Master Unchained (Stealth Guardians Book 2) by Tina Folsom Read Free Book Online

evening.
    “Gabriella, so nice to see you!” Tessa quickly said to the deputy director of the center, and extended her hand in greeting.
    Shaking her hand, Gabriella glanced past her at Hamish, then back at her. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but we wanted to get all the speeches out of the way, so we can all have fun, right?” She giggled like a schoolgirl, her eyes darting past Tessa once more. “Though it looks like you started already.”
    At Gabriella’s obvious hint, Tessa turned and motioned to Hamish. “Gabriella, this is Hamish MacGregor, my, uh, boyfriend.” God, that sounded so strange, though she didn’t know whether that was because she hated lying or because having a boyfriend seemed such a distant memory. “Hamish, this is Gabriella VanSant, the deputy director of the new center.”
    Hamish shook her hand and unleashed a devastatingly charming smile. “What a pleasure to finally meet you. Tessa speaks very highly of you.”
    Tessa nearly choked at the ease with which the lie rolled over Hamish’s lips. What if Gabriella started asking questions about just what Tessa had presumably said about her?
    “The pleasure is all mine.” Gabriella giggled again, making her look at least ten years younger. Clearly, even a woman in her sixties could still be charmed by a handsome man, even if that man was a good twenty-five years younger than her. What did they call women like that again? Oh right, cougars .
    Just then Gabriella cast her a chastising look. “Where have you been hiding this man all these months?”
    “Uh, oh, I didn’t. It’s just, I—”
    Hamish took Tessa’s hand. “Tessa and I haven’t been dating for very long.” He smiled at her, then looked back at their host. “Though we are quite inseparable these days. I’m sure a woman like you, Ms. VanSant, knows all about the excitement of new love.”
    Gabriella blushed furiously. Hamish had managed to make her a compliment by alluding that she too was desirable and could attract a man who was crazy about her. She was still beautiful despite her age and her wrinkles. Even the extra pounds she carried around her hips and stomach couldn’t detract from that.
    Laughing, Gabriella playfully slapped her hand against his bicep, before turning back to Tessa. “Tessa, you’d better watch this guy, or any number of women here will try and snatch him away from you.”
    Hamish laughed. “Not a chance.”
    Yeah , Tessa felt like saying, because I’m paying him to be by my side.
    Instead, she simply smiled, playing the love-struck girlfriend.
    “So, Mr. MacGregor, are you in politics, too?”
    “No, far from it. I’m a writer.”
    Interest spread on Gabriella’s face. “Oh, how exciting! What do you write?”
    “Instruction manuals for heavy industrial machinery. It’s quite fascinating. I’m currently working on a really exciting new machine.”
    “Oh!” The disappointment in Gabriella’s voice was palpable. She tried to hide it with a smile. “Well, that’s excellent.” Then she looked at her watch. “Tessa, shall we meet at the stage in about five minutes? I’ll drum up the other speakers by then.”
    “Sounds great, I’ll be there in a moment,” Tessa replied. “Oh, and Gabriella, have you seen my campaign manager? She was supposed to meet me here.”
    “Poppy is already at the stage,” Gabriella said, before addressing Hamish. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. MacGregor.”
    As soon as she was out of earshot, Tessa turned to Hamish. “Instruction manuals for heavy industrial machinery? Why on earth?”
    “In my job, I’m used to blending in. Trust me, nobody wants to talk to me once they hear I write instruction manuals. There can’t be anything more boring, and nobody wants to be stuck with a talker who prattles on about some boring technical stuff. Or did you not notice how fast Ms. VanSant lost interest?”
    She had to admit he had a point. “I guess.”
    He leaned in. “Or would you rather your boyfriend were a