Georgia had been working for Sylvia for a little over a month and since she had decided to stay in her coastal home for the duration of the summer she was enjoying being able to return to her own private space every night.
The job was not nearly as challenging as working for the Maillers had been. She helped Sylvia with her personal correspondences, made sure the house ran smoothly, and helped her plan a never ending cycle of summer parties.
Her first week she helped Sylvia's Granddaughter Renee, Reggie's cousin, with a few things but Renee wasn't the least bit interested in having Georgia help her. Georgia got the distinct impression that the girl thought she was a spy for her Grandmother.
Renee had been travelling abroad for the last month and was due back the following day. She had phoned her Grandmother to say that she was bringing a few friends with her and that they would be staying for a few days.
The last two weeks of her travels Reggie had flown over to join her and was also conducting some business for the family. He had seemed pleased to finally be doing something when he had left. He had arrived home two days earlier and had been in meetings with his father and grandfather about a potential business opportunity. It was all very hush hush but Georgia got the distinct impression that it was very considerable and would make the family a substantial sum of money.
Reggie had asked her to drive into the city with him that evening for dinner and a show as a celebration of his success. Georgia had bought a new dress and had asked Sylvia for a few extra hours off so that she would be ready in time. Sylvia had been pleased to let her go, saying that she had worked non-stop for the last week and she deserved, at the very least, a night out on the town even if it was with Reggie.
So at five o'clock Reggie knocked on her door and Georgia was ready for her night on the town.
Georgia had chosen a silk sheath dress that transitioned from a deep purple to blue. The thinness of the dress called for special underwear which she had splurged on and her shoes were wonderfully skimpy and added four inches to her height. She had decided to wear her hair up and had put on some of her mother's sapphire jewelry.
It had been a long while since she had the chance to play with makeup so she went all out like she used to do. She rimmed her eyes with dark liner and layered her lashes making them look thick and the overall impression was that her eyes were almost violet and huge. The rest of her makeup she kept minimal hoping to keep the focus on her eyes.
Her look must have worked because when she opened the door to Reggie he did a great impression of a fish, his mouth kept opening and closing but no words came out.
Eventually, he took a deep breath and grinned. "Georgia."
"Reggie." He looked very handsome in his tux. His golden blond hair was combed and is grey eyes danced.
"You're stunning."
Georgia preened a little. It had been so long since she had gotten a nice compliment or felt so confident. "Thank you and you look very handsome. Will we be the talk of the town do you think?"
"No thinking about it. I know we will be." He escorted her to his car with the top up and patiently waited for her to settle herself in place.
The ride went quickly and Reggie was in fine form and kept Georgia laughing the entire way into the city. They parked in a nearby garage and walked a few blocks to the theater holding hands so as not to get separated on the crowded sidewalks.
The lobby of the theater was packed with patrons and Reggie tugged her towards the bar. The noise level was so loud that it made low voiced conversation impossible. Reggie pushed her towards the bar finding her a place and tried to get the bartenders attention.
Georgia smiled at the impossibility of Reggie's situation and wondered how people thought that this was a good time. She would much rather be in a simple little quiet restaurant having a delicious meal than fighting for a place to stand at a bar.
She scanned the crowd behind her in the mirror admiring the ladies dresses and watching them size each other up while their escorts greeted each other with handshakes and slaps on the back. She was watching two ladies shooting each other dirty looks when the other one would look away and then they would both paste fake smiles on their faces when they made eye contact again.
Georgia smiled and shook her head as she scanned the crowd again and her heart jumped when her gaze encountered a familiar whisky colored one. She stopped breathing and she felt her knees grow weak as their eyes connected. She was glad the bar was there to catch her.
Neither one of them was willing to look away from the other. Georgia was afraid to turn around for fear that he wouldn't really be there or would be lost in the crowd. He was the first to break eye contact as he leaned down to hear something that his beautiful companion was saying. Georgia recognized her. It was Isobel Rossini and she looked stunning and delicate next to Ewan's massive frame.
Georgia let her gaze go back to Ewan and took in his appearance. His hair was shorter but nothing else had changed. He still looked as cold and handsome as he ever did. His tux was well fitted and he looked leaner if that was possible. He looked up again and his gaze found hers but she was unable to read his thoughts.
