If I Only Knew(30)

“Kandi, darling,” Milo’s accent is much thicker than it was a few seconds ago. “I didn’t know you frequented this club.”

How does he lie so effortlessly?

“Milo.” She grins back. “Have you met my fiancé Darren?”

“Darren Wakefield,” Milo says with his hand extended. “I didn’t know you were Kandi’s main squeeze. I believe you know Danielle Bergen.”

Milo Huxley, I need to keep my eye on you.

He makes it look like he was genuinely surprised. It was effortless for him and a little scary to me how the words came out like second nature.

“Yes, how are you?” I ask.

Darren smiles warmly, then he shakes my hand. “Danielle, what a pleasant surprise. It’s great to see you outside the confines of work.”

Liar. He’s shitting himself right now.

“It’s a pleasure to see you here too, Darren.”

Darren tugs Kandi to his side and Milo places his hand on the small of my back. This time, I’m able to suppress the shiver that his touch brings.

“I didn’t know you were a member of the club,” Darren says to Milo.

“Oh, I’m not. My snob of a brother is. I’m here for the first time. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”

Kandi runs her finger down Darren’s chest, her eyes on Milo all the while. “Why don’t we grab a table since we’re all friends? We could grab a few drinks.”

“We’d love to,” I say quickly before Darren can object. “I’m going to powder my nose.”

“I’ll come with,” Kandi says.

“I’ll never understand why girls can’t pee alone,” Darren laughs.

My eyes are on Milo and I mouth to him, behave.

He winks and I shake my head with a smile.

Like that will ever happen.





Chapter Fourteen





Danielle





Kandi and I stand in the mirror, fixing our hair and lipstick. She’s extremely pretty. Her long blonde hair sits in those perfect curls that I can never get my hair to do. She has crystal blue eyes, and her boobs are definitely man-made. Darren looks to be about fifty and his receding hairline isn’t helping him look any younger. But I don’t think she’s with him for his looks.

I finish fixing my red lipstick, once again wanting to ground my daughter for making me look this way, and turn towards her.

“Where did you meet Milo?” I ask.

Why did I ask her that? I wanted to ask how she met Darren, not Milo. That was what I had meant to say.

“We met at the gym.” She smiles. “He said you’re his boss?”

“I am.”

“God, how do you stand it?”

“Stand what?” I question.

She laughs and tilts her head. “Looking at him all day. I would never get any work done.”

Oh, great, another groupie.

I won’t tell her that today, I do find his good looks a little distracting. But even still, he’s so arrogant, cocky, full of himself, and . . . Milo. Sure, he’s nice, caring, funny, and seems to go out of his way sometimes for people. Yeah, he’s smart, and Parker came running when he came to the door, but that’s because he is a child.

Instead I ask, “Aren’t you engaged?”

She laughs, leaning against the counter. “I can still browse the market without buying the produce, honey. Besides,” she says looking down at my hand. “You’re on a date with him and you have a special ring on your finger.”

I glance at my wedding ring and cover it. “Well, I guess not everything is as it seems.”

“How so?”

There’s no reason I need to tell her anything, other than to shut her up. We’re nothing alike in this moment. I’m not flirting with men at the gym when I have a fiancé. I’m not even flirting with anyone and I’m technically single. But I can’t put her in her place because this is Milo’s big plan, and if I screw it up, then I’ll never hear the end of it.

“My husband died almost two years ago,” I say. “I just haven’t taken it off yet.” My words may be strong, but my voice definitely isn’t.

“Oh,” Kandi touches my arm. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean . . .”

“No, it’s okay,” I reassure her quickly. “We should probably get back to the guys.”

She nods. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Are you . . . you know . . . with Milo then?”

I’m not sure what Milo has told her and I’m not good at this kind of thing. So, I do what I can do . . . deflect. “If you want to know, you’d have to ask him. I’m not at liberty to say one way or another.”

I’m hoping she has no idea what that means because I don’t myself, and I said it.

“Oh, because I think he’s incredible.”

“How long have you known him?” I ask.

“Just a few days,” she smiles. “But . . . when he talks, I swear, I could just die.”

Instead of making the gagging noise I want to, I nod. “Well, don’t go and do a thing like that.”