June remembered Nyla being prickly the only time she’d met her, so her comments had come as no surprise.
Deron seemed nice, June thought. He was another person she wanted to question about the night her older sister died. But again, out of respect for Cameron’s family’s event, she wouldn’t do it now.
Cameron had said he would help her. She trusted that, when the time was right, he’d facilitate a conversation with Deron.
“Nyla. Deron.” A younger woman with shoulder length blond hair and a barely perceptible scar running down the side of her neck approached the couple, a bright smile lighting her face.
Wearing a simple black dress and minimal jewelry, she skidded to a stop when she saw Nyla and Deron weren’t alone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
When she backed up, Nyla placed a staying hand on her arm. “You’re not interrupting anything.”
Nyla made quick work of the introductions. June learned the young woman was Trini Wysocki and that she’d recently started working for the Grizzlies organization.
“I got to know Deron and Nyla through a mentoring program. It was a Flock initiative for first-generation college graduates.” Trini smiled at the Flocks. “I learned so much from them, and I’m still learning.”
“Nyla’s grandmother Hal mentored me for a while,” June said. “It was a very worthwhile experience.”
Nyla placed a hand on Trini’s shoulder. “A woman alone has power, but when we work together and help each other rise up, we have impact.”
“Totally agree.” Gesturing to Nyla, Trini smiled at June. “I’m going to make Nyla and Deron proud.”
“You’ve already made us proud,” Deron told her.
“I really appreciate you and Nyla allowing me to come tonight.” Trini glanced around. “And for loaning me out so I can work on Anson’s political campaign.”
“It’ll be a valuable learning experience.” Nyla’s gaze narrowed on something, or someone, in the distance. She took Trini’s arm. “There’s someone over there I want to introduce you to.”
“I’ll catch up with you.” Deron brushed a kiss across his wife’s cheek.
“It was great meeting you both.” Trini gave a friendly wave as she followed Nyla through the crowd.
Deron focused warm brown eyes on June. “Perhaps you and Cameron can come out to our place in Morrison for dinner one night this week.”
June slanted a glance at Cameron and got a slight nod. “I’d like that. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Deron told Cameron.
When he turned to leave, June placed a hand on his arm. “By the way, when you have a free moment, there’s some research I’m hoping you can help me with. It involves someone you might know—Sylvester Allen. Went by Sly?”
Deron’s brows pulled together. “I don’t believe I’ve heard that name since high school.”
“Yes, it’s about an event from about ten years ago.” June glanced at Cameron. “Obviously, I don’t want to take you away from the party tonight, but I really—”
“Deron.”
He glanced toward where JR stood with his fiancée, motioning to him.
Deron turned back and shot June an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I need to go, but you’ve intrigued me. Let’s talk soon.”
“Absolutely.” June flashed a bright smile. “We’ll chat another time.” As Deron slipped through the crowd on his way to JR and Britt, June blew out a breath. “I didn’t mean to waylay him. It just seemed too perfect an opportunity.”
She’d came tonight fully prepared to be ignored. Or worse. Instead, everyone had been remarkably civil. Cool maybe, but civil. Not bad for the first time interacting with Cameron’s family since going public with their relationship.
“You’re doing great.” Cameron slung an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “You’re handling things better than I am.”
“I saw that you were itching to jump into your protective knight-of-the-realm mode with your parents and sister.”
Concern filled his eyes. “I just—”
“It means a lot to me that you’d want to do that.” Impulsively, she leaned up and kissed him gently on the mouth. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t get a chance to do anything, but if I can get a kiss for doing virtually nothing, the thought of what I might get for really stepping up excites me.”
She laughed. “You just being you excites me.”
“We never did make it to the silent-auction tables.”
“Well, then, what are we waiting for?”