pte

ting Wils

ulled my hand from Wilson's grip and looked up. There stood William Gates. His striking gray eyes met min

cked his lips, then turned to his mother

nodded to Ha

Evelyn said warmly and took a sip of her wine.

ight next to me. His gaze wandered to me again. "So you

mosity between the brothers crackled palpably in the ai

ay earlier: Wilson an

someone had finally tam

clarified, eager to put

n added with a wink t

ilted in confusion. "Have we met

may

years," Wilson cut in. "

back. Starting a fight with one of the Gates heirs would only end b

was his girlfriend," William shot back. "Why w

th a wicked smile. "You, on the other hand, make the publi

d you ju

ure vanished instantly and gave way to pure hardnes

voice. "If I have to endure another scandal becau

ious pride before turning to hi

Both brothers straightened t

h a softer expression. "The two of them have always

swered, still a little in

laughed in the right places, but my eyes kept drifting back to William. H

y wine glass and rested his arm on the back of my chair.

cutting into what Evelyn had been sayin

d before I could say anything. "

proach you,"

Not that I minded." W

" Willia

only tellin

n said quietly. Silence

e same time. Our hands brushed. We froze. When he didn't pull his hand back rig

I've met you before," William be

I wanted to tell him the truth,

bornly, as if you ha

" I replied as ann

ad. "That sounds an awful lot li

necessary. "Drop it, William. Not ever

t talkin

came here with me," Wils

t with you," William shot back.

town for five minutes and you're alr

cold. The tension aro

spered, but he had a

ut have a conversation," Wil

ring at her sinc

figure out where

ow her. She b

raw. I slapped my na

I don't be

iveness: it was simply too much. It reminded me too much of

" I whispered. I pu

ilson began, bu

ry much for the invitation. Dinner was delicio

and strode out from behind the partition, through the elegant restauran

ad absolutely not gone as planned. I had come hoping to reconnect with William. Instead I had stumbled

I took it out. Two new me

lson. One f

ever asked for