a little.”

“Come with me.” He then led me back into the hallway and down to the dining room. He grabbed me a plate and started piling on some hors d'oeuvres. “You still like all things cheese, right?”

I stared at him in shock. “Uh, yeah, I do.”

He grinned. “Try the spinach and cheese canapés. They’re delicious.”

As he went about adding some fruit to my plate, I couldn’t help asking, “How did you remember I liked cheese?”

He shot me a withering look. “Like I haven’t sat beside you at a million BBQs and dinners over the years. You even eat shredded cheese on your hot dogs.”

If this had been an old Southern novel or movie, I might’ve swooned at that very moment. Sure, it was just a detail about cheese, but he remembered it. About me. “You’re right. I do. My mom claims it was because she craved it so much when she was pregnant with me. Apparently, she never liked it before.” I clamped down on my lips to once again keep from blabbering like an idiot.

Rhys smiled as he handed me the plate. “There. That should take the edge off until we can go to dinner.”

“Thank you, kind sir,” I teased.

With a laugh, he rested his hand on the small of my back. He then led me down the hall to a beautifully decorated living room or sitting room. Motioning up the length of the room, he said, “The auction is going to be in there. Most of the people who are betting will be in there and in here.”

Chewing on one of the canapés, I wrinkled my nose. “It’s still so bizarre to me that they have bachelor and bachelorette auctions. It seems so outdated.”

“I totally agree with you. That’s one reason why you won’t find me listed in the program.”

“What a shame. I might’ve been inclined to bet on you.”

Rhys gave me a sexy smirk that outrivaled any of AJ’s. “Yes, but you’re the lucky girl who gets to have me for free,” he challenged.

I swallowed hard. Trying to save face, I quickly said, “That’s true. I wouldn’t want to waste my money.”

Rhys laughed heartily. He opened his mouth to say something else when we were interrupted by a woman in a glittering blue gown. “There you are,” she said.

Rhys instantly tensed. After appearing to force a smile, he replied, “Hello, Mother.”

Although I tried not to stare, I couldn’t help taking in every aspect of his mother. They both had the same dark hair and eyes. Her hair was swept back into a tight chignon at the base of her neck. Although she had to be in her fifties, she appeared very fit and youthful. She had a face devoid of wrinkles, which was either good genes or a good plastic surgeon. I was betting on the latter.

“It’s almost time to start.” She glanced from him to me. Her red lips pursed curiously while her eyes narrowed shrewdly. “And who is this young lady?”

“This is Allison Slater. You know my bandmate, Jake?”