ressed guests, their conversations muted by the soft strains of a live orchestra in the corner. Gra

and controlled. "Relax. You're supp

harp. "Easy for you to say. You

ad, he guided her through the crowd, his hand

ng voice called out

ward them. His salt-and-pepper hair was impeccably styled, a

, his tone polite but devoid

and his expression softened into cur

htly on Grace's back. "Richard,

. Then Grace blinked and managed a poli

g across his face. "Well, I'll be damned. I didn'

lined his hea

eyes appraising. "You must be a special woman to

ng for the "story" they'd agreed on. But before

voice carrying just the right mix of charm

n the shoulder. "Well, I'll drink to

e said softly, he

her guests, Grace let out a breath sh

e about him," she mutt

d miss watching you improvis

pond, a familiar voi

is is a s

imson dress that hugged her slender frame like a second skin. Her dark hair was swept int

ian said, his voi

ile sharpening. "You must be the famous G

ry instinct screaming that this

tending a perfectly manicured hand.

he could respond, Sebastian's

sha." His tone was c

race. "Of course. I wouldn't dream of intruding. Congratu

ared into the crowd, leaving Grace and

n?" Grace asked

Sebastian re

on in his eyes made it clear he wasn't going

g through countless conversations. The role of Sebastian's fiancée was exhausting,

iet, the tension between them thick. Fina

tasha?" sh

d, but he didn't look at

t back. "She seemed like someone who kn

Natasha and I were involved years ago. It

f she's going to keep showing up and throwing her histor

dark eyes unreadable. "I'll handle

ility beneath his carefully controlled exterior. But as

aid quietly,

door closed behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just glimpsed a crack in Se