"Finally, here you are Georgia. I wasn't sure what you wanted so I got you white wine." He handed her a chilled glass. Looking away she turned to him with a smile and took the glass but didn't lift it off the bar for fear he would see her hand shake. She must have appeared normal because Reggie leaned back against the bar facing the crowd and smiled.
"There are some real players here this evening." He suddenly stood up a little taller as he made eye contact with someone. "And here comes one of the major ones."
Georgia looked up into the mirror, to the last place she had seen Ewan and he was gone.
"Reggie, if you don't mind I'm going to go powder my nose before the show starts." She had made Reggie give her a ticket before they had left the car in case they got separated. "I'll meet you at our seats," she said as she faded into the crowd.
Georgia knew she was running from the situation but she couldn't take the chance of meeting Ewan again. What little bit of healing she had managed would be shredded. She pushed open the door to the ladies room and made her way to the closest stall leaning against the door as it closed behind her.
Ewan had been so close. He had looked so good. The intercom in the restroom was playing an old standard that made her even more depressed. Some woman was singing about loneliness and seeing her love again. She bit back a groan.
Maybe he didn't recognize her. Maybe it had all been imagined on her side. Taking a few more deep breaths she tried to push the image of Ewan out of her mind as she exited the stall. Checking herself in the mirror and noting that, at least outwardly, she looked presentable she moved to exit the restroom. As she opened the door Isobel Rossini pushed passed her carrying Ewan's scent with her.
Taking a deep breath and holding it in her lungs she gave the woman a vague smile as she moved into the now half-filled lobby. Scanning the crowd, she saw Ewan standing with Reggie at the bar. He was deep in conversation and didn't notice her so she took her time and looked her fill. He was leaner than she remembered, but he still claimed his space and she noticed that he was getting covert glances from the people around him.
Reggie turned back towards the bar to settle the bill and as if he sensed her gaze Ewan looked right at her. So much for pretending he hadn't seen her. He took his time letting his gaze wander over her but his eyes were ice cold and his expression was hard.
He mentioned something to Reggie and he turned to look in her direction, smiling.
Both men looked at her with very different expressions but Georgia only had eyes for Ewan. Reggie motioned towards her as if asking Ewan to meet her but with a grim smile he motioned to someone behind her and shook Reggie's hand.
Georgia didn't have to turn around to know that it was Isobel emerging from the ladies room. She could still smell Ewan on her and she closed her eyes inhaling, her heart shuddering at the fact that his smell clung to the other woman.
Reggie smiled as Ewan clapped him on the shoulder before he started towards Georgia. It took him less than a minute to reach her and he took her elbow guiding her towards the auditorium where they waited in line for an usher to take them to their seats. Georgia looked over her shoulder once more but Ewan was gone.
"You know who that was I was taking to, don't you?"
"Ewan Mailler?" Georgia tried to sound as nonchalant as she could as she said his name aloud.
"Yes, he is who I have been meeting with the past month, we're trying to work out a deal for our company. If this deal goes through it will bring my family and his a nice profit. Not that anything Mailler touches brings anything but..."
Reggie stood to one side as they were led to their row and he let her take the lead to their seats. "I think I have a bit of a man crush," Reggie said as they settled into their seats. "What it must be like to be Ewan Mailler? Everything he touches turns to money, he's handsome and cultured, and he can have any woman he wants with just the crook of his finger."
Georgia just gave a polite smile and Reggie continued to extol Ewan's many accomplishments while she did her best to tune him out.
"He was supposed to be coming with his sister to the house tomorrow for a few weeks."
Georgia's heart stopped at his words. Ewan and Diana were two of the visitors coming to Sylvia's. Suddenly, panicking, she tried to think of a way she could get out of work for a week. She could get sick or better yet Aunt Priscilla could get sick. She knew that neither was an option, she would just have to talk to Sylvia tomorrow without giving her to many details and hope that she would give her the time off.
"Diana is still coming but he said that he would be unable to make it do to some emergency or other that has come up suddenly."
Georgia felt herself go limp in relief. Diana would still be there but that seemed much easier to handle than Ewan. In fact, she'd bet money that Diana wouldn't even acknowledge her presence.