An Unforgettable Lady(64)

"Well, I told him that I didn't think we had anything to offer him but I think he knew the real reason. You've been very supportive of me. Neither the ballet nor I would ever take one of your key people away."

“To be honest, I wouldn't mind if he went."

Mimi smiled." In that case, we really wouldn't want him. If he can't get along with you, he must be impossible."

"That's a kind vote of confidence," Grace said with a laugh.

There was a pause as Mimi glanced downward.

"Grace ... may I ask you something?" The woman's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Of course."

"What are you doing to... be safe?"

Grace felt her heart sink as Mimi looked up. There was naked fear in her eyes, the same thing Grace felt whenever she thought about what had happened to their friends.

"I've hired a bodyguard." Grace reached out for the other woman's hand. "Are you protecting yourself?"

"I've got a plain clothes man following me around and Marks has been really supportive, but I don't know. Ted and I were thinking about heading back to San Francisco for a while until this whole thing passes, except we really can't. Our son needs to stay with his physical therapists." Mimi paused. "Do you know if Suzanna had any help?”

"Marks has been pretty vague with details. I've been wondering whether whoever's doing this is following that article's sequence."

"You're lucky then. Because you were the last one mentioned."

"So Isadora is next."

Bo appeared in the doorway- "Am I interrupting something?"

Grace forced a smile. "Not at all."

Mimi gave an awkward laugh. "I don't mean to be hogging the guest of honor. I better go say my hellos to everyone."

"I'll call you," Grace said. "We'll have lunch and you can tell me all about tomorrow night's success."

"I'd like that. I'd really like that."

They shared a meaningful look as Mimi left. Grace had tacked on the party bit for Bo's benefit and they both knew it.

"So I have to ask," Bo said with a grin- "What does Ranulf think about you being squired around on the arm of that handsome man out there?"

"John's just a professional acquaintance."

"Business? Really? He Looks more like a military man to me. He has the same quick eyes and broad shoulders my father did. And Daddy, as you know, was a general."

Grace tried to muster a casual smile and say something that wasn't a lie. Before she could reply, however, they were interrupted by one of the waiters who said dinner was ready to be served.

Bo grinned. “Well, I hope you don't mind, I've seated him next to me. Seemed only fair since I haven't been around a man like that for a long time. Those politicians I'm with daily, I don't know. They tend to be soft around the middle and in the head."

Grace smiled weakly and Bo frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I’ll tell you all about it later."

Her friend's face took on an obstinate cast and Grace had the distinct impression that dinner or no dinner, Bo was prepared to lock them in the bathroom until the story came out.

"Don't go hitting me with Mother-vision," Grace retorted. "You save that maternal concern for your little boy. You've got twenty people out there ready for dinner and I'm rather hungry myself."

Bo shot her a look. "We'll finish this later, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

They rejoined the party and Grace accepted another glass of wine, drinking it quickly as they went into the dining room. She was seated down the way from Bo and Smith and, as dinner arrived, she watched them. Bo was a consummate conversationalist and, even though Smith didn't say much, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Or at least that's what Grace assumed and seeing his eyes flash toward her friend was hard to witness.

The man who had been a stranger only weeks ago was capturing her heart.

But he only wanted her body.

When Bo dropped her napkin and Smith bent over and picked it up for her, Grace asked for another refill of her wineglass.







chapter

13





Smith frowned as he saw the waiter pour more wine into Grace's goblet. He'd never seen her drink much of anything and yet she'd already had three glasses of the stuff. As she turned to her right and smiled at Nick Farrell, he thought that the stress was getting to her. She was pushing food around her plate and her laughter, as it drifted over to him, sounded strained.