Page 69 of To Steal a Heart
The faint worry lines on Madeline’s face smoothed. “In that case, I hope y’all have a wonderful time.”
“We will,” Wesley said with conviction. He gave Arden a lingering look that suggested he wanted much more than a mere friendship. Or maybe not. Chasing skirts was Wesley’s favorite pastime. Arden just happened to be in his path at the given moment. “What time should I pick you up?”
“Let’s meet at the hotel,” Arden suggested. She didn’t want to spend a second longer with Wesley than was absolutely necessary.
Mom smiled at Arden in relief. “You can ride with your dad and me.”
A woman dressed in a hotel uniform walked briskly towards them. “We should probably get started.”
Arden looked over at the long line that had formed near the table. “Of course. Thanks for coming,” she said to all of those gathered around her. She was about to go to the signing table when she glanced at the back of the room and saw him. A soft gasp escaped her throat. Garrett was standing just inside the room, near the double doors. Their eyes locked for one fraction of a moment before he turned and left.
“What’s wrong?” Talon asked.
“You’re trembling,” Mom observed with a note of concern.
She hugged her arms. Her knees wobbled like Jell-O. It was all she could do to force the words from her throat. “I just saw Garrett by the door.”
Everyone turned to look.
Talon frowned. “Are you sure?”
She nodded slowly.
Silent information passed between Talon and Mom. Arden’s heart dropped. She knew that look. Talon and Mom thought she was looney. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They were seriously worried about her sanity.
“Who’s Garrett?” Wesley wanted to know.
The group ignored him, turning their attention back to Arden. Talon touched her arm, speaking in a low tone. “Are you sure it was him? That’s a long distance away. It could’ve been a trick of the eye. You’re so worked up about everything.” His words dribbled off.
Arden could tell that Talon wanted her to say that she’d imagined the sighting. This was an eerie repeat of her seeing the waiter—Asa—in the Hamptons. She looked at Grandmother, who seemed to be telling Arden to keep her mouth shut. Arden suspected that Talon and his head of security, Casey Wilcock, could search the hotel over a dozen times and not find hide nor hair of Garrett. Arden had already raised a warning voice the day before. Maybe she should just leave well enough alone. “I’m sure I was mistaken.”
Talon looked relieved. “You’ve been under a lot of pressure. Maybe you should try to get some rest before the gala.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, “good idea. First, I’ll get the signing over with.”
“It’s probably a good thing you’re going to the gala with Wesley tonight,” Mom said.
Wesley grinned like a possum. “I’ll take great care of her.”
Olivia’s expression radiated sympathy as she caught eyes with Arden. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I am.” Arden could tell that Olivia didn’t believe her, but she’d have to explain everything later. She took in a long breath and let it out slowly before motioning with her head. “I should get going. People are waiting.” Garrett was here! Her mind raced, pumping adrenaline through her veins. For better or worse, it was all coming to a head. Garrett had wanted her to see him. The connection between them was alive and well. She wished she had time to dissect her feelings. She was still so frustrated, angry, and hurt. Although she couldn’t deny that she felt more alive than she’d felt in months.
“I’ll head over with you,” Grandmother said. “I want to get a signed book for my friend Terrie.”
Arden forced herself to walk at a snail’s pace so that Grandmother could keep up. They were halfway to the table when Grandmother caught Arden’s arm in an eagle grip.
“You saw him?” she demanded, searching Arden’s face.
“I did.” Her breath came faster. “He’s here, and he wanted me to see him. What does that mean?”
Grandmother pursed her lips. “I’m not sure.” A feverish excitement bubbled in her eyes as she peered over her glasses. “But one thing I do know is this—the game is afoot.”
CHAPTER 16
The grand ballroom was a sight to behold; all decked out in pink feathers, pink flowers intertwined with ribbons, and twinkling white lights. A live orchestra was positioned on the stage, playing classical music. Had Arden been in a different frame of mind, it would have been easy for her to get caught up in the romance of the evening. As arranged, Arden and Wesley had met in the foyer of the hotel. Shortly after they entered the ballroom, Grandmother flagged them down and insisted that they sit with her. Thankfully, Grandmother had trapped Wesley into a conversation, giving Arden an opportunity to survey the crowd. Her gaze traveled over the dancing couples donning their flamboyant masks. It was interesting to see so many varying shades of pink in the women’s gowns as well as the different styles. As she’d predicted, the men were dressed in black tuxedos. The classic combination of pink and black reminded her of the glamor of Hollywood in the 1950s.
She studied the men, taking note of their hair and build as she compared each one to Garrett. If only this gala hadn’t been a masquerade theme, then she might have had a chance at spotting Garrett. With the masks, dim lighting, and large crowd of attendees, it would be nearly impossible to pick him out. The only option was to smoke out the rat, as Grandmother said.