The Older Man by Laurey Bright Read Free Book Online Page B

“He didn’t say.”
    “Does it matter?” Shane asked.
    Rennie shrugged. “I’d like to know if it’s a party or not. So I know what to wear,” she added.
    “Something pretty,” her mother advised vaguely. “I don’t think it’s meant to be formal, though.”
    She wore a floral print dress in autumn colours. It hugged her breasts and nipped her waist before falling to a full skirt, and left her shoulders bare although it had soft, full sleeves. She pinned her hair carefully up, used a bit more makeup than usual on her creamy skin, and put on a pair of high-heeled shoes that she seldom wore but which emphasised her narrow feet and slim ankles. When she came into the hall as they were preparing to leave, Shane whistled and asked, “Who are you trying to impress?”
    “Not you!” she retorted, and swept by him to the door.
    “You look very nice,” her father told her, and she instantly wanted to run back inside and change into something else, but it was too late.
    They were not the only ones invited, she discovered. By eight-thirty almost everyone who had attended the wedding was there. The house was an old one that Celeste had lived in before her marriage to Ethan, and her workroom had been cleared for the party, the tables she used for her fabric painting covered with white cloths and holding an array of food, glasses and drinks from which the guests were invited to help themselves.
    Rennie drank two glasses of white wine and talked to Ethan’s aunt, and tried not to allow her eyes to stray toward the door every five minutes.
    “Enjoying yourself?” Ethan asked as she returned to the ‘bar’ to refill her glass.
    “Lovely, thanks,” she answered. “You’re looking well. Celeste is, too. I’m very glad for you, Ethan.”
    “So am I. I nearly blew it, you know. What are you drinking?” He took her glass.
    “I was drinking wine, but I’ll have an orange juice now, thanks. You’re going back to Sheerwind soon?”
    “Yes, we miss the island. We’re keeping this house on, though. Celeste still has a share in the shop where she sells her fabrics and clothing. This will be a handy base when either of us needs to visit Auckland on business. We plan to divide our time between here and the house on Sheerwind. You must visit us there.”
    “I’d love to.”
    “Good. Here’s your orange juice.” He was handing it to her when Grant walked into the room, and somehow the juice slopped onto her hand.
    “Sorry!” Ethan grabbed a paper napkin and began mopping up the spill.
    “It wasn’t your fault,” she assured him. She concentrated her attention on the small mishap, putting down the glass to wipe her hand with the fresh napkin Ethan handed to her. By the time Grant had walked over to the table she was able to greet him with a careless smile, and her hand when she retrieved her glass was quite steady.
    She saw the slight reserve with which the two men greeted each other. “You’ve seen Celeste?” Ethan asked as he poured the other man a drink.
    “Yes. She seems very … contented.”
    “She is.” Ethan’s glance was straight.
    Grant nodded. “I’m glad. Congratulations again.”
    “Thanks. Well, if you two are happy, I think I’ll go and join my wife.”
    “You’re late,” Rennie told Grant, and then flushed. She hadn’t meant it to sound like an accusation.
    “I got held up.” He took a good swallow of his drink, as though he felt the need of it. “Is there anywhere to sit?”
    “There are chairs in the other room, but I think they’re all occupied. Are you tired?”
    “Tired,” he said, “is a wholly inadequate word.”
    “What have you been doing?”
    “Trailing around the zoo all day with two kids. I thought I was reasonably fit, but — ” he shook his head, ” — today I’m feeling my years.”
    “Do you have custody?”
    “No, they live with their mother and I have them every second weekend. And I’m rapidly running out of ideas of where to take them.”
    “How