An Unforgettable Lady(63)

Grace wrapped her arms around her old friend. "I'm so glad to see you north of the Mason-Dixon line."

"The air's a little thin up here but other than that it's okay."

Grace turned to introduce Smith. "And this is John ... Smith. My friend."

The Senator offered a welcoming smile and, as they shook hands, Grace had to wonder what he thought of Bo. She was a tall, handsome woman, with auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a high voltage smile. The deep red suit she was wearing enhanced her dramatic looks and was tailored to fit her curves. Standing next to her Grace felt washed out, a paler version of the feminine air Bo exuded like an exotic scent.

When they stepped forward into an elegantly appointed room, a crowd of twenty let out a chorus of greetings. A glass of wine was pressed into her hand and Grace tried to relax and enjoy herself as Carter and Nick came over. She was so happy to see them.



Throughout the cocktail hour, she always knew where Smith was. He lingered on the fringes of the crowd, looking comfortable in the group.

She was staring at him, thinking that he fit in well in the elegant atmosphere, when he shifted his eyes to hers. He lifted his eyebrow and sent her a nod.

And that's when she realized it was too late.

Staring at him across the room, seeing the light falling on his hard face, she knew that she was falling in love with him.

That, more than even the passion, was the reason she'd decided to go to bed with him.

Grace looked away quickly, in case he could read her thoughts. Flustered, she escaped the small group she was talking to on the pretext of putting on more lipstick.

As her mind churned over the whys and whens, she knew the jumbled searching was just mental gymnastics. It didn't matter when it started and knowing why wasn't an answer she needed. The truth was in her heart, not her mind.

She was in one of the bedrooms, bending toward the mirror with her lip liner when Mimi Lauer appeared in the doorway.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," the woman said with a smile.

Grace froze as their eyes met in the mirror. She thought of Cuppie and Suzanna before turning and opening her arms. Mimi was in that article, too.

"Mimi, I’m so glad you came! I figured we wouldn't see you because tomorrow is your big night."

Grace hadn't known the Lauers for very long but she'd liked both of them immediately. They'd moved from the West Coast four years ago because their son suffered from a bad case of juvenile arthritis and the treatment options for him were better in New York. Mimi's warm personality and flair for entertaining had served her well in her new environment and she'd risen quickly up the social ladder. For the past two years, she'd been chair of the ballet's annual event.

As they pulled back, Mimi said, "The performance tomorrow night is going to be splendid. They're doing a series of Balanchine favorites, just quick sketches of some of his best."

Grace frowned. "I'm sorry that I won't be going this year."

She and Smith had discussed her going to the big party. He didn't think it was a good idea for her to be in large crowds if she could avoid it and she'd taken his advice.

"Please, don't worry. You'll be missed, of course, but I can understand the kind of pressure you're under,"

Mimi's eyes narrowed, as if she was tempted to bring up the very thing that was on Grace's mind. The killer. Their lost friends.

There was an awkward pause.

"So how are you holding up?" Grace said. "I imagine you have every detail taken care of."

Mimi shook her head. “On the contrary, things are a mess."

"Good God, why?"

"Fredrique has become a bit of a problem." Distaste flickered across the woman's face. "It's gotten so bad, I’m thinking of firing him even though the event is less than twenty-four hours away. He wanted to feature a shark in a tank at the party. A shark. "What does Jaws have to do with ballet?"

Grace smiled and put her lipstick back in her clutch. "He wants to make a big splash, evidently."

"Well, he can do it somewhere else. Maybe Long John Silver's is looking for a party planner," Mimi replied dryly. “On another topic, what's going on between you and Lamont?"

"Why do you ask?"

"He called me today and said he was looking to make a change."

Grace pursed her lips. "Doesn't surprise me. He and I have never gotten along and I know he's approached a couple of other people."