Overnight Sensation(18)

My mother frowns on eating at a party. She says it’s difficult to look like a lady when you’re shoving food in your mouth. Since my ladylike persona took a serious hit last night, I won’t risk it. So I hold my glass of champagne and wait for an opening to ask Rebecca if there’s anything she needs.

I really need a chance at that job. Becoming Rebecca’s office manager would buy me some time to figure out what I want to do with my life. And I could be a great manager. Thanks to my upbringing, I know tons about hockey. And—thanks to charm school—dealing with people is easy for me, too.

I locate Rebecca in the center of the space. Nate Kattenberger stands beside his future wife, looking resplendent in a charcoal tuxedo. His bowtie is Brooklyn aubergine—the team color. There’s a line of well-wishers to greet them both.

Stepping back against the hedgerow, I scan the crowd. If I didn’t already have a thing for hockey players, I’d probably develop one right now. There’s a lot of testosterone on this patio, and it looks twice as good in a bowtie. Leo Trevi is chatting with the team captain, Patrick O’Doul. Whereas Leo has a pretty-boy face, O’Doul is more rugged.

Which is better? Who’s to say? It’s like ice cream flavors. There are so many good ones that it’s hard to choose.

When my gaze finds Castro, though, I experience a cascade of reactions. First up is OMG how can one man be so hot? He wears his traditional black tux as impeccably as an Oscar nominee. The perfect starched collar of his shirt stands out against his shapely, olive-toned jaw.

He’s holding a glass in those long fingers—the ones I still haven’t experienced on my body. Or at least not in the way that I want to. The man did hold me while I fell asleep last night. While I was too drunk to appreciate it. Or even remember it properly.

In the grand scheme of things, last night doesn’t qualify as an actual tragedy. But I feel bereft nonetheless.

He must feel me watching him, because he turns his head and catches me staring. My face reddens, which seems to happen a lot when I’m looking at him. But just as the embarrassment kicks in, something unexpected happens. Castro’s eyes heat. And he makes a slow sweep of my dress.

Lordy. It’s a good thing I’m wearing a lined bra under this gown because otherwise I’d have to blame the ocean breezes for the way my nipples are suddenly tight and sensitive. That man’s gaze could be sold as a weapon of female destruction.

His slow perusal of me ends when we lock eyes. And then he actually scowls before looking away.

“Heidi Jo?”

I look back toward Rebecca so fast it’s a good thing I don’t snap my neck. “Evening,” I say quickly. “How are you both?”

“Just fine!” Becca says with a smile, her diamond ring glinting in the fairy lights. “How are you holding up?”

“I feel terrific,” I say quickly. And it’s almost true. My headache has finally receded into the background. I take the tiniest sip of champagne, but it doesn’t appeal to me right now. “Are you excited for the golf tournament tomorrow?” I ask her.

“I don’t know if ‘excited’ and ‘golf’ belong in the same sentence,” Becca says.

“That’s my girl!” Nate toasts her.

“But we’re going to raise a lot of money for charity. And I get to drive the cart,” she says with a smile.

“Good plan. What can I do to help?” I’m fixing to ask that question seventeen times a day until she realizes the new assistant’s job belongs to me.

Becca shrugs. “Just be ready at eight thirty, okay? I’m sure something will come up for us to worry about. Something always does.” Becca’s gaze focuses on someone entering the party. “Heidi Jo, your father has arrived.”

“Here?” Even as the word comes out of my mouth, I know I shouldn’t be surprised. Money, golf, and hockey are his favorite things. So what if we’re a hundred miles from midtown? His driver brought him. Or else he took a helicopter.

I should have known.

A few seconds later, he arrives at my side. I open my mouth to greet him when he removes the champagne glass from my hand. “You won’t be needing this, sweetheart,” he says, his voice grim. “Good evening, Nate. Rebecca.”

“Evening, commissioner,” Nate says. “Are you ready to raise some money for adaptive sports?”

“Anytime.” My father chuckles.

“I didn’t see your check, though,” Nate adds.

My father scowls. “Maybe it got lost in the mail.”

Nate grins. “Just teasing you. I don’t ever see the checks. It’s probably on Becca’s desk.”

I’m not even listening, because my face is on fire. Daddy took that glass out of my hand as though I were a naughty teen. I’m used to him treating me like that, but usually it happens in private.

“Hello, Daddy,” I say as he turns to me, taking a deep drink of my bubbly. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I’m invited every year,” he says, glancing around the crowd. “And since you haven’t returned my calls today, I did not have the opportunity to tell you.”

Yep. I walked right into that one. My face burns even more brightly.

“But since we’re all here,” Daddy continues, “let’s spend a few moments talking about Heidi Jo’s internship.”